MC Hammer
| MC Hammer | |
|---|---|
 In Stanford, California in July 2008.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Stanley Kirk Burrell |
| Also known as | Hammer |
| Born | March 30, 1962 |
| Origin | Oakland, California |
| Genre(s) | Hip hop, Pop, Dance, Gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, preacher, Internet business entrepreneur, actor |
| Years active | 1988 - present |
| Label(s) | Capitol Records Death Row Records Giant Records EMI WorldHit Oaktown Records Bust It Records |
| Website | mchammer.blogspot.com |
Stanley Kirk Burrell (born March 30, 1962); better known by his stage names MC Hammer and Hammer is an American multi-platinum selling MC most popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s, known for his dramatic rise and fall from fame and fortune and his trademark Hammer Pants. He became a preacher in the 1990s and as of 2008 works as a co-founder of a dance website, television show host and CEO, still performing occasionally at concerts and other functions. He lives in Tracy, California, with his wife Stephanie and six children, three boys and three girls (one now in college). Throughout his career, MC Hammer has run his own label, Oaktown Records.
Early life
Burrell was born in Oakland, California. From 1972 to 1980, Burrell served as a batboy with the Oakland Athletics under colorful team owner Charlie Finley, who lived in the Midwest and for whom Burrell was his "eyes and ears."[1] Reggie Jackson, in describing Burrell's role for Finley, took credit for the "Hammer" nickname:
- Hell, our chief executive, the guy that ran our team, uh, that communicated [with] Charlie Finley, the top man there, was a 13-year old kid. I nicknamed him "Hammer," because he looked like [Hammerin'] Hank Aaron.[1]
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."[1]
According to Hammer:
- Charlie said, "I'm getting you a new hat. I don't want you to have a hat that says "A's" on it. I'm getting you a hat that says 'Ex VP,' that says 'Executive Vice President.' You're running the joint around here." . . . Every time I come down to the clubhouse, you know, Rollie would yell out "Oh, everybody be quiet! Here comes Pipeline!"[1]
Burrell wanted to be a professional baseball player, but he did not catch on in any professional organization. He instead joined the Navy, where he served with Patron (Patrol Squadron) Forty Seven (VP-47) of Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, as a Petty Officer Third Class Aviation Store Keeper (AK3) until his honorable discharge . Through that experience, he acquired the nickname M.C. for being "Master of Ceremonies". He also had previously formed a gospel rap group known as the Holy Ghost Boys. But upon his return from the military he began performing music in clubs and started his own record label, Bust It.[2]
Music career
Prior to his mainstream career, Hammer formed a Christian Rap group releasing "This Wall" with CCM's Jon Gibson (Christian musician), which appeared on Gibson's album "Change of Heart", and "Son of the King" which showed up on Hammer's debut album.
Feel My Power (1987)
His debut album Feel My Power was produced between 1986 and 1988 to be released independently in 1987 on his Oaktown Records label. It was produced by VEH (of Con Funk Shun), and sold over 60,000 copies. In the spring of 1988, a DJ played the track "Let's Get It Started"—a song in which he declared he was "...second to none, from Doug E. Fresh, Cool LL, or DJ Run"—after which the track began to gain popularity in clubs. Hammer received several offers from major record labels after the successful release of the independent album.
Let's Get It Started (1988)
Hammer initially refused to sign a contract with Capitol Records because of how much he was making just selling albums from the trunk of his car, but after a substantial signing bonus was added to his contract and a deal to distribute his Oaktown imprint, he did. His debut album was then re-released as Let's Get It Started. A new video was shot for "Let's Get it Started," and another video was produced in fall of 1988 called "Pump It Up" (a new track added to Let's Get It Started). The "Pump It Up" video was added to the roster of "new wave" hip-hop videos that premiered or re-aired on the premiere season of Yo! MTV Raps. It depicted hip-hop legends Run-DMC getting disrespected by Hammer. The album eventually went triple-platinum (more than 3 million units sold). "Turn This Mutha Out" (the album's biggest hit), "Feel My Power", and "They Put Me in the Mix" saw heavy rotation on R&B/Hip-Hop radio stations throughout late 1988 into 1989.
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990)
His second album, 1990's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, included the smash single "U Can't Touch This", which sampled Rick James' 1981 hit "Super Freak". Interestingly, despite heavy airplay, "U Can't Touch This" stopped at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart due to the fact that it was released only as a twelve-inch single. Follow-up hits included "Have You Seen Her" (cover of the Chi-Lites); and "Pray", which had a beat sampled from Prince's "When Doves Cry" and was his biggest hit in the US, peaking at #2, and also a major UK hit, peaking at #8. The album went on to become the first hip-hop album to reach diamond status, selling more than 10 million units.[3] 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, PepsiCo International CEO Christopher A. Sinclair went on tour with him in 1991. A movie was also produced at this time called "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie" along with many music videos.
At the same time, he also appeared in The West Coast Rap All-Stars posse cut "We're All in the Same Gang". Music videos from this album and the previous album began to receive much airplay on MTV and VH1.
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 - criticisms which were also directed toward his contemporary, Vanilla Ice. He was mocked in music videos by 3rd Bass, The D.O.C., DJ Debranz, and Ice Cube. Oakland hip-hop group Digital Underground mocked him in the CD insert to their Sex Packets album when placing his picture in with the other members and referring to him as an "Unknown derelict". In fact, LL Cool J mocked him in "To tha Break of Dawn," a track on his Mama Said Knock You Out album, calling Hammer an "...amateur, swinging a Hammer from a bodybag (his pants)," and saying, "my old gym teacher ain't supposed to rap." However Ice-T came to his defense 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." Ice-T later explained that he had nothing against people who were pop rap from the start, as Hammer had been, but only against rappers who switch from being hardcore or dirty to being pop-rap so that they can sell more records.
Despite the criticisms, MC Hammer's career continued to be highly successful. Soon, MC Hammer dolls, lunchboxes, and other merchandise was marketed. He was even given his own Saturday morning cartoon, Hammerman.
Too Legit to Quit (1991)
After dropping the "MC" from his stage name, Burrell released Too Legit to Quit (again, produced by Felton Pilate) in 1991. Burrell took the opportunity to answer his critics on certain songs on the album. Though the album was, by and large, no better accepted (critically) than his first, sales were strong (over three-million copies) and the title track was a hit. 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), which reached #7 in the U.S. and #4 in the UK. His video for the song appeared after the movie. Hammer set out on tour, but the stage show had become as lavish as his lifestyle; loaded with singers, dancers, and backup musicians, the supporting concert tour was too expensive for the album's sales to finance, and it was canceled partway through. Despite the multi-platinum certification, the sales were one-third of "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em", and the record company considered it a commercial failure.
New venture (Oaktown/Giant)
Later, Hammer parted ways with Pilate, switched record labels and signed with Giant Records, taking his Oaktown label with him.
In 1992, Hammer admitted in depositions and court documents to getting the idea for the song "Here Comes The Hammer" from a Christian recording artist in Dallas, Texas named Kevin Christian (formerly "Kevin" Muhammad Abdallah). Christian had filed a 16 million dollar lawsuit against Hammer for copyright infringement for his song entitled "Oh-Oh, You Got The Shing." This fact compounded with witness testimony from both Hammer's and Christian's entourages and other evidence including photos brought about a settlement with Capitol Records in 1994. The terms of the settlement remain sealed. Hammer settled with Christian the following year.
The Funky Headhunter (1994)
To adapt to the changing landscape of hip-hop, his next album was a more aggressive 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 remained clean. The accompanying video to The Funky Headhunter's first single, "Pumps and a Bump", was banned from heavy rotation on MTV with censors claiming that the depiction of Hammer in Speedos and with what appeared to be an erection was too graphic.[4][5] This led to an alternative video being filmed (with Hammer fully clothed) that was directed by fellow Bay Area native Craig S. Brooks, who also helmed the video of rap group D.R.S.' only hit single "Gangsta Lean."
Inside Out (1995)
In 1995, Hammer released the album Inside Out, which critics claimed was unfocused, as it was unclear if the genre was pop or rap. The album sold poorly (peaking at 119 on the Billboard Charts) and Giant Records dropped him and Oaktown Records from their roster. Because of dwindling album sales and a lavish lifestyle, Hammer, who was $13 million in debt, filed for bankruptcy on April 3, 1996.[6]
Career with Death Row Records (1995–1996)
Hammer's relationship with Suge Knight dates back to 1988.
Hammer next signed with Death Row Records, then home to Snoop Dogg and his close friend, Tupac Shakur. The label did not release any of Hammer's music while he was with them. However, Burrell did record music with Shakur, most notebly the song "Too Late Playa", and the album he recorded leaked onto the internet some years later. Their collaborative efforts are yet to be released. After the death of Shakur in 1996, Burrell left the record company.
Return to EMI (1996–1997)
In 1996, Burrell and Oaktown signed with EMI, which saw the release of a compilation of Hammer's chart topping songs. The album, Greatest Hits, featured 12 former hits and was released in October, only six months after his bankruptcy.[7]
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 had already used up most of his fortune of over $20 million.
Family Affair (1998)
In 1998, MC Hammer released his first album in his new deal with EMI, titled Family Affair because it was to introduce the world to the artists he had signed to his Oaktown Records (Geeman, Teabag, and Common Unity) as they made their recording debut. This album was highly plugged on Trinity Broadcasting Network but featured no charting singles, and sold a career-low 500000 copies worldwide. However, it did showcase a song originally by 2Pac that was given to Hammer which he did as a remake on the album called "Unconditional Love".
Active Duty (2001)
In 2001, MC Hammer released his 8th studio album, Active Duty, to pay homage to the ones lost in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The album followed that theme, it featured two singles, "No Stoppin' Us (USA)," and "Pop Yo Collar." The album, like its predecessor, failed to chart and would not sell many copies. He did however promote it on such shows as The View.
Full Blast (2003)
After leaving Capitol Records and EMI for the second time in his career, MC Hammer decided to move his Oaktown imprint to an independent distributor and released his ninth studio album, Full Blast, in 2003. The album would feature no charting singles and failed to certify in the RIAA. A video was produced for Full Blast, a song that attacks Eminem and Busta Rhymes.
Look Look Look (2006)
After going independent, he decided to create a digital label to release his tenth studio album, Look Look Look. The album was released in 2006 and featured production from Scott Storch. The album featured the title-track single, and would sell much better than his previous releases at 300,000 copies worldwide.
Between 2006 and 2007, Hammer released a military-inspired rap song with a political message to President George W. Bush about sending the American troops back from war, called "Bring Our Brothers Home". The video was filmed at the Santa Monica Pier.
Lifestyle and business entrepreneur
Hammer had several costly videos, two in particular were "Too Legit to Quit (song)" or "2 Legit 2 Quit" (which many celebrities appeared in) and "Here Comes the Hammer". He has also made cameos on many television shows such as Amen (TV series) and Martin (TV series), and has appeared in movies as as an actor as well.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Hammer released the patriotic album Active Duty on his own WorldHit label. He donated portions of the proceeds to 9/11 charities. In 2004, he released the Full Blast album. Neither album managed to make the Billboard Charts.[8]
In 2003, Hammer appeared on the first season of The Surreal Life, a reality show known for assembling an eclectic mix of celebrities to live together.
In the 2005 MTV Music Video Awards, MC Hammer made a surprise appearance in the middle of the show with best friend Jeremiah Jackson.
In February 2006, the first single off Hammer's new album Look Look Look was released. The Scott Storch-produced title track was released as a single and a music video.
Hammer now frequently posts about his life on his blog "Look Look Look."[9]
MC Hammer has six children. The eldest, 20-year-old A'Keiba Burrell, was a contestant on MTV's Rock the Cradle in April, 2008 (which Hammer made appearances on).
In early 2008, Hammer launched his newest project as co-founder of DanceJam.com (www.dancejam.com), an exclusive community site dedicated only to dancing videos, competitions and styles.
In August 2008, a new ESPN commercial stars Hammer in it, showcasing his newest single ("I Got Gigs" from his forthcoming album Dancejamthemusic). The commercial was for Monday Night Football. This is not the first commercial in more recent years that Hammer has been in, or his songs/raps/dancing was used for or included in. (ie. Lays, Hallmark, Purell, Lysol, Nationwide Insurance, Citibank, etc.)
In recent articles, Hammer has shown an interest in having his own reality show with specific television networks. He has already been apart of two for VH-1 ("I Married... MC Hammer") and "The Surreal Life".
Legacy
After his rapid fall from fame and subsequent bankruptcy, MC Hammer spent most of the latter half of the 1990s as a punch line in the music business. In 2000, Nelly, in his breakthrough hit "Country Grammar (Hot Shit)", announced his intention to "blow 30 mill[ion] like I'm Hammer".[10]
Hammer has also influenced the music industry. His sampling of large portions of well-known pop oldies (as opposed to short James Brown or George Clinton funk riffs) has become increasingly popular among mainstream rappers, particularly Diddy's Bad Boy Records stable. Other examples include Eminem's Like Toy Soldiers which samples nearly the entire chorus from Martika's similarly-named 1989 hit. At the time Hammer was most popular though, it was frowned upon.
British TV presenter Mark Lamarr interrupted Hammer repeatedly with Hammer's catchphrase in an interview filmed for The Word, which he took in good humour.
MC Hammer performed a self-parody role in a television ad for Lay's potato chips. Some kids lose their baseball over the fence of a neighbor apparently infamous for not returning lost toys, so they throw him a bag of king sizes to appease him. He throws back their ball, their dog, a car belonging to one kid's dad, and Hammer, still dressed in golden sparkle shirt and Hammer pants. Hammer instantly breaks into the chorus of "U Can't Touch This." The kids then toss Hammer back over the fence as he cries out, "You're not supposed to touch this!" He also appeared in an ad for Nationwide Insurance which made fun of his sudden fall from fame and wealth. In 2004, "U Can't Touch This" was licensed by Purell for a series of commercials.
Hammer also began the trend of rap artists being accepted as mainstream pitchmen. Prior to Hammer, it was virtually unheard of for a hip-hop artist to be seen in a major commercial spot. Hammer appeared in major marketing campaigns for companies such as Pepsi, KFC, and Taco Bell to the point that he was criticized as a "sell-out".[11][12] Today, many rappers appear in various major commercials and market their own clothing lines, such as Jay-Z, Nelly, and P. Diddy. Ironically, two of Hammer's biggest detractors, LL Cool J and Run D.M.C., appeared together in a Dr Pepper ad during Super Bowl XXXVIII. Dr. Dre appeared in a Heineken commercial in 2001, and Ice Cube, another one of Hammer's biggest detractors, filmed St. Ides malt liquor ads in the early 1990s and has since become an actor and producer. In one of the episodes of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy called "Goodbling and the Hip-Hop-Opotamus Irwin wears clothing similar to that of MC Hammer and dances to a variation of "U Can't Touch This".
MC Hammer appeared on VH-1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s" countdown and as a commentary.
Hammer's dance style not only helped pave the way for the Bay Area Movement called Hyphy, but also helped to bring hip-hop and rap to Bay Area. His dancing skills are still taught to this day.
Hammer was recently featured in a TV spot for the 2008 Season of ESPN's Monday Night Football
The dance for Male Orcs in World of Warcraft is a short portion of the dance performed by MC Hammer in the "U Can't Touch This" music video.[13]
Pastoral career
Hammer originally made a commitment to Christ in 1984, attending bible studies, street ministry and forming a gospel rap group known as the Holy Ghost Boys which featured Contemporary Christian music's Jon Gibson (Christian musician). They collaborated on Gibson's 1988 inspirational album for a gospel-charged rap "This Wall" prior to Hammer's mainstream success. A single was also produced at that time that appeared on his first album called "Son of the King". But secular success came and years later Hammer reaffirmed his Christian beliefs in October 1997[14], then had a ministry television show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.[15] Hammer has officiated at the celebrity weddings of actor Corey Feldman and Susie Sprague on October 30, 2002 [16] (which was presented on VH1's "The Surreal Life") and Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil and Lia Gerardini in January 2005. [17] During an interview on TBN, Hammer claimed he adopted the M.C. back in his name which now stood for "Man of Christ".
Discography
Studio albums
- 1987: Feel My Power
- 1988: Let's Get It Started
- 1990: Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em
- 1991: Too Legit to Quit
- 1994: The Funky Headhunter
- 1995: Inside Out
- 1996: Too Tight
- 1998: Family Affair
- 2001: Active Duty
- 2003: Full Blast
- 2006: Look Look Look
Compilations
- 1995: Greatest Hits
- 1998: Back 2 Back Hits (MC Hammer & Vanilla Ice Album)
- 2000: The Hits
- 2008: Platinum MC Hammer (MC Hammer Album)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | UK | ||
| 1988 | "Let's Get It Started" | - | - |
| "Pump It Up" | 46 | - | |
| 1989 | "Turn This Mutha Out" | - | - |
| "They Put Me in the Mix" | - | - | |
| 1990 | "U Can't Touch This" | 8 | 3 |
| "Have You Seen Her" | 4 | 8 | |
| "Pray" | 2 | 8 | |
| "Here Comes the Hammer" | 54 | 15 | |
| 1991 | "Yo!! Sweetness" | - | 16 |
| "(Hammer Hammer) They Put Me in the Mix" | - | 20 | |
| "Too Legit to Quit" | 6 | 60 | |
| "Addams Groove" | 7 | 4 | |
| 1992 | "Do Not Pass Me By" | 62 | 14 |
| "This is the Way We Roll" | 86 | - | |
| 1994 | "Pumps and a Bump" | 26 | - |
| "It's All Good" | 46 | 52 | |
| "Don't Stop" | - | 72 | |
| 1995 | "Straight to My Feet" (with Deion Sanders) |
- | 57 |
| 1996 | "Too Late Playa" (with Tupac Shakur) |
- | - |
| 2001 | "No Stoppin' Us (USA)" | - | - |
| "Pop Yo Collar" | - | - | |
| 2006 | "LOOK" | - | - |
| "So Long" | - | - | |
In NZ MC Hammer Also known as Hammer in later years had hit singles on NZ Charts
- Pumps & A Bump 3wks Peaked 41 in 1994
- It's All Good 9wks Peaked 17 in 1994
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Rebels of Oakland: The A's, the Raiders, the '70s. HBO, 10 December 2003.
- ↑ Hardy, Amanda: BayFest, Retrieved on May 29, 2007
- ↑ allmusic ((( Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em > Overview )))
- ↑ http://63.194.19.185/~rawattitude/v2.php?subaction=showfull&id=1078785985&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&
- ↑ San Francisco - News - Bang Thy Head Carefully
- ↑ Page Not Available - AOL News
- ↑ Greatest Hits by MC Hammer Specs - DealTime
- ↑ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - MC Hammer
- ↑ MC Hammer Blog
- ↑ Country Grammar by Nelly - Lyrics
- ↑ McHammer: Biography : Rolling Stone
- ↑ Michigan Daily Online
- ↑ Youtube Video: World of Warcraft Male Orc Dance, Player-created video published to YouTube displaying the use of MC Hammer's 'U Can't Touch This' dance.
- ↑ "Rap Artist MC Hammer Returns to Faith in God".
- ↑ "MC Hammer's TBN Site".
- ↑ "Corey Feldman Wed by MC Hammer".
- ↑ "McHammer Marries Vince Neil".
External links
- MC Hammer at MySpace
- MC Hammer at the Internet Movie Database
- http://search.dallasobserver.com/1998-02-26/news/hammered/
- Mc Hammer's blog
- "Hammered" Successful Copyright Infringement Lawsuit by Kevin Christian(Abdullah)
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