M. C. Hammer was the VERY FIRST RAP SUPERSTAR.

He was the FIRST to sell out stadiums, first to get multi-million dollar endorsements from major corporations, and all of the other trappings that came with mainstream"superstar" status.First whose success trancended the streets of the ghettos of America...and reached the homes of white suburbia...all over America. His shows were a theatricial spectacle..bigger, bolder,brassier....and his records sold like wildfire.

..And then it all came to an end. why?

Because , then he suffered backlash.
Backlash from all his peers.

All of the OTHER rappers blasted him...because he had "sold out", because he wasn't "street" enough, because he had "gone Hollywood". Because he no longer had any credibility as a 'true" rapper. A massive "I Hate Hammer" movement began.
M.C. Hammer became a pariah.
And bad money management on his part didn't help matters. Buying jets, a huge mansions, hiring his "friends" (which were really just hangers-ons...who deserted him once the money was gone...

But, as time went on, it became obvious that the REAL reason why the other rappers were trashing him at that time...is because HE was getting the money, the endorsements..and the MAINSTREAM ATTENTION that THEY WEREN'T .
But , what scenario do we have today ?

Ice T. is on Law and Order. Ice Cube is making Hollywood movies. Other rappers have clothing lines and own record companies. P Diddy and Jay Z. are very wealthy men....in reality....
THEY wanted what Hammer HAD....
And they don't trash him anymore, because, the reality was... the REAL reason why they trashed Hammer in the FIRST PLACE...was NOT because of supposed "lack of credibility"...
But because THEY wanted just what Hammer HAD...
"MAINSTREAM SUCCESS".
And , now that they've all GOT it...
They're very rich men...while Hammer is broke and forgotten...
But there's NO QUESTION...
That HE OPENED THE DOORS for all of THEM.

Posted by Bill G. on Thursday, 08/27/2015 @ 14:00pm

Will M.C. Hammer ever be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ?
Probably not.
But the fact is that the reason why OTHER rappers are in there TODAY...
And the reason why Rap has gone MAINSTREAM TODAY...
Is due , in large part....
to M.C. Hammer.

Posted by Bill G. on Thursday, 08/27/2015 @ 14:03pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7-w88XQiRM

*****M.C. Hammer*****

The Rise and Fall of Rap's First Superstar

Posted by Bill G. on Friday, 08/28/2015 @ 02:13am

I am surprised that U Can't Touch This isn't an essential song.

Posted by Brian on Saturday, 10/22/2016 @ 17:53pm

I mean come on! You have to induct MC Hammer into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame some day!

Posted by RS on Thursday, 05/13/2021 @ 22:10pm

He was the "Carpenters" of Rap Music. The great vilified Old School Rapper who opened the once tight genre to every Rapper since. Only the Bodyguard Soundtrack went 20 or more weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 Chart. This amongst ALL GROUPS. BANDS AND MALE AND FEMALE ARTISTS. Few LPS of any genre go more than 5 weeks at number one now. His LP carried its successor LP by Vanilla Ice to 16 weeks at number one. Other than one week at number one by New Kids On the Block(NKOTB) in a 38 week period, no two LPS (both Rap) went 37 out of 38, including his 21 non-consecutive-including 18 in a row at number. Did he sell out? HELL NO! One must remember that he wrote ALL THE LYRICS ON EVERY SONG ON " PLEASE HAMMER DON''T HURT EM" except the last cut, "On Your Face" which, I believe he released as a single would have lost been if not a number one, a massive hit single. "You Can't Touch This-" the first 10" vinyl single to go Platinum on the Hot 100 Chart says it all. "Please Hammer Don't Hurt Em," and the LP " A. Song For You," by The Carpenters, I believe the two most under appreciated LPS ever, are in style and substance. LPS that are still fresh, and stay ahead of their time continue their massive influence on music. Neither artist is in the fraud laden R & R Hall of Fame. Go back, slow down, listen again to both LPS( "A Song For You-" the first non greatest hits LP to contain 5 top 15 singles, and 4 other "B" sides- A career for a lot of Artists in the Hall),and both artists body of work. Both are hugely excellent. It's not the glit and glam. Let the ARTISTS CHOOSE THE INDUCTEES. THEY KNOW THE TALENT. Both Hammer, who converted me - this now 65 year old retired Postal Worker to Rap Music forever in 1991. This is because of the horrible excuse of a singer, Mariah Carey-as big a fraud as Bernie Madoff. Both Hammer and the Carpenters should be in the Hall of Fame. It remains the HALL OF SHAME , until these two great influences, one the last of the Old School Artists-The Carpenters who modernized music for ever, and, MC Hammer, who mainstreamed Rap forever bringing every race together. These are real artists whose influence will continue forever. Thank You. Bob H. Wallingford CT

Posted by Bob H on Friday, 07/16/2021 @ 00:21am

Well said! I was just watching the awards and heard Slim Shady say all the rappers that should be in and was disappointed that he didn't mention the GOAT Hammer or M.C. Hammer! haha Anywho then I wondered maybe he was already in and that's why he didn't mentioned him and so I decided to check and came here!

Posted by Warren on Thursday, 11/24/2022 @ 13:27pm

I will always love Hammer because his message was a positive one—no slurs or bashing women. He was the real deal. Shame on the haters! He was and is a class act.

Posted by Kathy Berry on Wednesday, 05/3/2023 @ 14:27pm