TV Reviews : Brown, Hammer Cash In on ‘Influences’

Music is a sidelight in HBO’s “Influences: James Brown and M.C. Hammer” (at 10 tonight). What rapper Hammer and R&B; pioneer Brown really do is endlessly ply each other with gushy compliments.

Taped in Oakland in an informal rehearsal hall setting last March just after Brown was released from prison, the program doesn’t provide much insight about Brown’s considerable influence on Hammer and rap. What we mostly learn is that Hammer loves Brown and Brown loves Hammer.

The gushing eases enough for Brown to perform several numbers, including “I Got You” and “Please Please Please,” backed by his superb horn section, which includes trombonist Fred Wesley and alto sax player Maceo Parker. From Hammer, though, all we get are snippets of performances. They don’t perform together at all.

What the program is about more than influences is commercialism. It pushes Hammer back into the national spotlight, just before the Oct. 7 release of the first single, “Too Legit to Quit,” from his album of the same name, which is due out Oct. 28. And guess which veteran R&B; singer is appearing with Hammer in the video for the single?