Stanley Kirk Burrell (born March 30, 1962), better known by his stage name MC Hammer (or simply Hammer), is an American rapper and dancer. He is known for hit songs such as "U Can't Touch This", "Pray", "2 Legit 2 Quit" and "Pumps and a Bump", as well as flashy dance movements, extravagant choreography and his namesake Hammer pants. Remembered for a rapid rise to fame, Hammer has also become an entrepreneur and celebrity spokesperson. A multi-award winner, he is considered a "forefather" and pioneering innovator of pop rap (incorporating elements of freestyle music).
Born and raised in Oakland, California, Hammer served three years in the United States Navy before independently releasing his debut album Feel My Power in 1986. After signing a contract with Capitol Records, Hammer released his second album Let's Get It Started in 1988, which became his first multi-platinum hit. Hammer became the first hip-hop artist to achieve diamond status with his next album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990), helping him become one of the most prominent media celebrities of the early 1990s. After being labeled a sell out by the changing landscape of hip-hop music which led to declining record sales for his fourth album, Too Legit to Quit (1991), Hammer unsuccessfully attempted to appeal to the rise of gangsta rap with his next album, The Funky Headhunter (1994). However, due to commercial overexposure, Hammer's popularity waned by the mid-1990s, which led to a highly publicized bankruptcy beginning in 1996. He has since released seven more albums, in addition to multiple songs after 2010.
In addition to a Mattel action figure doll and other merchandise, Hammer also starred in a Saturday-morning cartoon titled Hammerman (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, and was executive producer of his own reality show titled Hammertime (which aired on the A&E Network during the summer of 2009).
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!, Oaktown's 3.5.7, Special Generation, Analise, DRS, B Angie B, Gentry Kozia and Oakland Fight Club. A part of additional record labels, he has associated, collaborated and recorded with Psy, VMF, Tupac Shakur, Teddy Riley, Felton Pilate, Tha Dogg Pound, The Whole 9, The Hines Brother, Deion Sanders, Big Daddy Kane, BeBe & CeCe Winans and Jon Gibson. Hammer signed with Suge Knight's Death Row Records in 1995.
BET ranked Hammer as the No. 7 "Best Dancer of All Time". 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, along with participating in social media and ministry/outreach functions. Hammer is also active in community and sports activities, being interviewed locally and nationally.
Stanley Kirk Burrell was born in Oakland, California, on March 30, 1962. His father was a professional poker player and gambling casino manager (at Oaks Card Club's cardroom), as well as a warehouse supervisor. 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.
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 Burrell as a clubhouse assistant and bat boy as a result of his energy and flair. Burrell served as a "bat boy" 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) 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. The colorful Finley, who lived in Chicago, used the child as his "eyes and ears". 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"].
Team players, including Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Pedro García, also dubbed Burrell "Little Hammer" due to his resemblance to Aaron. 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". 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!"
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. 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. However, he has been a participant and a player in the annual Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game, wearing an A's cap to represent Oakland (American League).
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, Burrell joined the United States Navy. 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 after three years.
Music and entertainment career
Before Hammer's successful music career and "rags-to-riches-to-rags-and-back saga", Burrell formed a Christian rap group with singer and musician Jon Gibson known as the Holy Ghost Boy(s). Hammer and Tramaine Hawkins performed with Gibson's band, in concerts at various venues such as the Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills. Some early songs produced were "Word", "B-Boy Chill" and "Stupid Def Yal" (1987). 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). Additionally, "The Wall" featured Hammer (a song Burrell originally identified himself as MC Hammer), which was later released on Gibson's album Change of Heart (1988). This was CCM's first rap hit by a blue-eyed soul singer and/or duo.
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. Through 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!, the vocal quintet Special Generation, Analise, James Greer, One Cause One Effect, B Angie B, The Stooge Playaz, DASIT as seen on Ego Trip's The (White) Rapper Show, Teabag, Common Unity, Geeman and Pleasure Ellis (all collaborating with him and/or producing music of their own during his career). At around age 12, Oakland native Keyshia Cole recorded with Hammer and sought career advice from him.