MC Hammer Biography

MC Hammer was born in 1962 in Oakland, California. As a child, while serving as a batboy for the Oakland Athletics baseballs team, the young Stanley Kirk Burrell earned the name “Hammer” for his resemblance to the legendary Hank Aaron. Although a career as a ball player wasn’t in the cards for the young MC Hammer, he developed an interest in hip-hop music and began frequenting local clubs.

Hammer became known early on for his dancing; as a matter of fact, while his independently produced first album, Feel My Power (1987) earned the interest of record executives at Capital Records, it was his elaborate dance moves and live performances that sealed the deal. After signing to a multi-album contract, the record label re-released Feel My Power as Let’s Get it Started, spawning the hit single “Turn This Mutha Out.” The album eventually went double-platinum and foreshadowed a lucrative career, but nothing could prepare MC Hammer for the incredible phenomenon he would become in the next decade.

Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em was released in 1990. The first single, “U Can’t Touch This,” was an early decade phenomenon, dominating the airways and MTV and earning Hammer Grammys for Best Solo Rap Performance and Best R&B Song. “Have You Seen Her" and "Pray" were equally successful, and Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em became the biggest selling album of the year. MC Hammer became a cultural icon and commercial phenomenon, finding his presence in everything from dolls to a morning cartoon program. This particular brand of success was a double-edged sword; while it brought Hammer to an unprecedented level of commercial success, it also brought plenty of criticism from critics and other artists alike.