The Man, The Myth, The Legend. I still remember the very first time I heard the song "U Can't Touch This." As the chorus first graced my eardrums, even at 8 years old, I could literally feel my soul awakening, and I knew my life would never be the same. Hammer knew how to cut right to the core of me.
OK all joking aside, I legitimately like Hammer's music. He gets regular play on my iTunes, and not because I'm trying to be funny and ironic. The cheesy pop rap with the catchy beats and ridiculous lyrics; the rollicking church songs with the choir singing backup; the "gangsta" rap as the Funky Headhunter after he completely and totally sold out....I love it all. He'll always have a spot on my Get Psyched! playlist, and both "U Can't Touch This" and "Too Legit To Quit" are probably in the top 5 songs I've listened to most in my life.
Side note: wouldn't it be awesome to actually know how many times you've listened to a song in your life, and what your Top 5 would be? I lose sleep at night trying to figure out what mine would be....here's my best guess:
5. U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
4. Let Me Ride - Dr. Dre
3. Fool In The Rain - Led Zeppelin
2. Too Legit To Quit - MC Hammer
1. I Want You Back - Jackson 5
Also, I've been rocking the Hammer Dance pretty much since I was old enough to walk. Weddings, Graduations, Bar Mitzvahs, Baby Showers, Will Readings....it's always appropriate. (However, it is being temporarily retired because I'm getting too sloppy with it, and it's not even good anymore, and really I'm just embarrassing myself. This is the same reason why I refuse to karaoke with Paul as a duet again until he tightens it up a little bit. Dude, the lyrics are right in front of you, just read the screen if you forget them.)
Although Hammer fell on hard times due to his own fiscal irresponsibility, there was no denying that at his peak, he was one of the most popular artists in pop music history. I like to think that the video for "Too Legit To Quit" was our generation's version of "We Are The World" except more awesome. You weren't cool in 1992 unless you were in Hammer's videos.
And that sentence, more than any other, encapsulates everything you need to know about MC Hammer. He was cool in 1992. I just don't know what it means when you still think he's cool in 2009. I suppose it's best not to think about it.
OK all joking aside, I legitimately like Hammer's music. He gets regular play on my iTunes, and not because I'm trying to be funny and ironic. The cheesy pop rap with the catchy beats and ridiculous lyrics; the rollicking church songs with the choir singing backup; the "gangsta" rap as the Funky Headhunter after he completely and totally sold out....I love it all. He'll always have a spot on my Get Psyched! playlist, and both "U Can't Touch This" and "Too Legit To Quit" are probably in the top 5 songs I've listened to most in my life.
Side note: wouldn't it be awesome to actually know how many times you've listened to a song in your life, and what your Top 5 would be? I lose sleep at night trying to figure out what mine would be....here's my best guess:
5. U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
4. Let Me Ride - Dr. Dre
3. Fool In The Rain - Led Zeppelin
2. Too Legit To Quit - MC Hammer
1. I Want You Back - Jackson 5
Also, I've been rocking the Hammer Dance pretty much since I was old enough to walk. Weddings, Graduations, Bar Mitzvahs, Baby Showers, Will Readings....it's always appropriate. (However, it is being temporarily retired because I'm getting too sloppy with it, and it's not even good anymore, and really I'm just embarrassing myself. This is the same reason why I refuse to karaoke with Paul as a duet again until he tightens it up a little bit. Dude, the lyrics are right in front of you, just read the screen if you forget them.)
Although Hammer fell on hard times due to his own fiscal irresponsibility, there was no denying that at his peak, he was one of the most popular artists in pop music history. I like to think that the video for "Too Legit To Quit" was our generation's version of "We Are The World" except more awesome. You weren't cool in 1992 unless you were in Hammer's videos.
And that sentence, more than any other, encapsulates everything you need to know about MC Hammer. He was cool in 1992. I just don't know what it means when you still think he's cool in 2009. I suppose it's best not to think about it.
I don't even need to tell Hammer how awesome he is. He already knows.
