The Funky Headhunter


The Funky Headhunter is the fifth studio album by American rapper Hammer, released on March 1, 1994, via Giant Records and Reprise Records.
The album at the time was hailed as Hammer's comeback album. As with some previous songs such as "Crime Story" and "Help the Children", the content and reality about "street life" remained somewhat the same, but the sound was different which resulted in Hammer losing favor with fans. Nonetheless, the record was eventually certified platinum.

Album history

Hammer's 1992 Too Legit to Quit Tour was abruptly cancelled due to financial and management issues by the end of the year. Recording seasons of the album started in March 1993 and ended on November 1993. During September 1993, negotiations of renovation of the contract with Capitol started. According to some sources, the artist was looking for a three- or four-album deal in the $20-$25-million. However an agreement was not reached. Instead, Hammer signed with Giant and Reprise, seeking a new image and looking for a "non-commercial road" new style of music.
Hammer debuted the album and video for "Pumps and a Bump" two months before its release on The Arsenio Hall Show and finally released it in March. Talk show host Arsenio Hall said to Hammer, "Women in the audience want to know, what's in your speedos in the 'Pumps and a Bump' video?" A clip from the video was then shown, to much approval from the audience. Hammer didn't give a direct answer but instead laughed. Arsenio then said, "I guess that's why they call you 'Hammer.' It ain't got nothin' to do with Hank Aaron".

Critical reception

writer Ron Wynn said about the album overall: "Hammer's sound was leaner, his rapping tougher and more fluid, and his subject matter harder and less humorous." Dennis Hunt of the Los Angeles Times felt that Hammer had "zero feel" for his choice in subgenre, but praised the record's "smashing beats" and highlighted "Don't Stop" for being "unbelievably funky". Dimitri Ehrlich of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "even with some credible producers to beef up his sound, Hammer comes off as desperate on The Funky Headhunter, and his rhymes sound more like those of a hard worker than a hard-timer." Vibe contributor Charles Aaron called it "one of the most stunning curios of pop marketing hubris ever perpetrated", criticizing Hammer's half-hearted attempts at dissing other rappers, and the tracks for utilizing the overused G-funk sound and lacking lyrical substance or even "a nifty turn of phrase." In a 2020 retrospective review, Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews was critical of Hammer's offbeat flow delivering bars with an overabundance of syllables, lack of curses and swear words despite the image change, and constant references to his previous pop success, but conceded that the overall production was actually good, calling it "a 1990's collision between Teddy Riley and Warren G and it works perfectly." He concluded that: "I can't deny the transformation is comical, but it's also not as terrible as first I thought."

Commercial reception

The album peaked at number two on the R&B charts and remained in the Top 30 midway through the year. The album eventually reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart The album managed to become certified platinum. As of 1996, it sold over 733,000 copies in the United States.
"Pumps and a Bump" proved to be a controversial track on this album, somewhat affecting Hammer's image. However, the single peaked at number three on the US Rap charts. It was banned from heavy rotation on MTV with censors claiming that the depiction of Hammer in Speedos was too graphic. This led to an alternative video being filmed that was directed by Bay Area native Craig S. Brooks.
"It's All Good", produced by The Whole 9, was the second single released on this album, and peaked on the record charts as follows: US number 46, US R&B number 14, US Rap number three and UK number 52.

Track listing

Information taken from Amazon.com, Apple Music and Spotify.

Samples

Break 'Em Off Somethin' Proper
Don't Fight the Feelin'
Don't Stop
It's All Good
Oaktown
Pumps and a Bump
  • "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton
Somethin' for the O.G.'s
  • "Dance Floor" by Zapp
  • "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton

    Personnel

Adapted from the liner notes of The Funky Headhunter.
  • Wilton Rabb – guitar
  • Ben Ross – bass
  • Eddy Schreyer – mastering
  • Nancie Stern, Mary-Jo Braun – sample clearance assistance
  • Kevin Design Hosmann – art direction
  • Michael Miller – photography
  • Madame Mack Style – stylist

    Charts

Certifications