Too Legit to Quit (song)

"Too Legit to Quit" (also known as "2 Legit 2 Quit") is a song by rap artist MC Hammer (whose name was shortened to "Hammer") released in 1991 as the title track and first single of his third album of the same name. It proved to be successful in the U.S., peaking at the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, at #5. The single also peaked at #60 on the UK Singles Chart. Hit songs "This is the Way We Roll" and "Too Legit to Quit" were performed by Hammer on Saturday Night Live. Along with "Addams Groove", and other songs, "2 Legit 2 Quit" was featured in the film The Addams Family in 1991.

Music video

The music video (directed by Rupert Wainwright)^[1] for the song begins with an impatient crowd waiting for MC Hammer to perform, while Hammer has a lengthy conversation with James Brown, who calls Hammer "Godson" and enlists him to get the glove of Michael Jackson. Brown endows Hammer with several blasts of energy, before sending Hammer off to perform. The performance is high budget and laden with impressive pyrotechnics. The video ends with a purported Jackson (seen only from behind) having seen the performance and conceding Hammer to be the superior dancer, while doing the "2 Legit 2 Quit" hand gesture. Hammer personally spoke with Jackson on the phone about the video, with Jackson giving his approval of it. This story was recently mentioned on The Wendy Williams Show (July 27, 2009) when MC was a guest.[1][2][3]

The song's music video features several athletes. These athletes can be seen in the following order: José Canseco, Isiah Thomas, Kirby Puckett, Jerry Rice, Rickey Henderson, Deion Sanders, Andre Rison, Chris Mullin, Roger Clemens, Roger Craig, Ronnie Lott, Lynette Woodard,The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, David Robinson, and former Atlanta Falcons coach Jerry Glanville. The extended full-length version of the video also has James Belushi within it.

The video was number 5 in MAX music's World's Worst Ever Video countdown and number 1 in its Forgotten Video Clips countdown in 2008. It was also voted number 24 on MTV's all-time "25 Lame" countdown in 1999. However, it has been ranked as one of the most expensive videos ever produced, and a viewer's favorite by VH1.[4][5]

A hand gesture became popular as a result of the title song and video which was also shown in the "Addams Groove" movie video and on MTV. It involved forming the number two for "Too", an L for "Legit", two for "to", and a "cut" motion for "Quit" with the hand and fingers (as seen in the video).[6]

Dance Off Challenge

At the end of the "Too Legit to Quit" music video, after James Brown enlists Hammer to obtain the glove of Michael Jackson, a silver-white sequined glove is shown on the hand of a Jackson look-a-like doing the "2 Legit 2 Quit" hand gesture. It was a reference to Hammer wanting to challenge Jackson to a dance-off for rights to the famous glove, which is also referenced on the album.^[2]

MC Hammer appeared on The Wendy Williams Show (July 27, 2009) and went on to tell a story about a phone call he received from Michael Jackson, regarding the portion of the "Too Legit to Quit" video that included a fake Jackson, giving his approval and inclusion of it. He explained how Jackson had seen the video and liked it, and both expressed they were a fan of each other.^[3] Hammer and Jackson would later appear, speak and perform at the funeral service for James Brown in 2006.^[4][5][6]

Track listing

1. "Too Legit to Quit" (7" edit remix)
2. "Too Legit to Quit" (Remix)
3. "Too Legit to Quit" (Instrumental)

Charts

Peak positions

End-of-year-chart

See also

• List of most expensive music videos

References