MC Hammer discography | |
---|---|
Studio albums | 11 |
Compilation albums | 5 |
Singles | 48 |
The discography of American rapper MC Hammer includes the hit records "U Can't Touch This", "Pray" and "2 Legit 2 Quit". Hammer is known for his flashy dance movements, choreography and Hammer pants. His superstar-status and entertaining showmanship made him a household name and hip hop icon. [1] Hammer has sold more than 50 million records worldwide, [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] breaking down numerous doors for rap music and demonstrating that hip-hop had the potential for blockbuster success. [7] [8] A multi-award winner, M.C. Hammer is considered a "forefather/pioneer" and innovator [9] of pop rap (incorporating elements of freestyle music), and is the first hip hop artist to achieve diamond status for an album. [10] [11] [12]
Throughout his career, Hammer has managed his own recording business and created independent record labels such as Bust It Records, Oaktown Records, Full Blast Digital Music Group and World Hit Records. He has introduced, signed and produced new talent (his own acts collaborating with him and producing music of their own during his career) [13] including: Oaktown's 3.5.7, Common Unity, DRS, the vocal quintet Special Generation, Analise, [14] James Greer, One Cause One Effect, DASIT (as seen on Ego Trip's The (White) Rapper Show), [15] Teabag, Dom Kimberley, Geeman, [16] Pleasure Ellis, [17] B Angie B, The Stooge Playaz, Ho Frat Hoo! [18] and Wee Wee, among others. A part of additional record labels, he has associated/collaborated/recorded with: VMF, Tupac Shakur, Teddy Riley, Felton Pilate, Tha Dogg Pound, Whole 9, [19] Deion Sanders, Big Daddy Kane, BeBe & CeCe Winans and Jon Gibson (or J.G.), among others.
Before Hammer's successful career (and his "rags-to-riches-to-rags-and-back saga"), [20] Burrell formed a Christian rap group known as the Holy Ghost Boy(s) with Gibson, producing songs such as "Word", [21] "B-Boy Chill" [22] and "Stupid Def Yal" (1987). [23] Additionally, "The Wall" featured Hammer [24] (it was originally within this song that he first identified himself as K.B. and then M.C. Hammer before its release), [25] [26] which was later released on Gibson's album Change of Heart (1988). [27] This was CCM's first rap hit by a blue-eyed soul singer and/or duo. [24] [28] "Son of the King" showed up on Hammer's debut album Feel My Power (1986), as well as the re-released version Let's Get It Started (1988). [29] [30] Burrell and Tramaine Hawkins previously performed with Gibson's band in several concerts at various venues, such as the Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills. [31]
At about the age of 12, Oakland native Keyshia Cole recorded with Hammer and sought career advice from him. [32] [33] [34] [35] In 1992, Doug E. Fresh was signed to Hammer's Bust It Records label. Hammer signed with Suge Knight's Death Row Records in 1995. [36]
In late 2012, Hammer appeared with Psy at the 40th American Music Awards and during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve performing a mashup of "Gangnam Style" and "2 Legit 2 Quit" together, which was released on iTunes. [37] Hammer released "Raider Nation (Oakland Raiders Anthem)" along with a video in late 2013 and "All in My Mind" (which samples "Summer Breeze" by The Isley Brothers) in early 2014, with his newly formed group Oakland Fight Club (featuring Mistah F.A.B.). [38] [39] [40]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [41] | US R&B [42] | AUS [43] [44] | AUT [45] | CAN [46] | GER [47] | NLD [48] | NZ [49] | SWI [50] | UK [51] | |||
Feel My Power |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Let's Get It Started | 30 | 1 | 188 | 39 | — | 42 | — | 39 | 19 | 46 | ||
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em |
| 1 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 14 | 15 | 2 | 11 | 8 | |
Too Legit to Quit |
| 2 | 3 | 84 | — | 15 | 49 | — | 14 | — | 41 | |
The Funky Headhunter |
| 12 | 2 | 192 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
|
Inside Out |
| 119 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Family Affair |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Note: While with Death Row Records, an unreleased album called Too Tight was produced in 1996. A digital release was produced between 2008 and 2009 called DanceJamtheMusic.
Title | Album details |
---|---|
Active Duty |
|
Full Blast |
|
Look Look Look |
|
DanceJamtheMusic |
|
Title | Year |
---|---|
Greatest Hits | 1996 |
Back 2 Back Hits | 1998 |
The Hits | 2000 |
Platinum MC Hammer | 2008 |
Icon | 2014 |
Note: Back 2 Back Hits was originally released in 1998 for CEMA and was re-released in 2006 for Capitol Records.
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [61] | US R&B [62] | US Dan [63] | AUS [43] [64] | CAN [65] | NLD [48] | NZ [49] | SWE [66] | SWI [50] | UK [67] | ||||||
1987 | "Ring 'Em" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Feel My Power | |||
1988 | "Let's Get It Started" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
"Pump It Up" | — | 46 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Let's Get It Started | ||||
1989 | "Turn This Mutha Out" | — | 12 | 34 | — | — | — | 31 | — | — | — | ||||
"They Put Me in the Mix" | — | 40 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"You've Got Me Dancing" (with Glen Goldsmith) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | From the Glen Goldsmith album Don't Turn This Groove Around | ||||
1990 | "U Can't Touch This" | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em | |||
"Have You Seen Her" | 4 | 4 | — | 42 | — | 2 | 4 | 18 | 12 | 8 |
| ||||
"Pray" | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 8 |
| ||||
"Here Comes the Hammer" | 54 | 15 | 29 | 37 | — | 19 | 6 | — | — | 15 | |||||
"Help the Children" | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
1991 | "Yo!! Sweetness" | — | — | — | 149 | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | ||||
"(Hammer Hammer) They Put Me in the Mix" | — | 40 | — | 149 | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | non-album single (remix) | ||||
"2 Legit 2 Quit" | 5 | 3 | 18 | 43 | 37 | 39 | 4 | — | — | 60 |
| Too Legit to Quit | |||
"Addams Groove" | 7 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 67 | 16 | 9 | 31 | 21 | 4 |
| ||||
1992 | "Do Not Pass Me By" (with Tramaine Hawkins) | 62 | 15 | — | — | — | 28 | 42 | — | — | 14 | ||||
"This Is the Way We Roll" | 86 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
1994 | "Pumps and a Bump" | 26 | 21 | 34 | — | — | — | 41 | — | — | — | The Funky Headhunter | |||
"It's All Good" | 46 | 14 | — | 136 | — | — | 17 | — | — | 52 | |||||
"Don't Stop" | — | 63 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 72 | |||||
1995 | "Straight to My Feet" (with Deion Sanders) | — | — | — | 175 | — | — | — | — | — | 57 | Street Fighter (soundtrack) | |||
"Sultry Funk" | — | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Inside Out | ||||
"Keep On" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Going Up Yonder" | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
1996 | "Too Late Playa" (with Tupac Shakur, Big Daddy Kane, Nuttso & Danny Boy) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Too Tight | |||
1997 | "He Brought Me Out" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Family Affair | |||
1998 | "Unconditional Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
2001 | "No Stoppin' Us (USA)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Active Duty | |||
"Pop Yo Collar" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
2004 | "Full Blast" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full Blast | |||
2006 | "Look 3x" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Look Look Look | |||
"Hyphy, Dumb, Buck, Krump" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"YAY" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"I Got It from the Town" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"What Happened to Our Hood?" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
2007 | "Bring Our Brothers Home" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single | |||
2008 | "Getting Back to Hetton" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DanceJamtheMusic | |||
"I Got Gigs" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"I Go" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Keep It in Vegas" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Lookin' Out the Window" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Dem Jeans" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Stooge Karma Sutra" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
"Tried to Luv U" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
2010 | "Better Run Run" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album singles | |||
2011 | "See Her Face" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
2012 | "Gangnam Style"/"2 Legit 2 Quit" (mashup) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single (remix) | |||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Note: Music videos were produced for "Let's Get It Started", "Pump It Up (Here's the News)", "Turn This Mutha Out", "(Hammer, Hammer) They Put Me in the Mix", "You've Got Me Dancing" (with Glen Goldsmith), "U Can't Touch This", "Have You Seen Her", "Pray" (including remixes), "Help the Children", "Too Legit to Quit", "Addams Groove", "Do Not Pass Me By" (with Tramaine Hawkins), "This Is the Way We Roll", "Pumps and a Bump", "It's All Good", "Too Late Playa", "Sultry Funk", "Keep On", "Going Up Yonder", "No Stoppin' Us (USA)", "Pop Yo Collar" and "Full Blast", among others.
Other songs with or without music videos released (charting and non-charting) were:
Some singles have also appeared on other compilation albums, such as "Pump It Up (Here's the News)" and "U Can't Touch This". With exception to later remixes of early releases, Hammer produced and recorded many rap songs that were originally not made public, yet are now available on the Internet. [72]
A sports fan, Hammer launched a new enterprise called Roll Wit It Entertainment & Sports Management, [73] between albums Too Legit to Quit (1991) and The Funky Headhunter (1994). Clients included Evander Holyfield, Deion Sanders and Reggie Brooks.
In 1993, Hammer's production company released Gangsta Lean by DRS. [74] [75] The hit single from this album, "Gangsta Lean", spent six weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. [76] [77] The single sold over 2.5 million copies.[ citation needed ]
M.C. Hammer's chronological summary of accolades/awards and recognitions/nominations are as follows: [78]
Notable tours and concerts include: A Spring Affair Tour (1989), Summer Jam '89 (1989), Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em World Tour (1990 & 1991), Lawlor Events Center at University of Nevada, Reno (1990–2017), Too Legit World Tour (1992), Red, White and Boom (2003), The Bamboozle Festival (2007), Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (2008–2013), McKay Events Center [90] with Vanilla Ice (2009), Illinois State Fair with Boyz II Men (2011), MusicFest (2012), Jack's Seventh Show [91] at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (2012), Kool & the Gang Superjam at Outside Lands (2014) and Hammer's All-star House Party Tour (2019). [92] [93] [94] [95]
Stanley Kirk Burrell, better known by his stage name MC 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. Remembered for a rapid rise to fame, Hammer has also been an entrepreneur and celebrity spokesperson.
Todd Anthony Shaw, better known by his stage name Too Short, is an American rapper. A pioneer of West Coast hip hop, Shaw was among the first acts to receive recognition in the genre during the late 1980s. His lyrics were often based on pimping and promiscuity, but also drug culture and street survival; exemplified respectively in his most popular singles "Blow the Whistle" and "The Ghetto." He is one of few acts to have worked with both Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. during the height of their respective careers.
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em is the third studio album by American rapper MC Hammer, released on February 12, 1990 by Capitol Records and EMI Records. Produced, recorded and mixed by Felton Pilate and James Earley, the album was made on a small budget of around $10,000 and recorded on a modified tour bus between May 1988 and November 1989.
Tag Team is an American hip-hop/pop-rap duo residing in Atlanta, Georgia. They are known almost solely for their 1993 single "Whoomp! ", which appeared in numerous advertisements, films, and television series. The duo is made up of Cecil Glenn and Steve Gibson.
"U Can't Touch This" is a song co-written, produced, and performed by American rapper MC Hammer. It was released as the third single from his third album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990), and has been considered his signature song. Along with Hammer, Rick James shares songwriting credits with Alonzo Miller, as the song samples the prominent opening riff of James' 1981 single "Super Freak". The song has been used and referred to in many television shows, films, commercials, and other forms of media. It has also received multiple awards and recognition.
"The Humpty Dance" is a song by the American hip-hop group Digital Underground from their debut album Sex Packets. Released as the second single from the album in January 1990, it reached No. 11 on the pop chart, No. 7 on the R&B chart, and No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. The song is sung by Shock G's alter ego, "Humpty Hump", marking the character's second musical appearance; the first was Digital Underground's "Doowutchyalike," a pre-album video-single released in the spring of 1989. The song has been sampled by many different artists and producers.
"Drop It Like It's Hot" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg, featuring American singer, rapper and musician Pharrell Williams. It was released on September 27, 2004, as the lead single from Snoop Dogg's seventh studio album, R&G : The Masterpiece (2004). The song was produced by Williams alongside Chad Hugo as the Neptunes. It is regarded as an iconic song, with Snoop performing the chorus and the second and third verses while Pharrell performs the first verse.
Jason Drew Harrow, better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall, is a Canadian rapper and record producer. Often credited as Canada's "hip hop ambassador", he has been regarded as one of the country's most prominent hip hop producers during the 2000s and is distinctive for his reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip hop.
Faheem Rashad Najm, known professionally as T-Pain, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for popularizing creative use of Auto-Tune pitch correction, often used with extreme parameter settings to create electronic-styled vocal performances. Blending its use with R&B and hip hop sensibilities, T-Pain became a prominent figure in both genres throughout the 2000s. Other music industry artists, such as Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Future, and Travis Scott, have since utilized Auto-Tune to a similar effect.
The discography of American rapper Tupac Shakur consists of 11 studio albums. Throughout his career and posthumously, Shakur sold more than 75 million records worldwide. He has scored 5 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200 and 8 No. 1 albums on Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums.
Too Legit to Quit is the fourth studio album by American rapper Hammer, released on October 29, 1991. Produced by Hammer and Felton Pilate, the album was released via Capitol Records and EMI Records. Considered the last album of a trilogy with Let's Get It Started (1988) and Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990), it incorporates Hip Hop, pop rap and dance with elements of gospel and R&B with lyrical content ranging from positivity and love to social conscious.
Let's Get It Started is the second studio album, and first major-label debut, by American rapper MC Hammer. It was released via Capitol Records and EMI Records on September 28, 1988. The album was produced by Hammer and Felton Pilate.
All Eyez on Me is the fourth and final studio album by American rapper 2Pac to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, E-40, K-Ci & JoJo, and the Outlawz, among others.
"2 Legit 2 Quit" is a song by American rapper Hammer featuring Saja, released on September 5, 1991 as the first single from his fourth studio album. The song proved to be successful in the US, peaking in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 5. It also peaked at No. 60 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Addams Groove" is a single performed by hip-hop artist Hammer that was released as the theme song to the 1991 film The Addams Family. It was the second single from his 1991 album, Too Legit to Quit, included in the track list for the cassette version of the album but not the CD. The song was his fifth and last top-10 hit in the United States and was the recipient of the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song at the 12th Golden Raspberry Awards in 1991.
"Pray" is a song released in August 1990 by Capitol as the third single from American rapper and dancer MC Hammer's third album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990). Produced by Hammer, the song heavily samples Prince's 1984 song "When Doves Cry", the first of just a few times that Prince allowed samples of his compositions. The track also interpolates Faith No More's "We Care a Lot". The word "pray" is mentioned 147 times during the song, setting the record for the number of times a song title is repeated in an American Top 40 hit.
"Dance (Ass)", often stylized "Dance (A$$)", is a song by American rapper Big Sean, released as the third single from his debut studio album, Finally Famous (2011). It was added to urban radio formats on September 20, 2011 as the album's third official single. The official remix of the song features Nicki Minaj. It samples MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This", which in turn samples Rick James's single "Super Freak".
"Lotus Flower Bomb" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Wale, released as the lead single from his second studio album Ambition. The song was officially released on October 11, 2011 through Allido Records, Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. The song, featuring R&B singer Miguel, was produced by Jerrin Howard. The song received a nomination for Best Rap Song at the 55th Grammy Awards.
"Here Comes the Hammer" is a song written and performed by American rapper MC Hammer, first released on his third album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990). It was also released as a single, which reached number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song also reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award. At the time of its release, the music video accompanying the release of the single was one of the most expensive ever.
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