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MC Hammer Information
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'MC Hammer' (later 'Hammer'), real name 'Stanley Kirk Burrell', (born March 30, 1962) was a mainstream American rapper during the 1980s and early 1990s, known for his baggy pants and catchy hooks on songs like U Can't Touch This.
Early life
MC Hammer was born in Oakland, California. In Hammer's early teens, Charlie O. Finley, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, noticed the boy performing outside of the stadium. Finley named the boy his "executive vice president," and he served in that capacity until 1980. In reality, his job was to report to Finley on what was happening with the team, since Finley did not live in Oakland. A's players named him "Little Hammer" because of his resemblance to slugger "Hammerin'" Hank Aaron.
Even though Hammer wanted to be a professional baseball player, he did not catch on in any professional organization. He instead joined the Navy and upon his return began performing music in clubs and started his own record label, Bust It.
Early career
His debut album was Feel My Power (1987), produced by Felton Pilate (of Con Funk Shun). The album sold over 60,000 copies, which led to several offers from major labels.
Burrell initially refused to sign a contract from Capitol Records, but he eventually did after a substantial signing bonus was added to his contract. His debut album was then re-released as Let's Get It Started. The album eventually went triple-platinum (more than 3 million units sold). The title song, "Turn This Mutha Out", and "Feel My Power" saw heavy rotation on R&B/Hip-Hop radio stations.
His second album, 1990's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em included the highly successful single U Can't Touch This, which sampled "Super Freak" (Rick James); "Have You Seen Her" (cover of the Chi-Lites); and "Pray" (sampled from Prince's "When Doves Cry"). The album eventually went on to become the first hip-hop album to reach diamond status (more than 10 million units sold). During 1990 Hammer toured extensively in Europe which included a sell out concert at NEC Birmingham.
A critical backlash began brewing over the repetitive nature of his lyrics, his clean cut image, and his perceived over-reliance on sampling others' hooks for the basis of his singles. He was mocked in music videos by 3rd Bass and Ice Cube. However Ice-T mentioned him on his 1991 album OG: Original Gangster: "A special shout out to my man MC Hammer; A lot of people diss you man, but they just jealous. Fuck em!". Despite the criticisms, MC Hammer's career remained highly successful. Soon, MC Hammer dolls, lunchboxes, clothing, and other apparrel were marketed. He was even given his own Saturday morning cartoon
After dropping the 'MC' from his stage name, Burrell released Too Legit to Quit in 1991. Burrell took the opportunity to answer his critics on certain songs on the album. Though the album was, by and large, no more critically accepted than his first, sales were strong and the title track was yet another hit. Another hit came soon after, with "Addams Groove" (which appeared on both The Addams Family motion picture soundtrack and the vinyl version of Too Legit to Quit).
Later career
Later, Hammer switched record labels and signed with Giant Records. To adapt to the changing landscape of hip-hop, his next album was a more aggressive gangsta rap-style record titled, The Funky Headhunter. Sales dropped from his previous albums and after 1995's Inside Out, Giant Records dropped Burrell from their roster of artists.
Hammer next signed with Death Row Records, then home to gangsta rap stars Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur. The label did not release any of Hammer's music while he was with them. However, Burrell did record music with Shakur. Their collaborative efforts are yet to be released. After the death of Shakur in 1996, Burrell left the record company.
In 1996, Burrell signed with EMI Records, which saw the release of a compilation of Hammer's chart topping songs. The album, Greatest Hits, featured 12 MC Hammer hits. In 1997, MC Hammer (who by that time had readopted the 'MC') was the subject of an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show and the VH1 series Behind the Music. In these appearances, Burrell admitted that he was broke after squandering more than $20 million. Much of this money was lost on a large mansion that Burrell had built in Fremont, California, 30 miles south of where he grew up. Due to his bankruptcy and lavish finishes that added little value, the ten million dollar house was sold for only five million dollars.
Caught up in the September 11 crisis, Hammer rushed production and release of the album Active Duty in late 2001. Sales were poor at best. His Hammertime Holdings company floundered and no other release has been made from his WorldHit Studios record company.
As early as 2003, production began on Full Blast, another Hammer album. This one had a single, Hard Times, released in late 2004. Rumor has it that the music video for Full Blast was filmed at the world famous "Room" in California, home to other music videos from artists like Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent. Hammer's website does nothing to shed any light on the subject of the new album.
Hammer was recently seen in a television ad for Lays potato chips. Some kids lose their baseball over the fence of a neighbour apparently infamous for not returning lost toys, so they throw him a bag of chips to appease him. He throws back their ball, their dog, a car belonging to one of the kid's dad and MC Hammer, still dressed in golden sparkle shirt and parachute pants. MC Hammer instantly breaks into the chorus of "Can't Touch This." The kids then toss Hammer back over the fence. He also appeared in an ad for Nationwide Insurance which made fun of his sudden fall from fame and wealth.
MC Hammer's legacy
After his rapid fall from fame and subsequent bankruptcy, MC Hammer spent most of the latter half of the 1990s as a punchline in the music business. In 2002, Nelly, in his breakthrough hit "Country Grammar", announced his intention to "blow 30 mill[ion] like I'm Hammer". Hammer is often used as an icon for the concept of "one-hit wonder" or "15 minutes of fame,".
Hammer's sampling of large portions of well-known pop oldies (as opposed to short James Brown or George Clinton funk riffs) has shown increasing popularity among mainstream rappers (particularly Diddy's Bad Boy Records).
Hammer's image as a clean living "nice guy" became increasingly rare in mainstream rap music with the rise of gangsta rap, but has occasionally resurfaced in the likes of Will Smith.
Private Life
Hammer reaffirmed his Christian beliefs in October 1997. Eventually he became a priest with his own television program. He now lives in Tracy, California, with his wife and 4 children. The rumors of Hammer being dead are false.
Celebrity weddings he has officiated are:
* actor Corey Feldman and Susie Sprague on 30 October 2002
* Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil and Lia Gerardini in January 2005 .
Discography
*Feel My Power (1987) (re-released as Let's Get It Started in 1988)
*Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990)
*Too Legit To Quit (1991)
*The Funky Headhunter (1994)
*Inside Out (1995)
*Greatest Hits (1996)
*Family Affair (1998)
*The Hits (2000)
*Active Duty (2001)
*Full Blast (2003)
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