Biography
Although rap had already produced successful singles and albums, MC Hammer emerged as the figure who propelled the genre into genuine mainstream pop acceptance. Equipped with a striking sense of style, most notably his signature loose-fitting parachute pants, and a collection of sampled riffs taken directly from their originals, his abilities as a performer and stage presence outshone his skills behind the microphone. Nevertheless, he possessed a knack for selecting memorable source material, which propelled his follow-up release, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, to become the top-selling rap album ever. Despite never repeating that commercial peak and lacking credibility within hip-hop circles, he cleared pathways for the music to reach broader audiences by proving its capacity for massive marketplace dominance.
Stanley Kirk Burrell entered the world in Oakland, California, on March 30, 1962. Growing up in a devout household, he secured work as a bat and ball boy for the Oakland Athletics, where he danced for spectators during lulls in play and acquired the moniker "Hammer" due to his likeness to baseball's all-time home-run king, "Hammerin'" Hank Aaron. After high school he pursued a playing career without success and spent three years in the Navy. Returning to civilian life as a longtime admirer of funk and soul, he discovered hip-hop and started appearing at neighborhood venues; several Athletics players provided funding that allowed him to launch Bustin' Records and issue a pair of well-received local singles. Working with Felton Pilate, formerly of Con Funk Shun, he completed the 1987 album Feel My Power. Capitol Records noticed his already polished stage presentation and offered a multi-album contract, resulting in a reworked version of Feel My Power issued as Let's Get It Started. That project earned double-platinum status behind the R&B success of "Turn This Mutha Out."
Nothing, however, anticipated the cultural eruption surrounding the 1990 follow-up Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em. Its lead track, "U Can't Touch This," drew the bulk of its hooks from Rick James' "Super Freak," yet Hammer's inserted slogans and younger listeners' lack of familiarity with the source helped turn it into a phenomenon. The single saturated radio and MTV throughout 1990 in a manner few rap records had managed and captured two Grammys for Best R&B Song and Best Solo Rap Performance; had it not been confined to a 12-inch format that limited sales, it would likely have become the first rap single to reach number one on the Billboard pop chart. The subsequent releases, "Have You Seen Her," a direct cover of the Chi-Lites' 1970s ballad, and "Pray," constructed around the synthesizer line from Prince's "When Doves Cry," both reached the Top Ten, driving the album past ten million units and making it the year's biggest seller. Criticism nevertheless mounted over Hammer's repeated use, which some labeled appropriation, of established hooks, while hip-hop traditionalists condemned his straightforward, repetitive verses; "Pray" in particular set a record by repeating its title well over one hundred times. Accusations of overt commercialism intensified with the arrival of dolls, endorsement contracts, and a Saturday-morning cartoon.
In an effort to address the mounting disapproval, Hammer removed "MC" from his name and incorporated more live musicians on the 1991 album Too Legit to Quit. Although it moved more than three million copies and yielded a major hit with the title song, his touring production had grown as extravagant as his personal expenditures; the elaborate show, featuring vocalists, dancers, and instrumentalists, proved too costly for the album's returns, forcing an early cancellation. His final major success arrived with "Addams Groove," the theme for the cinematic adaptation of The Addams Family, after which he stepped back to reassess. The 1994 release The Funky Headhunter adopted a tougher stance and achieved gold status yet failed to attract hardcore listeners. Inside Out, issued the following year, wavered between pop and rap directions and underperformed, resulting in the termination of his contract. Hammer declared bankruptcy in 1996 after his appetite for luxury outstripped declining revenue, and his mansion sold for a fraction of its original value. The setback sparked a spiritual renewal that shaped new songs centered on faith and family. Family Affair was prepared for his Oaktown Records imprint but withdrawn at the final stage, with only one thousand copies manufactured and limited online availability. Rumors circulated around additional projects such as War Chest: Turn of the Century and a soundtrack for Return to Glory: The Powerful Stirring of the Black Man, none of which materialized. Eventually Hammer issued the thematically patriotic Active Duty on his WorldHit label in late 2001.
Stanley Kirk Burrell entered the world in Oakland, California, on March 30, 1962. Growing up in a devout household, he secured work as a bat and ball boy for the Oakland Athletics, where he danced for spectators during lulls in play and acquired the moniker "Hammer" due to his likeness to baseball's all-time home-run king, "Hammerin'" Hank Aaron. After high school he pursued a playing career without success and spent three years in the Navy. Returning to civilian life as a longtime admirer of funk and soul, he discovered hip-hop and started appearing at neighborhood venues; several Athletics players provided funding that allowed him to launch Bustin' Records and issue a pair of well-received local singles. Working with Felton Pilate, formerly of Con Funk Shun, he completed the 1987 album Feel My Power. Capitol Records noticed his already polished stage presentation and offered a multi-album contract, resulting in a reworked version of Feel My Power issued as Let's Get It Started. That project earned double-platinum status behind the R&B success of "Turn This Mutha Out."
Nothing, however, anticipated the cultural eruption surrounding the 1990 follow-up Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em. Its lead track, "U Can't Touch This," drew the bulk of its hooks from Rick James' "Super Freak," yet Hammer's inserted slogans and younger listeners' lack of familiarity with the source helped turn it into a phenomenon. The single saturated radio and MTV throughout 1990 in a manner few rap records had managed and captured two Grammys for Best R&B Song and Best Solo Rap Performance; had it not been confined to a 12-inch format that limited sales, it would likely have become the first rap single to reach number one on the Billboard pop chart. The subsequent releases, "Have You Seen Her," a direct cover of the Chi-Lites' 1970s ballad, and "Pray," constructed around the synthesizer line from Prince's "When Doves Cry," both reached the Top Ten, driving the album past ten million units and making it the year's biggest seller. Criticism nevertheless mounted over Hammer's repeated use, which some labeled appropriation, of established hooks, while hip-hop traditionalists condemned his straightforward, repetitive verses; "Pray" in particular set a record by repeating its title well over one hundred times. Accusations of overt commercialism intensified with the arrival of dolls, endorsement contracts, and a Saturday-morning cartoon.
In an effort to address the mounting disapproval, Hammer removed "MC" from his name and incorporated more live musicians on the 1991 album Too Legit to Quit. Although it moved more than three million copies and yielded a major hit with the title song, his touring production had grown as extravagant as his personal expenditures; the elaborate show, featuring vocalists, dancers, and instrumentalists, proved too costly for the album's returns, forcing an early cancellation. His final major success arrived with "Addams Groove," the theme for the cinematic adaptation of The Addams Family, after which he stepped back to reassess. The 1994 release The Funky Headhunter adopted a tougher stance and achieved gold status yet failed to attract hardcore listeners. Inside Out, issued the following year, wavered between pop and rap directions and underperformed, resulting in the termination of his contract. Hammer declared bankruptcy in 1996 after his appetite for luxury outstripped declining revenue, and his mansion sold for a fraction of its original value. The setback sparked a spiritual renewal that shaped new songs centered on faith and family. Family Affair was prepared for his Oaktown Records imprint but withdrawn at the final stage, with only one thousand copies manufactured and limited online availability. Rumors circulated around additional projects such as War Chest: Turn of the Century and a soundtrack for Return to Glory: The Powerful Stirring of the Black Man, none of which materialized. Eventually Hammer issued the thematically patriotic Active Duty on his WorldHit label in late 2001.