With his third album,
Too Legit to Quit,
Hammer dropped the "MC" from his name, but didn't undergo any major changes musically. Indeed,
Legit provided a heavy dose of the thing that made
Please Hammer, Don't Hurt Em so successful: likeable, fun pop-rap that appealed to mainstream Top 40 audiences more than the hood. For a few years,
Hammer almost seemed to be the
Michael Jackson of rap. Although it fell short of
Please Hammer's artistic and commercial success,
Legit definitely had its share of inviting hits, including "This Is the Way We Roll" and the title song. While
Hammer hasn't always been the most challenging artist in the world, the Oakland native has some noteworthy social commentary in "Living in a World Like This" and "Brothers Hang On" -- both of which are disturbing commentaries on the harsh realities of ghetto life. ~ Alex Henderson