Stanley Kirk Burrell (born March 30, 1962), better known by his stage name MC Hammer (or simply Hammer), is an American rapper 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.[2] Remembered for a rapid rise to fame, Hammer has also been an entrepreneur[3][4] and celebrity spokesperson.[5][6]
A multi-award winner, Hammer is considered a "forefather" and pioneering innovator[7] of pop rap (incorporating elements of freestyle music), and was the first hip hop artist to achieve diamond status with his album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em. [8][9][10] After being labeled a sellout, and with the changing landscape of hip hop music, Hammer attempted to appeal to the rise of gangsta rap.[11] However, due to overexposure and critical backlash,[12] his popularity waned by the mid-1990s (which led to a highly publicized bankruptcy beginning in 1996).[13]
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 MC 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,[14][15] and was executive producer of his own reality show titled Hammertime (which aired on the A&E Network during the summer of 2009).[16][17]
Throughout his career, Hammer has managed his own recording business as a record label CEO. As a result, Hammer has created and produced his own acts/music including Ho Frat Hoo!,[18] Oaktown's 3.5.7, Special Generation, Analise, DRS, B Angie B,[19] Gentry Kozia[20][21] and Oakland Fight Club.[22] A part of additional record labels, he has associated, collaborated and recorded with Psy,[23] VMF,[24] Tupac Shakur, Teddy Riley, Felton Pilate, Tha Dogg Pound, The Whole 9,[25] The Hines Brother,[26] Deion Sanders, Big Daddy Kane, BeBe & CeCe Winans and Jon Gibson. Hammer signed with Suge Knight's Death Row Records in 1995.[27]
BET ranked Hammer as the No. 7 "Best Dancer of All Time".[28] 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,[29][30][31] along with participating in social media and ministry/outreach functions.[32][33] Hammer is also active in community and sports activities,[34][35] being interviewed locally and nationally.
Stanley Kirk Burrell was born in Oakland, California, on March 30, 1962.[38] His father was a professional poker player and gambling casino manager (at Oaks Card Club's cardroom), as well as a warehouse supervisor.[39] Hammer 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.[39]
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.[7][40] 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)[41][42] 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.[43] The colorful Finley, who lived in Chicago,[7] used the child as his "eyes and ears".[44] Reggie Jackson, in describing Burrell's role for Finley, took credit for his 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 Hank Aaron [whose nickname was "The Hammer"].[44]
Team players, including Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Pedro García, also dubbed Burrell "Little Hammer" due to his resemblance to Aaron.[7][39] 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".[44] 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!"[44]
Burrell acquired the nickname "MC" 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.[7] 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.[7] 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).[45][46][47]
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,[7] Burrell joined the United States Navy[7] 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 storekeeper (AK3), until his honorable discharge.
Before Hammer's successful music career and "rags-to-riches-to-rags-and-back saga",[49] Burrell formed a Christian rap group with singer and musician Jon Gibson known as the Holy Ghost Boy(s).[50] Hammer and Tramaine Hawkins performed with Gibson's band, in concerts at various venues such as the Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills.[51] Some early songs produced were "Word", "B-Boy Chill"[52] and "Stupid Def Yal" (1987).[53] 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).[54][55] Additionally, "The Wall"[56] featured Hammer[57][58] (a song Burrell originally identified himself as MC Hammer),[59][60] which was later released on Gibson's album Change of Heart (1988).[61][62] This was CCM's first rap hit by a blue-eyed soul singer and/or duo.[63][64]
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.[65] 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!,[66] the vocal quintet Special Generation, Analise,[67] James Greer,[68] One Cause One Effect,[7] B Angie B, The Stooge Playaz,[69][70] DASIT as seen on Ego Trip's The (White) Rapper Show,[71] Teabag, Common Unity, Geeman[72] and Pleasure Ellis[73] (all collaborating with him and/or producing music of their own during his career).[74][75] At about the age of 12, Oakland native Keyshia Cole recorded with Hammer and sought career advice from him.
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.[7] 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.[7] 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 "MC 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.[80] 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, Hammer 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.
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 two million copies. "Pump It Up" (also performed during Showtime at the Apollo on September 16, 1989),[81] "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."[7]
Hammer was close friends with Arsenio Hall (as well as a then-unknown teen named 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),[82][83] 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.[84] 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.[40] 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).
Hammer's third album (and second major-label release), Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em,[85] was released February 12, 1990 (with an original release date of January 1, 1990).[86] 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.[87] Despite heavy airplay and a No. 27 chart debut, "U Can't Touch This" stopped at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 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).[88]
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"),[89] 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.[8][9][10][90] 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)[91] interpolates Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "She's Soft and Wet" also sampled Prince's "Soft and Wet". All of the songs were complimented by the background vocals of his singing group, Special Generation: this combination of sound made this album 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.[92]
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).[93] 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 Rhime", 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 [his 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 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, 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.
After publicly dropping the "MC" 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),[95] 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 US 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.[96] 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.[97] Ultimately, however, the lavish show proved too expensive to support through album sales and it was cancelled partway through its scheduled run.[98]
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 has been ranked as one of the most expensive videos ever made.[99] The hand motions used within the song and video also became very popular.[100] The song proved to be successful in the US, 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.[100] In a related story, 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 "MJ", regarding the portion of the "2 Legit 2 Quit" video that included a fake 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.[101] Hammer and Jackson would later appear, speak and/or perform at the funeral service for James Brown in 2006.[102] 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.
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.[39]
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.[103][104] 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).[105] 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.
With a new home and daughter, a new record soon to be released and his new business, Hammer claimed that 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".
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.[107] This album peaked at number two on the R&B charts and remained in the Top 30 midway through the year.[108] The album was eventually certified platinum.[109]
Hammer debuted the video for "Pumps and a Bump" during another appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show during the mid-1990s. Host Arsenio Hall said to Hammer, "Women in the audience want to know, what's in your speedos in the 'Pumps and a Bump' video?" A clip from the video was then shown, to much approval from the audience. Hammer didn't give a direct answer, but instead laughed. Arsenio then said, "I guess that's why they call you 'Hammer.' It ain't got nothin' to do with Hank Aaron."[108]
The video to the album'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.[110][111] This led to an alternative video being filmed (with Hammer fully clothed) that was directed by Bay Area native Craig S. Brooks. "It's All Good" was the second single released from the album.
On December 20, 1994, Deion Sanders released Prime Time, a rap album on Hammer's Bust It Records label which featured the minor hit "Must Be the Money". "Prime Time Keeps on Tickin'" was also released as a single. Sanders, a friend of Hammer's, had previously appeared in his "Too Legit to Quit" music video, and his alter-ego "Prime Time" is also used in Hammer's "Pumps and a Bump" video. The song "Help Lord (Won't You Come)" appeared in Kingdom Come.
In 1995, Hammer released the album Inside Out. The album sold poorly compared to previous records (peaking at 119 on the Billboard Charts) and Giant Records dropped him and Oaktown Records from their roster. Songs "Going Up Yonder" and "Sultry Funk" managed to get moderate radio play (even charting on national radio station countdowns). Along with a fickle public, Hammer would go on to explain in this album that he felt many of his so-called friends (who he had helped) had used and betrayed him. Their abuse reportedly contributed to a majority of his financial loss (best explained in the song "Keep On" and the bio from this album).[113] He would also hint about this again in interviews, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2009.[114]
In 1995, Hammer released "Straight to My Feet" (with Deion Sanders) from the Street Fighter soundtrack (released in December 1994). The song charted at No. 57 in the UK. Hammer's relationship with Suge Knight dates back to 1988. Hammer signed with Death Row Records by 1995, then home to Snoop Dogg and his close friend, Tupac Shakur.[115] The label did not release the album of Hammer's music (titled Too Tight) while he had a career with them, although he did release versions of some tracks on his next album.[116][117] However, Burrell did record tracks with Shakur and others, most notably the song "Too Late Playa" (along with Big Daddy Kane and Danny Boy).[118] After the death of Shakur in 1996, Burrell left the record company.[119] He later explained his concern about this circumstance in an interview on Trinity Broadcasting Network since he was in Las Vegas with Tupac the night of his death.
In October 1996, Burrell and Oaktown signed with EMI, which saw the release of a compilation album of Hammer's hit singles prior to The Funky Headhunter. The album, titled Greatest Hits, featured twelve former hits.[121] In 1998, another "greatest hits" album, called Back 2 Back Hits, was produced and released by CEMA. Another compilation version of Back 2 Back was later released by Capitol Records in 2006. As Hammer's empire began to collapse when his last album failed to match the sales of its predecessors, and since he unsuccessfully attempted to recast himself in the "streetwise/hardcore rap" mold of the day, Hammer turned to a gospel-friendly audience.[40]
In 1998, 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. Technically his seventh album since his debut EP, this record was highly promoted on Trinity Broadcasting Network (performing a more gospel version of "Keep On" from his album Inside Out V), yet featured no charting singles and selling about 1,000 copies worldwide.[122][123] The album also features a song written for Hammer by Tupac called "Unconditional Love".[74] Hammer would later dance and read the lyrics to this song on the first VH1 Hip Hop Honors in 2004.[124][125]
A double album mostly about faith and family values, additional tracks from Family Affair are: "Put It Down", "Put Some Stop in Your Game", "Big Man", "Set Me Free", "Our God", "Responsible Father Shout", "He Brought Me Out", (Geeman Intro), "Eye's Like Mine", "Never Without You", "Praise Dance Theme Song", "Shame of the Name", (Smoothout Intro), (Teabag Intro), "Silly Heart", "I Wish U Were Free", (Common Unity Intro), "Someone to Hold to You", "Pray" (1998), "Let's Get It Started" (1998), and with "Hammer Music/Shouts/Tour Info" announcements between songs.[126] The compact discs are also "PC Ready" with interactive features. After this album, new projects were rumored to be in the works, including an album (War Chest: Turn of the Century) and a soundtrack to the film Return to Glory: The Powerful Stirring of the Black Man, but neither appeared.
In 2000, another compilation album was released, titled The Hits. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Hammer released his album, Active Duty, on his own World Hit Music Group label (the musical enterprise under his Hammertime Holdings Inc. umbrella) to pay homage to the ones lost in the terrorist attacks.[68] The album followed that theme, and featured two singles (with accompanying videos), "No Stoppin' Us (USA)" and "Pop Yo Collar" (featuring Wee Wee) which demonstrates "The Phat Daddy Pop", "In Pop Nito", "River Pop", "Deliver The Pop" and "Pop'n It Up" dance moves.[129] The album, like its predecessor, failed to chart and would not sell as many copies as previous projects. Hammer did however promote it on such shows as The View and produced a video for both singles.[130]
This patriotic album, originally planned to be titled The Autobiography Of MC Hammer, donated portions of the proceeds to 9/11 charities.[67][68][131] Hammer shot a video for the anthem "No Stoppin' Us (USA)" in Washington, D.C., with several members of the United States Congress, who sang in the song and danced in the video. Present members of the United States House of Representatives included J. C. Watts, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Thomas M. Davis, Earl Hilliard, Alcee Hastings, Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.), Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) and Jesse Jackson Jr.
After leaving Capitol Records and EMI for the second time in his career, Hammer decided to move his Oaktown imprint to an independent distributor and released his ninth studio album, Full Blast (which was completed in late 2003 and released as a complete album in early 2004). The album would feature no charting singles and was not certified by the RIAA. A video was produced for "Full Blast", a song that attacks Eminem and Busta Rhymes for previous disrespect towards him. Some of the original songs didn't end up making the final album release. Guest artists included The Stooge Playaz, Pleasure, Rain, JD Greer and DasIt.
After going independent, Hammer decided to create a digital label to release his tenth studio album, Look Look Look. The album was released in February 2006 and featured production from Scott Storch. The album featured the title-track single (Look Look Look) and a music video. It would sell much better than his previous release (300,000 copies worldwide).
"YAY" was produced by Lil Jon. "What Happened to Our Hood?" (featuring Sam Logan) was originally from Active Duty. "I Got It From The Town" was used in the movie but is only present in one scene instead of the originally planned two on The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (soundtrack).
Between 2006 and 2007, Hammer released a military-inspired rap song with a political message to President George W. Bush about sending American troops back home from war, called "Bring Our Brothers Home".[133] The video was filmed at the Santa Monica Pier.[134][135]
In 2008, Platinum MC Hammer was released by EMI Records. The compilation consists of 12 tracks from Hammer's previous albums, with a similar playlist as former "greatest hits" records (with the exception of including a remix of "Hammer Hammer, They Put Me In A Mix" which includes rap lyrics that "They Put Me In A Mix" originally did not). An import was released by Capitol Records.
Since his 2006 album, Hammer continued to produce music and released several other raps that appeared on his social websites (such as Myspace and Dancejam.com) or in commercials,[138] with another album announced to be launched in late 2008 (via his own record label Fullblast Playhouse). Talks of the tour and a new album were expected in 2009.[70][139][140]
"Getting Back to Hetton" was made public in 2008 as a digital single. It was a departure for Hammer, bringing in funky deep soul and mixing it with a more house style. Released through licence on Whippet Digital Recordings, media reviews were said to be "disappointing". However, the song "I Got Gigs" from this album was used in a 2009 ESPN commercial and performed during Hammertime (as well as played while he danced just prior to introducing Soulja Boy during YouTube Live on November 22, 2008).[141]
Other tracks and videos from the album included: "I Go" (produced by Lil Jon), "Keep It In Vegas", "Lookin' Out The Window", "Dem Jeans" (by DASIT), "Stooge Karma Sutra" (by The Stooge Playaz) and "Tried to Luv U" (by DASIT featuring Pleasure Ellis).
In February 2009, MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice had a one-off concert at the McKay Events Center in Orem, Utah.[83] This concert aided in the promotion of Hammer's new music and television show. During the concert (as shown during an episode of Hammertime), it was mentioned between the two rappers that this was their first headline show together in nearly 20 years, since the time when they were touring together at the peak of their hip-hop careers. Hammer said: "Contrary to popular belief, Ice and I are not only cool with each other, we are like long lost friends. I've known him since he was 16, before he had a record contract and before I had a record contract. It is a great reunion." Vanilla Ice said: "It's like no time has passed at all. We set the world on fire back in the day ... I'm so happy right now, the magic is here.
MC Hammer promised to release a track (expected on October 31, 2010) responding to a song by Kanye West featuring Jay-Z which attacked him. On the "So Appalled" track, which features Swizz Beatz and RZA, Jay-Z raps a verse targeting Hammer about his financial dilemma in the 1990s. On it Jay says: 'Hammer went broke so you know I'm more focused / I lost 30 mil' so I spent another 30 / 'Cause unlike Hammer 30 million can't hurt me'. Hammer addressed his displeasure about the diss on Twitter, claiming he would react to Jay-Z on Halloween.[146][147][148]
Hammer released a sample of his "beef" with Jay-Z in a brief teaser trailer called "Better Run Run" by 'King Hammer'. At one point, it was uncertain if his reaction would be a film video, a music video or a combination of both.[149] Regardless, he claimed he would show evidence that 'Jigga worships the devil'.[150][151] It is possible that Jay-Z was offended by an analogy Hammer was conveying in an earlier interview in response to "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" on AllHipHop.[152]
On November 1, Hammer's song with video called "Better Run Run!" hit the web in retaliation to Jay-Z's September 2010 diss towards him.[153][154] Hammer accuses Jigga of being in league (and in the studio) with Satan—and then Hammer defeats the devil and forces Jay to be baptized. Speaking on the video, Jacob O'Gara of Ethos Magazine wrote: "What's more likely is that this feud is the last chapter in the tragic cautionary tale of MC Hammer, a tale that serves as a warning to all present and future kings of hip-hop. Keep your balance on the pedestal and wear the crown strong or you'll have the Devil to pay."[155]
In an interview with BBC's DJ Semtex, Jay said he did not mean the verses as a personal attack. "I didn't know that [Hammer's financial status] wasn't on the table for discussion!" he said. "I didn't know I was the first person ever to say that..." He continued, "When I say things, I think people believe me so much that they take it a different way — it's, like, not rap anymore at that point. I say some great things about him in the book I have coming out [Decoded] — that wasn't a cheap plug," he laughed. "He's gonna be embarrassed, I said some really great things about him and people's perception of him. But it is what it is, he took it that wrong way, and I didn't know I said anything wrong!
At the time of his first album, Hammer opened his own music management firm. As a result of the success of his third album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, Hammer had amassed approximately US$33 million.[228] In 1997, Hammer sold his Fremont, California estate and mansion[229] for US$5.3 million, after filing for bankruptcy in 1996.[230][231] Hammer most recently resided in a large ranch-style adobe home, situated on a two-acre corner lot in Tracy, California,[232] with his wife Stephanie. They met at a church revival meeting and married December 21, 1985.[233] They have three sons and two daughters, and also raised Hammer's nephew.[234][235][236] It was reported in July 2012 that Hammer was encouraged to marry Whitney Houston by her father at the Super Bowl in 1991.[237][238]
Hammer frequently posted about his life and activities on his blog "Look Look Look", as well as other social websites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter (being one of the earliest celebrities to contribute and join).[239] A self-described "super geek" who consulted for or invested in eight technology companies, Hammer claimed to spend 10–12 hours daily working on his technology projects, and tweeted 30–40 times a day as of 2012.[159][240] He has been noted as a popularizer and defender of philosophy in his social media posts.[241] Hammer was an endorser of the SAFE California Act, which, if passed in November 2012, would have replaced the death penalty.[242] However, the proposition was defeated.
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