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MC Hammer
Name: Stanley Burrell
Reppin': Oakland, CA
Breakthrough: After calling out East Coast legends Doug E. Fresh, LL Cool J, and DJ Run of Run-D.M.C. on his self-produced debut, Feel My Power (Oaktown, 1987), MC Hammer signed a distribution deal with Capitol Records and released Let’s Get It Started in 1988, which featured the hit single “Turn This Mutha Out.” But his big break came when he followed that up with Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ’Em (Capitol, 1990), featuring the ubiquitous “U Can’t Touch This,” which sampled Rick James’ “Superfreak” and pushed Please Hammer to become one of the best-selling rap records of all-time. Hammer was also briefly affiliated with Suge Knight’s Death Row Records during the late 1990s but no album was released from this unexpected connection.
Now You Know: Hammer once worked as a batboy for the Oakland A’s and used to dance to entertain the crowd. Soon, people noticed him for his signature dance moves and began to call him “Hammer” because of his resemblance to the legendary baseball player “Hammerin’” Hank Aaron.
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