Too Legit To Quit is Hammer's fourth album, released on October 29, 1991. While the album wasn't as successful as Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, it nevertheless proved successful, peaking in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200, as well as going triple platinum. A video for the title song was also produced, featuring many celebrity appearances. It was ranked one of the most expensive videos ever produced. Music videos were produced for all four tracks listed below with related articles. Each single released also charted.
After dropping the "MC" from his stage name, Hammer released this album (also produced by Felton Pilate), answering his critics within certain songs from the album. Sales were strong (over five million copies) with the title track being the biggest hit. Another hit came soon after, with "Addams Groove" (which appeared on both The Addams Family motion picture soundtrack and the vinyl and cassette versions of 2 Legit 2 Quit), which reached #7 in the U.S. and #4 in the UK. His video for the song appeared after the movie.
Hammer set out on a tour for this album, but the stage show had become as lavish as his lifestyle; loaded with singers, dancers, and backup musicians, the supporting concert tour was too expensive for the album's sales to finance, and it was canceled partway through. In 1992, Boyz II Men joined Hammer's high-profile 2 Legit 2 Quit tour as an opening act. While traveling the country, their tour manager Khalil Roundtree was murdered in Chicago, and the group's future performances of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" were dedicated to him. As a result of this unfortunate experience, the song would help advance their success.
The hand motions used within the "2 Legit 2 Quit" music video also became very popular. The song proved to be successful in the U.S., peaking at the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, at #5. Despite the album's multi-platinum certification, the sales were one-third of Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em.
At the end of the "Too Legit to Quit" video, after James Brown enlists Hammer to obtain the glove of Michael Jackson, a silver-white sequined glove is shown on the hand of a Jackson look-a-like doing the "2 Legit 2 Quit" hand gesture. It was a reference to Hammer wanting to challenge Jackson to a dance-off for rights to the famous glove, which is also referenced on the album.
MC Hammer appeared on The Wendy Williams Show (July 27th, 2009) and went on to tell a story about a phone call he received from Michael Jackson, regarding the portion of the "Too Legit to Quit" video that included a fake Jackson, giving his approval and inclusion of it. He explained how Jackson had seen the video and liked it, and both expressed they were a fan of each other.[9] Hammer and Jackson would later appear, speak and perform at the funeral service for James Brown in 2006.
Prior to Hammer's next album (The Funky Headhunter), rumors from critics and fans began claiming Hammer had quit the music/entertainment business and had suffered a financial downfall (since a couple of years had passed in between the two records), which Hammer denied at the time.
Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "This Is the Way We Roll" Burrell, Pilate 5:53
2. "Brothers Hang On" Burrell, Pilate, Whitfield 7:12
3. "Too Legit to Quit" Burrell, Earley, Kelly, Pilate 5:36
4. "Living in a World Like This" Burrell, Pilate 5:29
5. "Tell Me (Why Can't We Live Together)" Burrell, Pilate, Thomas 6:38
6. "Releasing Some Pressure" Burrell, Pilate 5:03
7. "Find Yourself a Friend" Burrell, Pilate 3:56
8. "Count It Off" Burrell, Pilate 5:05
9. "Good to Go" Burrell, Pilate 4:53
10. "Lovehold" Burrell, Pilate 4:55
11. "Street Soldiers" Burrell, Pilate 5:00
12. "Do Not Pass Me By" Burrell, Pilate 5:30
13. "Gaining Momentum" Burrell, Buckholtz 5:40
14. "Addams Groove" Burrell, Pilate, Mizzy 3:58
The cassette tape version of this album is considerably longer, with the addition of four songs (two of which are remixes). After "Find Yourself a Friend" there follows "Rollin' On (Oaktown Style)" (5:50). After "Gaining Momentum" is "Burn It Up" (4:28). The last two songs on the album are then "Addams Groove" (3:54) and "Street Soldiers (Saxapella Reprise)" (4:56). The total run time is 1:29:00 (89 minutes).
The Funky Headhunter was the fifth official album by Hammer, released in 1994.
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]
V Inside Out (V inside out) or Inside Out was the fifth studio album commercially released by M.C. Hammer in 1995, but technically/officially his sixth album in total since his debut effort (Feel My Power) was re-released with additional tracks as his second album (Let's Get It Started).
After the decrease in popularity and sales of his previous album, The Funky Headhunter, Hammer decided to maintain his clean pop image.
The album was a look within Hammer's deep artistic self and featured dance, gospel, and emotionally driven tracks which spawned two singles, "Sultry Funk" and the gospel single "Going Up Yonder" (both of which were performed by Hammer on the popular dance show Soul Train and made countdowns on nationwide local radio stations).
In contrast to his prior albums, the singles did not go as far as previous releases, only debuting at 119 on the Billboard charts. Critics claimed it was unfocused, as it was unclear if the genre was pop or rap. Although, some critics praised the fact it was perhaps intentionally eclectic (combining elements of dance, pop, rap, hip hop, alternative rock and gospel). Nonetheless, the album sold poorly (peaking at 119 on the Billboard Charts) and Giant Records dropped him and Oaktown Records from their roster.
However, with his appearance on VH1's Behind the Music, which showcased songs from the album at that time, the album did get notable attention with "Going Up Yonder" and "Sultry Funk" getting moderate radio play. It is well liked by devout Hammer fans, even considered one of his best artistically.
This album had not sold as well as its predecessors. Some claimed it was victim of the "crab mentality". Hammer would go on to explain in this album that he felt many of his so-called friends he staffed used and betrayed him which contributed to a majority of his financial loss (best explained in the song "Keep On"). He would also hint about this again in past and recent interviews, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2009 (as well as The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1997).
Hammer thanks Eazy-E for introducing him every night they were on tour together in 1991 on the track "Nothin But Love (A Song for Eazy)", which was dedicated to him after his death.
Track listing
"Luv-N-Happiness"
"Sultry Funk" (featuring VMF)
"Anything Goes on the Dance Floor"
"I Hope Things Change"
"Keep On"
"Everything Is Alright"
"I Need That Number"
"Bustin' Loose"
"Nothin But Love (A Song for Eazy)"
"Goin' Up Yonder"
"He Keeps Doing Great Things for Me"
"A Brighter Day"
"Keep On" sampled "Never Too Much" by Luther Vandross.
