MC Hammer

Stanley Kirk Burrell (born March 30, 1962), better known by his stage name MC Hammer (or simply Hammer), is an American rapper, dancer, record producer and entrepreneur. He is known for hit songs such as " U Can't Touch This", "2 Legit 2 Quit" and " Pumps and a Bump", flashy dance movements, extravagant choreography and his eponymous Hammer pants. Remembered for a rapid rise to fame, Hammer has also been an entrepreneur and celebrity spokesperson.

A multi-award winner, Hammer is considered a "forefather" and pioneering innovator of pop rap (incorporating elements of freestyle music), and is the first hip hop artist to achieve diamond status for an album. After being labeled a sellout, and with the changing landscape of hip hop music, Hammer attempted to appeal to the rise of gangsta rap. However, due to overexposure and critical backlash, his popularity waned by the mid-1990s (which led to a highly publicized bankruptcy beginning in 1996).

Along with a Mattel doll and other merchandise, Hammer starred in a Saturday-morning cartoon called ''Hammerman'' in 1991. He became an ordained preacher during the late 1990s and hosted ''M.C. Hammer and Friends'', a Christian ministry program on TBN. Hammer was also a dance judge on '' Dance Fever'' in 2003, was the co-creator of the dance website DanceJam.com, and was executive producer of his own reality show titled '' Hammertime'' (which aired on the A&E Network during the summer of 2009).

Throughout his career, Hammer has managed his own recording business as a record label CEO. As a result, he has created and produced his own acts/music including: Ho Frat Hoo!, Oaktown's 3.5.7, Special Generation, Analise, DRS, B Angie B, Gentry Kozia and Oakland Fight Club. A part of additional record labels, he has associated, collaborated and recorded with: Psy, VMF, Tupac Shakur, Teddy Riley, Felton Pilate, Tha Dogg Pound, The Whole 9, The Hines Brother, Deion Sanders, Big Daddy Kane, BeBe & CeCe Winans and Jon Gibson. Hammer signed with Suge Knight's Death Row Records in 1995.

BET ranked Hammer as the No. 7 "Best Dancer of All Time". '' Vibe''s "The Best Rapper Ever Tournament" declared him the 17th favorite of all-time during the first round. He continues to perform concerts at music venues and appears in television advertisements, along with participating in social media and ministry/outreach functions. He is also active in community and sports activities, being interviewed locally and nationally.

Early life and education

Stanley Kirk Burrell was born in Oakland, California, on March 30, 1962. His father was a professional poker player and gambling casino manager (at Oaks Card Club's cardroom), as well as a warehouse supervisor. He grew up poor with his mother (a secretary) and eight siblings in a small apartment in East Oakland. He recalled that six children were crammed into a three-bedroom housing project apartment. The Burrells would frequent thoroughbred horse races, eventually becoming owners and winners of several graded stakes.

In the Oakland Coliseum parking lot the young Burrell would sell stray baseballs and dance accompanied by a beatboxer. Oakland Athletics team owner Charlie Finley saw the 11-year-old doing splits and hired him as a clubhouse assistant and batboy as a result of his energy and flair. Burrell served as a "batboy" with the team from 1973 to 1980. In 2010, Hammer discussed his lifelong involvement with athletes on ESPN's '' First Take'' as well as explained that his brother Louis Burrell Jr. (who would later become Hammer's business manager) was actually the batboy while his job was to take calls and do "play-by-plays" for the A's absentee owner during every summer game. The colorful Finley, who lived in Chicago, used the child as his "eyes and ears". Reggie Jackson, in describing Burrell's role for Finley, took credit for his nickname:

Team players, including Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Pedro García, also dubbed Burrell "Little Hammer" due to his resemblance to Aaron. Ron Bergman, at the time an ''Oakland Tribune'' writer who covered the A's, recalled that: He was an informant in the clubhouse, an informant for Charlie, and he got the nickname "Pipeline".

According to Hammer:

He acquired the nickname "M.C." for being a " master of ceremonies" which he used when he began performing at various clubs while on the road with the A's, and eventually in the military. Hammer, who played second base in high school, dreamed of being a professional baseball player but did not make the final cut at a San Francisco Giants tryout. However, he has been a participant/player in the annual Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game wearing an A's cap to represent Oakland (American League).

Burrell went on to graduate from McClymonds High School in Oakland in 1980 and took undergraduate classes in communications. Discouraged by his studies at a local college, and failing to win a place in a professional baseball organization, he joined the United States Navy for three years. He served with PATRON (Patrol Squadron) FOUR SEVEN ( VP-47) of NAS Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, as a petty officer third class aviation store keeper (AK3), until his honorable discharge.

Music and entertainment career

Before Hammer's successful music career and "rags-to-riches-to-rags-and-back saga", Burrell formed a Christian rap group with singer and musician Jon Gibson (or J.G.) known as the Holy Ghost Boy(s). Hammer and Tramaine Hawkins performed with Gibson's band, in concerts at various venues such as the Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills. Some early songs produced were "Word", "B-Boy Chill" (a live audio performance is on YouTube) and " Stupid Def Yal" (1987). Hammer also produced "Son of the King" during this time, releasing it on his debut album '' Feel My Power'' (1986), as well as the re-released version ''Let's Get It Started'' (1988). Additionally, "The Wall" featured Hammer (a song Stanley Kirk Burrell – or K.B. – originally identified himself as M.C. Hammer), which was later released on Gibson's album '' Change of Heart'' (1988). This was CCM's first rap hit by a blue-eyed soul singer and/or duo.

In addition to later remixes of early releases, Hammer produced and recorded many rap songs that were never made public, yet are now available on the Internet. Via his record labels such as Bust It Records, Oaktown Records and Full Blast – Hammer has introduced, signed and/or produced new talent including: Oaktown's 3.5.7, Ho Frat Hoo!, the vocal quintet Special Generation, Analise, James Greer, One Cause One Effect, B Angie B, The Stooge Playaz, DASIT as seen on ''Ego Trip's The (White) Rapper Show'', Teabag, Common Unity, Geeman and Pleasure Ellis (all collaborating with him and/or producing music of their own during his career).

At about the age of 12, Oakland native Keyshia Cole recorded with Hammer and sought career advice from him.

''Feel My Power'' (1986)

In the mid-1980s, while rapping in small venues and after a record deal went sour, Hammer borrowed US$20,000 each from former Oakland A's players Mike Davis and Dwayne Murphy to start an independent record label business. As the CEO of Bust It Productions, Hammer kept the company going by selling records from his basement and car. Bust It Records spawned Bustin' Records, and collectively the companies had more than 100 employees. Recording singles and selling them out of the trunk of his car, he marketed himself relentlessly. Coupled with his dance abilities, Hammer's style was unique at the time.

Now billing himself as "M.C. Hammer", he recorded songs for his debut album '' Feel My Power'' in 1986. It was originally released on his independent label, Bustin' Records (via Oaktown Records), and produced by Felton Pilate of Con Funk Shun. It sold over 60,000 copies, and was distributed by City Hall Records. Hammer released singles from the album, including "Ring 'Em" in 1987. Largely on the strength of tireless street marketing by Hammer and his wife, in addition to continuous radio play, it achieved considerable popularity at dance clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the spring of 1988, Tony Valera (a 107.7 KSOL Radio DJ), played the track "Let's Get It Started" in his mix-shows. The track also gained popularity in nightclubs. Hammer declared he was "second to none from Doug E. Fresh, LL Cool J or DJ Run" within the song. He would continue to call out other East Coast rappers in future projects as well.

Heartened by his rising prospects, Hammer launched into seven-day-a-week rehearsals with the growing troupe of dancers, musicians and backup vocalists he had hired. It was Hammer's stage show, and his infectious stage presence, that led to his big break in 1988 while performing in an Oakland club. There he impressed a record executive who "didn't know who he was, but knew he was somebody", according to the ''New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll''. Though Hammer had previously received and declined offers from major record labels before, he agreed to a multi-album contract with Capitol Records with a $1,750,000 advance. It did not take long for Capitol to recoup its investment.

''Let's Get It Started'' (1988)

Once signed to Capitol Records, Hammer re-issued his first record (a revised version of '' Feel My Power'') with additional tracks added, which sold over 2 million copies. "Pump It Up" (also performed during ''Showtime at the Apollo'' on September 16, 1989), "Turn This Mutha Out", "Let's Get It Started" and "They Put Me in the Mix" were the most popular singles from this album (which all charted). Not entirely satisfied with this first multi-platinum success, Hammer's music underwent a metamorphosis, shifting from the standard rap format. "I decided the next album would be more musical," he said at the time. Purists chastised him for being more dancer than rapper. Sitting in a leopard-print bodysuit before a concert, he defended his style: "People were ready for something different from the traditional rap style. The fact that the record has reached this level indicates the genre is growing."

Hammer was very good friends with Arsenio Hall (as well as a then-unknown teen named Robert Van Winkle, aka Vanilla Ice, despite later rumors that there was a "beef" between the two rappers which was addressed during the height of both their careers on Hall's show, and whom he would later reunite with in a 2009 concert in Salt Lake City, Utah), and as such, Hammer was first invited to perform the song " U Can't Touch This", prior to its release, on ''The Arsenio Hall Show'' in 1989. He also performed "Dancing Machine" which later appeared in the '' Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie'' (1990).

Hammer used some of the proceeds from this album to install a rolling recording studio in the back of his tour bus, where he recorded much of his second album.

In 1989, Hammer was featured on "You've Got Me Dancing" with Glen Goldsmith, which appeared on Goldsmith's album ''Don't Turn This Groove Around'' via RCA Records. The track was Hammer's first release in the UK. Hammer also appeared in Glen Goldsmith's music video for this song. The single failed to chart.

During this period, Hammer formed the rap group Oaktown's 3.5.7, releasing the No. 9 single " Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" from the album '' Wild & Loose'' (1989).

''Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em'' (1990)

Hammer's third album (and second major-label release) ''Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em'', which was released February 12, 1990 (with an original release date of January 1, 1990). It included the successful single " U Can't Touch This" (which sampled Rick James' "Super Freak"). It was produced, recorded and mixed by Felton Pilate and James Earley on a modified tour bus while on tour in 1989. Despite heavy airplay and a No. 27 chart debut, "U Can't Touch This" stopped at No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart because it was released only as a twelve-inch single. However, the album was a No. 1 success for 21 weeks due primarily to this single, the first time ever for a recording on the pop charts. The song has been and continues to be used in many films and television shows, and appears on soundtrack and compilation albums as well (such as '' Man of the House'' and '' Back 2 Back Hits'').

Follow-up successes included a cover of the Chi-Lites' " Have You Seen Her" and " Pray" (a beat sampled from Prince's "When Doves Cry" and Faith No More's " We Care a Lot"), which was his biggest hit in the US, peaking at No. 2. "Pray" was also a major UK success, peaking at No. 8. The album went on to become the first hip-hop album to earn diamond status, selling more than 18 million units to date. During 1990, Hammer toured extensively in Europe which included a sold-out concert at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. With the sponsorship of PepsiCo International, Pepsi CEO Christopher A. Sinclair went on tour with him during 1991.

The album was notable for sampling other high-profile artists and gave some of these artists a new fan base. " Dancin' Machine" sampled The Jackson 5, "Help the Children" (also the name of an outreach foundation Hammer started) interpolates Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "She's Soft and Wet" also sampled Prince's " Soft and Wet". All of these songs proved to be successful on radio and video television, with "U Can't Touch This," "Pray" (most successful), "Have You Seen Her", "Here Comes the Hammer" and "Yo!! Sweetness" ( UK only) all charting. The album increased the popularity of hip hop music. It remains the genre's all-time best-selling album.

Music videos from this and previous albums began to receive much airplay on MTV and VH1. A movie also accompanied the album, and was produced in 1990, entitled '' Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie'' (with portions of his music videos included within the movie). During this same time, Hammer also appeared in The West Coast Rap All-Stars posse cut " We're All in the Same Gang". Additionally, Hammer released the tracks "This is What We Do" on the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' movie soundtrack (1990), and "That's What I Said" on the '' Rocky V'' soundtrack (1990).

A critical backlash began over the repetitive nature of his lyrics, his clean-cut image, and his perceived over-reliance on sampling entire hooks by others for the basis of his singles (criticisms also directed to his contemporary Vanilla Ice). He was mocked in music videos by 3rd Bass (including a rap battle with MC Serch), The D.O.C., DJ Debranz and Ice Cube. Oakland hip-hop group Digital Underground criticized him in the CD insert of their '' Sex Packets'' album, by placing Hammer's picture in it and referring to him as an unknown derelict. Q Tip criticized him in "Check the Rhyme", saying: "What you say Hammer? Proper. Rap is not pop, if you call it that then stop." LL Cool J dissed him in " To da Break of Dawn" (from his '' Mama Said Knock You Out'' album), calling Hammer an "amateur, swinging a Hammer from a body bag is pants and stated: "my old gym teacher ain't supposed to rap." However, it could have been a response to Hammer calling him out in "Let's Get it Started", when he was mentioned along with Run-DMC and Doug E. Fresh as rappers that Hammer claimed to be better than. LL Cool J would later compliment and commend Hammer's abilities/talents on VH-1's'' 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop'', which aired in 2008. Ice-T came to Hammer's defense on his 1991 album ''O.G. Original Gangster'': "A special shout out to my man M.C. Hammer. A lot of people diss you man, but they just jealous." Ice-T later explained that he had nothing against people who were pop rap from the start, but rather emcees who switch from being hardcore or "dirty" to pop rap, in order to sell more records.

Despite the criticisms, Hammer's career continued to be highly successful including tours in Asia, Europe, Australia and Russia. Soon after, M.C. Hammer Mattel dolls, lunchboxes and other merchandise were marketed. He was also given his own Saturday-morning cartoon, called ''Hammerman'', which he hosted and voiced. SB-Nation

''Too Legit to Quit'' (1991)

After publicly dropping the "M.C." from his stage name, Hammer released ''Too Legit to Quit'' (also produced by Felton Pilate) in 1991. Hammer answered his critics within certain songs from the album. Sales were strong (over five million copies), with the title track being the biggest hit single from this record. The album peaked in the Top 5 of the ''Billboard'' 200. Another hit came soon after, with " Addams Groove" (which appeared on both '' The Addams Family'' motion picture soundtrack and the vinyl and cassette versions of ''2 Legit 2 Quit''), reaching No. 7 in the U.S. and No. 4 in the UK. His video for the song appeared after the movie.

Hammer set out on a high-profile tour promoting the album which included a stage show ⁠loaded with singers, dancers and backup musicians. In 1992, Boyz II Men joined the tour as an opening act. While traveling the country, their tour manager Khalil Roundtree was murdered in Chicago, and the group's future performances of " It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" were dedicated to him. As a result of this unfortunate experience, the song would help advance their success. Ultimately, however, the lavish show proved too expensive to support through album sales and it was cancelled partway through its scheduled run.

Music videos were produced for all four singles released from this album (including " Do Not Pass Me By" and " This Is The Way We Roll"), all which charted.
The "2 Legit 2 Quit" video featured many celebrity appearances. It's been ranked as one of the most expensive videos ever made. The hand motions used within the song and video also became very popular. The song proved to be successful in the U.S., peaking in the Top 10 at No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Despite the album's multi-platinum certification, the sales were one-third of ''Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em''.

At the end of the "2 Legit 2 Quit" video, after James Brown enlists Hammer to get the famous glove of Michael Jackson, a silver-white sequined glove is shown on the hand of a Michael Jackson look-alike doing the "2 Legit 2 Quit" hand gesture. In a related story, M.C. Hammer appeared on ''The Wendy Williams Show'' (July 27, 2009) and talked about his hit reality show '' Hammertime'' on A&E, his marriage, his role as a dad and the reasons he eventually went bankrupt. He told an amusing story about a phone call he received from "M.J.", regarding the portion of the "2 Legit 2 Quit" video that included a fake Michael Jackson, giving his approval and inclusion of it. He explained how Michael had seen the video and liked it, and both expressed they were fans of one another. Hammer and Jackson would later appear, speak and/or perform at the funeral service for James Brown in 2006.

The artwork featured in the album was created by James B. Young and accompanying studios.

During 1991, Hammer was featured on the single "The Blood" from the BeBe & CeCe Winans album, '' Different Lifestyles''. In 1992, the song peaked at No. 8 on the Christian charts.

New venture with Oaktown/Giant Records (1992–1993)

In 1992, after a four-year hiatus, Doug E. Fresh signed with Hammer's label, Bust It Records and issued one album, ''Doin' What I Gotta Do'', which (despite some minor acclaim for his single "Bustin' Out (On Funk)" which sampled the Rick James 1979 single "Bustin' Out") was a commercial failure.

Prior to Hammer's next album, '' The Funky Headhunter'', rumors from critics and fans began claiming Hammer had quit the music/entertainment business or had suffered a financial downfall (since a couple of years were passing between his two records), which Hammer denied. Hammer claimed rumors falsely heralded his downfall were most likely a result of the fact he turned over his "trimmed-down" Bust It Records to his brother and manager Louis Burrell Jr., and his horse racing interests to his brother Chris and their father, Louis Burrell Sr.

During his hiatus between albums, Hammer consequently signed a multi-million dollar deal with a new record company. He said there were a lot of bidders, but "not too many of them could afford Hammer". Therefore, Hammer parted ways with Felton Pilate (who had previously worked with the successful vocal group Con Funk Shun) and switched record labels to Giant Records, taking his Oaktown label with him. Hammer was eventually sued by Pilate. Additionally, Hammer launched a new enterprise, called Roll Wit It Entertainment & Sports Management, with clients such as Evander Holyfield, Deion Sanders and Reggie Brooks. In 1993, his production company released the hit rap song " Gangsta Lean" by DRS (from their debut album '' Gangsta Lean'').

By this time, he also parted ways with his only female executive music business administration consultant and songwriter, Linda Lou McCall (who previously worked with the Delfonics and her husband Louis A. McCall, Sr.'s band Con Funk Shun). A music industry vet, McCall was hired by Hammer's brother and manager Louis K. Burrell, in 1990. She helped set up his corporate operations and administration, at Bust It Management & Productions Inc. in Oakland, California. She later became Vice President of Hammer's talent management company, overseeing artists like Heavy D, B Angie B and Ralph Tresvant. While at Bust It, she and her husband brought their artist Keith Martin to Felton's attention, who hired him as a backup musician and vocalist for Hammer's ''Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em'' and ''Too Legit to Quit'' world tours. In 1993 and 1994, McCall was also involved in several lawsuits against Hammer, which were eventually settled out of court.

With a new home and daughter, a new record soon to be released and his new business, Hammer claimed he was happy and far from being broke during a tour of his mansion for ''Ebony''. "Today there is a more aggressive Hammer, because the '90s require you to be more aggressive", Hammer said of his music style. "There is a harder edge, but I'm no ''gangsta''. Hammer in the '90s is on the offense, on the move, on the attack. And it's all good".

''The Funky Headhunter'' and ''Prime Time'' (1994)

In 1993, Hammer began recording his fifth official album. To adapt to the changing landscape of hip-hop, this album was a more aggressive sounding album entitled '' The Funky Headhunter.'' He co-produced this record with funky rapper and producer, Stefan Adamek. While Hammer's appearance changed to keep up with the gangsta rap audience, his lyrics still remained honest and somewhat clean with minor profanity. Yet, as with previous records, Hammer would continue to call out and disrespect other rappers on this album. As with some earlier songs such as "Crime Story" (from the album ''Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em''), the content and reality about "street life" remained somewhat the same, but the sound was different, resulting in Hammer losing favor with fans. This album peaked at number two on the R&B charts and remained in the Top 30 midway through the year. The album was eventually certified platinum. Within this album, Hammer disses rappers such as A Tribe Called Quest