In 1993, Hammer began recording this album. To adapt to the changing landscape of hip-hop, the album was a more aggressive sounding album. He co-produced this record with funky rapper and producer, Stefan Adamek. While Hammer's appearance changed to keep up with the gangsta rap audience, his lyrics still remained honest and somewhat clean with minor cursing. Yet, on this album as with previous records, Hammer would continue to call out other rappers who had dissed him. As with some earlier songs such as "Crime Story" (from the album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em), the content and reality about "street life" remained somewhat the same, but the sound was different, resulting in Hammer losing favor with fans. Nonetheless, this harder-edged, more aggressive record went gold, but failed to win him a new audience among hardcore hip-hop fans.
The album at the time was hailed as Hammer's comeback album and was produced by innovative musicians and writers such as Teddy Riley (who had previously produced records for Guy, Blackstreet, and Michael Jackson), The Hines Brothers, and G-Bomb. It also featured Death Row Records head Suge Knight, Whole 9 and Death Row recording artists Tha Dogg Pound.
Hammer debuted the album and video for "Pumps and a Bump" two months before its release on The Arsenio Hall Show and finally released it in March. Talk show host Arsenio Hall said to M.C. Hammer, "Women in the audience want to know, what's in your speedos in the 'Pumps and a Bump' video?" A clip from the video was then shown, to much approval from the audience. Hammer didn't give a direct answer, but instead laughed. Arsenio then said, "I guess that's why they call you 'Hammer.' It ain't got nothin' to do with Hank Aaron."
"Pumps and a Bump" proved to be a controversial track on this album, somewhat affecting Hammer's image. However, the single peaked at #3 on the US Rap charts. It was banned from heavy rotation on MTV with censors claiming that the depiction of Hammer in Speedos (and with what appeared to be an erection) was too graphic. This led to an alternative video being filmed (with Hammer fully clothed) that was directed by Bay Area native Craig S. Brooks, who also helmed the video of rap group DRS' only hit single "Gangsta Lean".
On December 26, 1994, Deion Sanders released Prime Time, a rap album on Bust It Records (Hammer's label) that featured the minor hit "Must Be The Money". "Prime Time Keeps on Tickin'" was also released as a single. Sanders, a friend of Hammer's, had previously appeared in his "Too Legit to Quit" music video, and his alter-ego "Prime Time" is also used in Hammer's "Pumps and a Bump" video.
"It's All Good" was the second single released on this album, which would become a pop culture phrase as a result. It was also the most successful song by this title, peaking on the record charts as follows: US #46; US R&B #14; US Rap #3; UK #52.
Within this album, such as during the rap "Break 'Em Off Somethin' Proper", Hammer disses A Tribe Called Quest (Q-Tip), Redman, MC Serch, Rodney O and Run–D.M.C. for previous attacks some of them made against him on wax. This also quite possibly led to a decrease in his popularity after this follow-up record responded to the music critics.
"Help Lord (Won't You Come)" appeared in Kingdom Come (2001 film).
This album peaked at number two on the R&B charts and remained in the Top 30 midway through the year. The album eventually reached #12 on the Billboard 200 album chart The album managed to become certified platinum.
Track listing
Source:
"Intro"
"Oaktown"
"It's All Good"
"Somethin' for the O.G's"
"Don't Stop"
"Pumps and a Bump"
"One Mo' Time"
"Clap Yo' Hands"
"Break 'Em Off Somethin' Proper"
"Don't Fight the Feelin'"
"Somethin' Bout the Goldie In Me"
"Sleepin' on a Master Plan"
"It's All That"
"Funky Headhunter"
"Pumps and a Bump (Reprise: Bump Teddy Bump)"
"Help Lord (Won't You Come)"
"Do It Like This" [Extended Version]
"Heartbreaka (Is What They Call Me)" [Japanese Edition]
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