The song "U Can't Touch This" by M.C. Hammer: creation history, lyrics, interesting facts, legacy and influence

1990s - a time of new experiments in music. Especially in hip-hop. Musicians who made their careers during this period thought in slightly different categories of creating hits. There's an emphasis on rap music, which in its "golden era" showcases the high quality and variety of tracks that subsequently had a huge impact on the cultural development as a whole.

"Back then, it seemed to us that any hip-hop single reinvented the genre. In fact, though, musicians were simply exploring it, adding marvellous stylistic innovations that give the albums an innovative 'twist'," wrote Rolling Stone magazine.

One of the artists remembered during hip-hop's iconic period was the rapper M.C. Hammer. His popularity came in the early 1990s, when he released several commercially successful . pop-orientated albumsthat have earned awards and critical acclaim.

M.C. Hammer, or Stanley Kirk Burrell was born in the early '60s in sunny California. As a kid, he wanted to be baseball player and for a while worked as a maintenance man, assessing the condition of baseball bats in his native Oakland team. But fate decided that young Stanley was destined for another occupation - to work with other "bats". With baseball, however, was not all over: the artist's pseudonym is directly related to the surname of his favourite baseball player nicknamed Hammerwho he looked a lot like.

History and success

M.C. Hammer's professional music career began in 1986when, discouraged by his lack of popularity, he borrowed $20,000 each from several players on his hometown baseball team to create an independent music label on which he wanted to record his first record. Thus came Bustin' Records, which sponsored the release of Stanley's debut album "Feel My Power"which received good audience feedback.

This was followed by an equally successful full-length album "Let's Get It Started". M.C. Hammer had already managed by this time to acquire a unique style, which can be described as pop-rap and new-jack swing. Good reading and catchy music made Stanley one of the heroes of his time. But the real popularity was ahead of him.

In 1990. M.C. Hammer's third studio album, titled "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em.". Released on the major label Capital Records, it brought Hammer worldwide fame. The most popular song on the album was a track with a simple title "U Can't Touch This". What's the secret to her success?

First of all, in "U Can't Touch This," Hammer used. sample from a Rick James song "Super Freak.". This riff, which is repeated throughout the song, is memorable from the first notes and makes the listener want to dance to a song. The beat deserves special attention, it really "rocks", so together with the sample very harmoniously looks and style of M.C. Hammer's reading.

After the release of the album. Stanley Burrell broke many records: "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em" was awarded a diamond certification for number of sales, was a top 25 album on the Billboard 200 chart, and became the best-selling hip-hop album of 1990. And the famous single went to the top of the charts Billboard Hot 100which was originally considered a pop chart-topper. What's more, "U Can't Touch This" has received a Grammy Award for best hip-hop and R&B performance, as well as best solo rap performance. M.C. Hammer also won the first rapperwhose song was nominated for a Grammy for Record of the Year.

Music video and lyrical meaning

The clip for "U Can't Touch This" didn't take long to catch on and received rave reviews. The colourful video took on the tone of the era and won in the "best rap video" and "best dance performance" categories at the prestigious Awards "MTV Video Music Awards.".

Regarding meanings of composition, it can probably be described as a kind of advert M.C. Hammer's musical and dance abilities. Many researchers have noted that Hammer in "U Can't Touch This" is to some extent praises yourself and your bats.

Legacy, relevance today

Thanks to M.C. Hammer's music and manner of performance, "U Can't Touch This" gained popularity in the popular culture. Nowadays, many people associate this song with a parody-repeat with inserts from the cartoon about the Garfield the cat.

In addition, dancing to Hammer's composition has garnered millions of views on the TikTokand the hashtag with the name of the song is gaining more than 900 thousand views on this social network. On YouTube you can also see a lot of remixes in various arrangements.

Interesting facts

• M.C. Hammer's song made the list. 500 songsThis is an interesting fact, as the song has nothing to do with the genre, but is a distinctly rock 'n' roll song. This is quite an interesting fact, as the song has nothing to do with this genre, but is a pronounced hip-hop anthem. It has also been used as the soundtrack to many popular films. These include, for example, The Proposal and "Fast and Furious 7.".

• It should also be noted style M.C. Hammer. In the music video for "U Can't Touch This" he appears in a typical rapper's image, but with one peculiarity. In the music video, the men, including Hammer, are wearing baggy trousers, which have become a "highlight" of M.C. They will be popularly called "Hummer trousers." and popularity in the '90s. In the video you can also see the unusual movementsThe rapper invented and still used today in hip-hop culture ("Running Man" and "Hammer Dance").