This is a valid question, many acts of the past have received flack for sounding too weak, poppy, false or are laughed at now because they are dated. Yet some people like them and call them guilty pleasures. We may laugh at Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli and Vengaboys now, but when they were hot, everyone liked them, even Vanilla Ice was considered cool during October and November 1990.

.

One guy who I think was really great and still is, is MC Hammer. His 1990 album Please Hammer don't hurt em was a massive success selling 22 million copies and being the first rap album to go platinum. Hammer's career lasted for 5 years and then he went belly up, got sued into oblivion, lost his mansion and ended up doing an ad for a gold buying chain.

.

Hammer has also been criticised for stealing samples, drowning in his own ego over the 2 legit to quit fiasco, having played out songs and beats, introducing poo pants and even being too much of a goody two shoes with his preaching, do goodyness. Then there was Hammerman the cartoon, which wa sno worse than most bizarre late 80s/early 90s animation. It was much better than the tasteless Ren and Stimpy style gross out crap that became popular as the 90s wore on.

.

But in reality, his music was funky and still is, the man could definitely dance, Hammerdancing is still cool and some of the best frantic hip hop ever made. There is nothing wrong with his music, it is positive, uplifting, self empowering and a lot of fun, just because everyone elses mind was into gangsta rap and filth promoting non stop fucking and calling women bitches along with selling and consuming drugs. I have never had a problem with clean rap. My parents were always concerned about me listening to Ice T and NWA in 1990/91 but never when I listened to MC Hammer, because his raps were positive clean and rapped about praying and showing respect.

.

Plus he was giving props to Oakland, one of the most messed up, crime ridden and impoverished cities in America, but Hammer expressed the positive side, avoiding and being anti gun in his raps. Yet he could still have fun, there were songs about chasing girls (Yo Sweetness, Soft and Wet) that were funky and sexual, but not dirty or filthy, he never called women hoes or bitches.

.

Seriously thereis far too much hate for Hammer and I think this dude should be redeemed. And do you guys also feel Hammer deserves more respect, or any other artist.

he has my respect..

*and i've heard the REAL hammer - Stanley Kirk Burrell

is an Oakland Gangster (when he wants to be).

think suge knight, tupac, ect..

Always respected MC Hammer love his Prince sample songs. Prince was hated on back in the day and never always got the respect he deserves. It seems he is getting the respect after his passing which he should of got when he was alive. Even music critics and some of his fans dismiss most of his output after 1988. Hell some of his so called fans on these threads still don't respect him.

I thought Whodini's "Escape" was the first rap album to go platinum.

"Please Hammer" may have the "mutli-platinum" status award at the time.

MD431Madcat said:

he has my respect..

*and i've heard the REAL hammer - Stanley Kirk Burrell

is an Oakland Gangster (when he wants to be).

think suge knight, tupac, ect..

Man, I still jam to the Funky Headhunter LP every now and then, I barely give a shit if he relies heavily on samples or not, as long as it's funky... that's what matters.

Plus he's a major influence on Bruno's image/dancing style. He said in a recent interview that all the early 90s R&B / hip hop acts (New Edition, Jodeci, Silk, DJ Quik, MC Hammer) have influenced the 24K Magic LP.

[Edited 4/1/17 13:26pm]

MotorBootyAffair said:

I thought Whodini's "Escape" was the first rap album to go platinum.

"Please Hammer" may have the "mutli-platinum" status award at the time.

You stand correct and Hammer was so not the first platinum act.

Run DMC eventually eclipsed Whodini later in the same year with Raising Hell

by going triple platinum. You later had LL Cool J and Beastie Boys achieving

platinum status before Hammer came along.

As far as Hammer as an artist he was pretty much a novelty rapper for me. I pointed out

early on he was a good entertainer but weak lyrically as an MC. It's the same thing

Joseph Run Simmons was pointing out during their little feud back in the day.

What I meant to say was Diamond, not platinum.

Adorecream said:

This is a valid question, many acts of the past have received flack for sounding too weak, poppy, false or are laughed at now because they are dated. Yet some people like them and call them guilty pleasures. We may laugh at Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli and Vengaboys now, but when they were hot, everyone liked them, even Vanilla Ice was considered cool during October and November 1990.

.

One guy who I think was really great and still is, is MC Hammer. His 1990 album Please Hammer don't hurt em was a massive success selling 22 million copies and being the first rap album to go platinum. Hammer's career lasted for 5 years and then he went belly up, got sued into oblivion, lost his mansion and ended up doing an ad for a gold buying chain.

.

Hammer has also been criticised for stealing samples, drowning in his own ego over the 2 legit to quit fiasco, having played out songs and beats, introducing poo pants and even being too much of a goody two shoes with his preaching, do goodyness. Then there was Hammerman the cartoon, which wa sno worse than most bizarre late 80s/early 90s animation. It was much better than the tasteless Ren and Stimpy style gross out crap that became popular as the 90s wore on.

.

But in reality, his music was funky and still is, the man could definitely dance, Hammerdancing is still cool and some of the best frantic hip hop ever made. There is nothing wrong with his music, it is positive, uplifting, self empowering and a lot of fun, just because everyone elses mind was into gangsta rap and filth promoting non stop fucking and calling women bitches along with selling and consuming drugs. I have never had a problem with clean rap. My parents were always concerned about me listening to Ice T and NWA in 1990/91 but never when I listened to MC Hammer, because his raps were positive clean and rapped about praying and showing respect.

.

Plus he was giving props to Oakland, one of the most messed up, crime ridden and impoverished cities in America, but Hammer expressed the positive side, avoiding and being anti gun in his raps. Yet he could still have fun, there were songs about chasing girls (Yo Sweetness, Soft and Wet) that were funky and sexual, but not dirty or filthy, he never called women hoes or bitches.

.

Seriously thereis far too much hate for Hammer and I think this dude should be redeemed. And do you guys also feel Hammer deserves more respect, or any other artist.

i always like him i always like a lot of the things he stood for, he reminded me of prince with his discipline and work ethic. I love watching his interviews and he reminds me of some of the bighearted, well meaning, not-all good or all bad, men i've known in my life who had humongous egos that was there undoing in one way or the other. It was great seeing him do that thing with that korean guy a few years ago. He'll be ok, he's here and we can't say that for a few of the other guys from his era.

Even today, Let Get It Started & The Funky Headhunter are my favorite Hammer albums.

I go further in saying that The Funky Headhunter was Hammer's final true masterpiece to date. All haters that disagrees with me can kiss my black ass!

many people i suspect can't let go of the Hammer Pants.. ect...

honestly he just BLEW up BIG and people hated on him for it.. but every damn rapper at the time would've loved to be in his position!

now his kind of success is normal for Hip Hop artists.

TonyVanDam said:

Even today, Let Get It Started & The Funky Headhunter are my favorite Hammer albums.

I go further in saying that The Funky Headhunter was Hammer's final true masterpiece to date. All haters that disagrees with me can kiss my black ass!