History Music / MCHammer

* RichesToRags: One of the more famous celebrity examples. Hammer's lavish lifestyle and dwindling album sales eventually resulted in him being $13 million in debt. He filed for bankruptcy in 1996.

* TheMoralSubstitute: He was marketed as this to the violent {{gangsta rap}}pers of the time, keeping his lyrics family-friendly and making a point of including a Christian song on every album. This is why ''The Funky Headhunter'' alienated his fanbase.

* BewareTheSillyOnes: Even at his peak, he was often clowned by his contemporaries for his goofy "Hammer Pants", seemingly unabashed willingness to sell-out and generally lackluster rhyme skills. But Hammer, while not a thug, was not only raised on the notoriously dangerous streets of Oakland, California, he was also a Navy veteran. That, combined with the numerous gang members he had on his payroll, meant he wasn't afraid to step to ''anyone'' who dissed him. As the man himself said on the title track of ''The Funky Headhunter'':

* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: While Hammer is widely seen as a walking punchline and pop-rap has-been, he actually had a reputation for checking anyone who dared cross him. Many of his contemporaries claimed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Jh258EUVM he had strong ties with Bay Area gangsters]], and as mentioned above, tried to seriously hurt two rappers who dissed his mother.

* TotallyRadical: Many of the songs on ''The Funky Headhunter'' makes liberal use of the phrase "[=OG=]" in their lyrics. It's safe to assume that no other rappers at the time considered Hammer an "original gangster," let alone believed he knew that was what that meant. Ironically, Hammer, despite his clean image, actually had gang connections, and many of those same rappers later admitted Hammer was a ''lot'' more gangster than they gave him credit for.

* DropTheHammer: [[JustForPun Stop! Hammertime!]]

* BewareTheSillyOnes: Even at his peak, he was often clowned by his contemporaries for his goofy "Hammer Pants", seemingly unabashed willingness to sell-out and generally lackluster rhyme skills. But Hammer, while not a thug, was not only raised the notoriously dangerous streets of Oakland, California, he was also a Navy veteran. That, combined with the numerous gang members he had on his payroll, meant he wasn't afraid to step to ''anyone'' who dissed him. As the man himself said on the title track of ''The Funky Headhunter'':

* BoastfulRap: How he starts "You Can't Touch This".

* BewareTheSillyOnes: See above.

* ''DanceJam the Music'' (2009)

* {{Celebrity Toon|s}}: ''WesternAnimation/{{Hammerman}}'' -- named after another alias for Mr. Burrell -- where Hammer is a superhero with magical shoes. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8WYh8uz3pQ The opening theme will fill you in on the finer details]].

---> '''Redman [[https://youtu.be/0fyqEYQQW2U?t=393 (talking about Hammer confronting him)]]:''' We was already in Oakland with Music/{{EPMD}}, and we damn near had to bounce up outta there for that! Cuz they had niggas back here [...] We had to get the fuck outta here; they wasn't playing! We was almost boxed in! And I'm at a young age, too; I'm like, "Yo... this nigga is ''not'' playin'!"

!! "U Can't Trope This":

* TotallyRadical: Many of the songs on ''The Funky Headhunter'' makes liberal use of the phrase "[=OG=]" in their lyrics. It's safe to assume that no other rappers at the time considered Hammer an "original gangster," let alone believed he knew that was what that meant.

BAM BAM pound the likes of stakes!\\
BAM BAM pound, pound other things too!"''

* MusicOfNote: ''Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em'' showed, once and for all, that HipHop could attract a mass audience, if Music/RunDMC and Music/BeastieBoys didn't already provide good enough evidence.