MC Hammer

MC Hammer
Hammer at TechCrunch in July 2008.
Background information
Birth name	Stanley Kirk Burrell
Also known as	M.C. Hammer Hammer Hammertime King Hammer Hammerman
Born	(1962-03-30) March 30, 1962 (age 54) Oakland, California, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop pop dance west coast hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter dancer record producer entrepreneur spokesman actor
Years active	1985–present
Labels	Capitol Records EMI Records Giant Death Row Reprise Warner Bros. Records Full Blast Music
Associated acts	Keyshia Cole Jon Gibson 2 Bigg MC Vanilla Ice Tupac Shakur Deion Sanders Doug E. Fresh Tha Dogg Pound Big Daddy Kane Teddy Riley B Angie B Johnny "J" Paperboy D'Angelo Rick Ross Sean Combs DJ King Assassin Young Boss Insane Clown Posse Juvenile Rick James

Stanley Kirk Burrell (born March 30, 1962), better known by his stage name M.C. Hammer is an American hip hop recording artist, dancer, record producer, entrepreneur, spokesman and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the late 1990s. Remembered for his rapid rise to fame, Hammer is known for hit records (such as "U Can't Touch This" and "2 Legit 2 Quit"), flashy dance movements, choreography and eponymous Hammer pants. Hammer's superstar-status and entertaining showmanship made him a household name and hip hop icon. He has sold more than 50 million records worldwide.

A multi-award winner, M.C. Hammer is considered a "forefather/pioneer" and innovator of pop rap (incorporating elements of freestyle music), and is the first hip hop artist to achieve diamond status for an album. Hammer was later considered a sellout due in part to overexposure as an entertainer (having live instrumentation/bands, choreographed dance routines and an impact on popular culture being regularly referenced on television and in music) and as a result of being too "commercial" when rap was "hardcore" at one point, then his image later becoming increasingly "gritty" to once again adapt to the ever-changing landscape of rap. Regardless, BET ranked Hammer as the #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.