There have been hit rap singles and albums just before him, but MC Hammer was the person who really brought rap music to some mass pop audience. Equipped with a flamboyant closet (especially his brand baggy parachute slacks) along with a raft of sampled hooks raised direct from their resources, Hammer’s talents being a dancer and showman considerably exceeded his technique as an MC. Still, he previously an hearing for catchy supply material, which helped his second record, Make sure you Hammer Don’t Harm ‘Em, end up being the best-selling rap record ever. Even when he was hardly ever in a position to duplicate that degree of success, and also if his road credibility was practically nonexistent, Hammer still broke down many doorways for rap music within the mainstream, demonstrating that hip-hop acquired the prospect of blockbuster success available on the market. MC Hammer was created Stanley Kirk Burrell in Oakland, California on March 30, 1962. An associate of a highly religious family members, he landed employment being a bat/ball guy for the Oakland Athletics football group, where he interested fans by dance during breaks in the overall game, and gained the nickname “Hammer” for his resemblance to all-time house run head “Hammerin'” Hank Aaron. An aspiring ballplayer himself, he didn’t capture on with a specialist organization following senior high school, and enlisted within the Navy for 3 years. Long a enthusiast of funk and spirit, he became thinking about hip-hop upon time for civilian lifestyle, and began executing in local night clubs; with the economic help of many Athletics players, he also began his very own record label, Bustin’ Information, and recorded several popular regional singles. With ex-Con Funk Shun mastermind Felton Pilate making, Hammer documented an record titled Experience My Power in 1987. After impressing a Capitol Information executive along with his currently elaborate live display, he was authorized to a multi-album offer, the to begin that was a revamped edition of Experience My Power retitled Let’s OBTAIN IT Began. Producing an R&B strike in “Switch This Mutha Out,” Let’s OBTAIN IT Started went dual platinum. Still, nothing at all might have foreshadowed the trend of Make sure you Hammer Don’t Harm ‘Em, the 1990-released follow-up. Its 1st solitary, “U Can’t Contact This,” blatantly copped the majority of its hooks from Rick Wayne’ funk traditional “Super Freak,” however Hammer’s added capture phrases (and youthful listeners’ unfamiliarity with the initial music) helped make it a smash. “U Can’t Touch This” dominated radio and MTV during 1990 in ways few rap singles ever endured, and earned two Grammys (Greatest R&B Song, Greatest Solo Rap Efficiency); save to get a quirk in its launch format — it had been only available like a 12″, which lessen its product sales — it could easily have already been the very first rap solitary to best the Billboard pop graph. Another two singles, “PERHAPS YOU HAVE Seen Her” (a flat-out cover from the Chi-Lites’ ’70s spirit ballad) and “Pray” (constructed on the key pad connect from Prince’s “When Doves Cry”), adopted “U Can’t Contact This” in to the Top Ten, ultimately pushing product sales of Make sure you Hammer Don’t Harm ‘Em at night ten-million tag and rendering it the main record of the entire year. Still, a backlash was developing against Hammer’s regular borrowing (some stated fraud) of traditional hooks for his very own strikes; hip-hop purists also railed about his frequently simplistic, recurring lyrics (certainly, “Pray” set a fresh record for the amount of times its name was repeated through the melody, at more than 100). The fees of rank commercialism weren’t lessened with the merchandising machine that shortly kicked in: endorsement offers, MC Hammer dolls, a good Saturday morning toon show. Wanting to counteract the criticism, Hammer fell the “MC” from his name and utilized even more live instrumentation on his 1991 follow-up record, Too Legit to give up. While it marketed perfectly (over three million copies) and created a sizable strike in the name monitor, Hammer’s stage present acquired become as luxurious as his life-style; loaded with performers, dancers, and back-up musicians, the assisting concert tour was very costly for the album’s product sales to financing, and it had been canceled partway through. Hammer obtained his last big strike with “Addams Groove,” the theme towards the film edition from the Addams Family, and paused to reconsider his strategy. In 1994, he came back using the Funky Headhunter, a harder-edged, even more intense record that proceeded to go gold, but didn’t win him a fresh viewers among hardcore hip-hop enthusiasts. On 1995’s Inside Out, Hammer appeared uncertain of whether he wished to attract pop or rap viewers; the recording flopped, and Hammer was discrete of his agreement. In 1996, Hammer submitted for personal bankruptcy, his flavor for extravagance having gotten the greater of his dwindling income; his mansion was marketed at a fraction of its price. The turmoil prompted a spiritual reawakening, and he begun to compose new materials with an focus on spirituality and family members. The record Family members Affair was slated for discharge on Hammer’s very own Oaktown Information label, but programs were aborted on the last minute; only one 1,000 copies had been pressed, and had been hardly ever distributed nationally, conserve for limited Internet downloading. Several projects had been rumored to maintain the functions, including another record (War Upper body: Convert of the Hundred years) along with a soundtrack towards the film Go back to Glory: The Effective Stirring from the Dark Man, but non-e ever made an appearance. Finally, Hammer released a fresh record, the patriotic-themed Energetic Responsibility, through his very own WorldHit label in past due 2001.
Quick Facts
Full Name MC Hammer
Date Of Birth March 30, 1962
Height 1.82 m
Profession Singer, Preacher, Rapper, Entrepreneur, Entertainer, Music Producer, Spokesperson, Songwriter, Dancer, Film Score Composer, Choreographer
Education McClymonds High School
Nationality American
Spouse Stephanie Fuller
Children Sarah Burrell, Samuel Burrell, Jeremiah Burrell, A'Keiba Burrell, Stanley Burrell
Awards Grammy Award for Best R&B Song, MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video, MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video, Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance, American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album, American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist, American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Grammy Award for Best Music Film, American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, Juno Award for International Album of the Year, People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Artist, Billboard Music Award for Top Artist, American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Single, Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap Album, Brit Award for International Breakthrough Act, Soul Train Music Award for Best Video of the Year, Soul Train Music Award for Sammy Davis Jr. – Entertainer of the Year, Soul Train Music Award for Best Song of the Year, Billboard Music Award for R&B/Hip-Hop Male Artist of the Year
Music Songs U Can't Touch This, Too Legit to Quit, Have You Seen Her, Pray, Addams Groove, Here Comes the Hammer, Help the Children, Pumps and a Bump, Turn This Mutha Out, They Put Me in the Mix, It's All Good, This Is the Way We Roll, Yo!! Sweetness, Do Not Pass Me By, Straight to My Feet, Gaining Momentum, Dancin' Machine, This Is What We Do, Pump It Up, Sultry Funk, Let's Go Deeper, She's Soft and Wet, Ring Em, That’s What I Said, Help Lord, Crime Story, Intro: Turn This Mutha Out, Let's Get It Started, Goin' Up Yonder, I Got It From the Town, Break 'em Off Somethin' Proper, Oaktown
Albums Feel My Power, Let's Get It Started, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, Too Legit to Quit, The Funky Headhunter, Inside Out, Greatest Hits, Back 2 Back Hits, The Hits, Active Duty, Full Blast, Look Look Look, U Can't Touch This - The Collection, Will To Live
Nominations Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Grammy Award for Record of the Year, American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography, American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album, MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video, MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing, MTV Video Music Award for Best Visual Effects, MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film, MTV Movie Award for Best Song from a Movie, Brit Award for International Male Solo Artist, Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album – Male, Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single – Male, People's Choice Award for Favorite New Song, Juno Award for International Entertainer of the Year, Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Male Singer/Group
Movies Finishing the Game, The Right Connections, One Tough Bastard, Reggie's Prayer, Rhapsody, 1040, Ghostride the Whip, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie, M.C. Hammer: 2 Legit: The Videos, Life on the Road with Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Cheyenne, Club MTV Party to Go: Vol. 1
TV Shows The Surreal Life, Hammerman, Hammertime, Dance Fever, Black in the 80s
He was discovered by Oakland A's baseball team owner, Charles O Finney performing his moves in the parking lot of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. He has hired as a bat boy and would entertain the crowd with his dance moves.
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He once tried out for the San Francisco Giants baseball team.
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Internet Startup DanceJam.com [January 2008]
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Is an ordained minister [2004]
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Won a Living Legends of Hip Hop Award from Hip Hop International in Las Vegas. [August 2008]
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Released Album Look Look Look. [July 2006]
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Was inducted into the Soul Train Hall of Fame.
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MC Hammer once challenged Michael Jackson to a dance-off.
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Won a Living Legends of Hip Hop award from Hip Hop International.
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Had to film 2 versions of the music video for his hit single "Pumps and a Bump" in 1994. The first version was banned from MTV claiming it was too graphic for heavy rotation with Hammer in Speedos.
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Donated a portion of the proceeds from his 2001 album "Active Duty" to 9/11 charities.
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In late 1980s, negotiated a $750,000 advance from the Capitol Records before signing to the label.
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He was given a Ferrari Testarossa by Capitol Records after he bet the label that Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990) would become the biggest-selling rap album ever.
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Once turned down an appearance on Sally Jessy Raphael's talk show because he was offered only 30 minutes on the one-hour show.
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In 1990, Hip- hop magazine The Source refused to list his second Capitol album, 'Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em,' on its rap chart.
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Passionate about boxing. Frequently puts on the gloves to spar.
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In 1991, dropped the "MC" from his name. He released two albums (Too Legit to Quit in 1991 & The Funky Headhunter in 1994) under the name "Hammer". In 1995 he released the album "Inside Out" under the name "MC Hammer," re-adopting the Master of Ceremonies title.
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Once got called to jury duty - ironically regarding a case about a man who attacked his family with a "hammer".
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Shortly before Tupac Shakur's death, Hammer along with Tupac and Snoop Doggy Dogg held a press conference to talk about how they were gonna start trying to influence their fan base to become more politically involved.
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His 1990 hit single "Pray" set a new record for the number of times its title was repeated during the song, at well over 100.
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Was the first rapper to go diamond - selling more than ten million copies of just one album.
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Used the moniker "Holy Ghost Boy" prior to being known as MC Hammer.
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He landed a job as a bat/ball boy for the Oakland Athletics baseball team, where he entertained fans by dancing during breaks in the game. He also served as A's owner, Charley Finley's "personal snitch". His nickname among the players was "Pipeline".
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Was Enlisted in the navy for 3 years before becoming a rapper.
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Began his Rap career after getting financial support from the Oakland Athletics players.
Owns his own music label, Full Blast Digital Music Group.
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He has officiated at the celebrity weddings of actor Corey Feldman and Susie Sprague on 30 October 2002 and Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil and Lia Gerardini in January 2005.
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In August 1997, approximately 1 year after his bankruptcy, he sold his famous 11,000 square foot mansion in the Fremont, California hills for $5.3 million dollars.
Was on the Forbes list as the 19th highest-paid-entertainer of the world when he made $33 million.
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Had an entourage of over 200 people of which most were on his monthly payroll of $500,000.
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Established Oaktown Stables which at one time owned 19 thoroughbred horses.
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Spoke at the graduation ceremony for the class of 2008 at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, California.
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During the beginning of his rap career, claimed to sell 60,000 records "from the back of my trunk." After his success in selling music independently, was offered and agreed to a contract by Capitol Records.
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Was very good friends with slain rapper/actor Tupac Shakur. The two recorded music together as labelmates on LA based Death Row Records in the mid-90s. The music, however, has not ever been "officially" released.
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Director Justin Lin (Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, Finishing The Game)and Hammer met in 2000 in Las Vegas. While Filming Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), Lin had exhausted funds and production of the film was going to be halted. Not knowing if MC Hammer would remember him, Lin called him and told him about the situation. Hammer quickly transfered money into Lin's account, and production was completed on the project. Lin credits MC Hammer with saving the project.
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Ranked #44 on VH1's 50 Greatest Hip Hop Artists.
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Winner of the 1991 Brit Award for International Breakthrough Act.
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Son Samuel born September 2005.
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His album: 'Please Hammer don't hurt' sold over 10 million records in the US alone.
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His 1990 hit song "U Can't Touch This" was ranked #88 on VH1's 100 Greatest Dance Songs.
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Five children: A'Keiba, Sarah, Stanley, Jeremiah and Samuel.
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Attended Castlemont High School in Oakland, California.
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In 1996 he filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Due to buying cars, races horses etc. Had to sell his mansion on the hill. Now he has resorted to being a reverend of a church.
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His album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em went to #1, the first time ever for a rap recording to be #1 on the pop charts.
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Claimed to have had 200 outfits.
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Born at 11:59am-PST
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Once sold records out of the trunk of his car
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Was a bat boy for the Oakland Athletics baseball team
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Nickname came from his childhood resemblance to baseball legend, Hammerin' Hank Aaron. The Oakland Athletics called him "Little Hammer".
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Quote
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One of the strangest things in the rap language is the word or the phrase "sellout." What is really means is why didn't it happen to me? If your record crosses over to pop, and you get white listeners, Latin listeners, and listeners who are not black - you are called a "sellout." If *that* is a "sellout" then here I am. I'm a "sellout" because I want my music to be accepted by *all* people.
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January 20, 2009 on being present at Barack Obama's Inaguration in Washington DC - It's not a moment for any individual group, but an American moment. And it can only happen with the participation of many ethnicities throughout America saying this is what we want. I understood the progress that has been made as a people. It brought tears to my face.
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In the end, it's only us. All of us. We have to help each other, we can stop the violence. It's going to be one step a time. But I seek all of your love and all of your prayers. And I'm asking blessings for everybody.
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I really had genuinely brotherly love for Pac (Tupac Shakur). When I became a part of the Death Row family, he immediately ran into the studio and woke up the next morning. I had told him about a sang I wanted to do. It was off the Ohio players skin tight I wanted to called it too tight. Before I could get to the studio Tupac had gotten up early that morning went to the studio, called in the background singers, laid down the background, wrote a rap he wanted me to rap and it was done. He immediately embraced his partner from the town.
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Some people call God, some people call Allah, I want to see the fruit of the love, I want to see the love, the love to help the brothers who may not be as fortunate as us.
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I dress a certain way, and then people say, 'Oh, Hammer's a gangster.' I've never seen anyone gain gangster status from their clothes. Only in the suburban culture can you gain gangster status from what you wear.
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I had a business where I did the untraditional thing. I reinvested in my community . . . more than any artist in the history of this business. I had 200 minorities on my payroll; $500,000 a month. I didn't talk black. I did black.
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I don't have to sell it (his mansion), but it's the best thing to do. - 1997 SF Chronicle
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The word of God will make you sober real quick.
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I always believe that the sky is the beginning of the limit.
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When I look at Puffy (Sean "Puff Daddy/Diddy" Combs) with a choir, I say, 'Sure that's a take-off of what I do'.
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I'm comfortable with where I am today. I think I'm better because of the life that I have lived.
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I'm in great physical condition, my mind is focused, I'm blessed. Money has never been an issue with me. I will make and continue to make plenty of money.
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When somebody not of African American decent on a large level file a chapter 11, they say are you broke? I've never heard anyone say Donald Trump are you broke? They say, oh Donald Trump filed bankruptcy and you take it with a grain of salt. Why? Cause you know that he's gonna continue to handle his business and he's gonna make money.
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What I'll say about Suge is this. Everybody who grew up in a neighborhood had an individual that was like the big man of the neighborhoods. While many in another neighborhood would fear him.. He would be your partner. So while over around the lake they were sacred to death of him. But you came onto high street, he's buying everybody ice cream. That's Suge Knight. Suge knight had a lot of people fear him and I'm not gonna sugar coat him and say he didn't have his altercations and handle his business and what not. That was Suge as well, but with MC Hammer, we were friends. We were even closer than friends.
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Trademark
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Electric and intense performance style
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Frequently wears sunglasses Even at night and indoors
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