by Tom Lounges
To those who were teens a decade ago, M.C. Hammer was just about the
biggest thing going. You couldn’t go anywhere and not hear his mega-platinum
hit single, “U Can’t Touch This.”
It spun an average of twice an hour on radio stations across the dial –
pop, urban, CHR and even rock radio programmers added it to heavy rotation.
It was a top requested song in night clubs and MTV flashed the Hammer’s
video across screens seemingly every other video.
I recall getting an assignment to interview Hammer for a special R&B
edition of the national publication, Song Hits, and discovering it was harder
to connect with him than it had been to connect with Michael Jackson and
Prince on previous assignments for that magazine.
But like Tone-Loc, Vanilla Ice, Morris Day and so other many other stars
of the ‘90s, Hammer soon became a footnote in pop music history.
But after a long hiatus it’s “Hammertime” once again. He’s back to
using his M.C. Hammer handle again and once again recording, making videos
and hitting the road. Only this time, Hammer stresses that he’s serving a
new master.
HAMMER TELLS SATAN –– "U CAN'T TOUCH THIS!"
No longer a slave to the sordid, money-grubbing music business in which
he was caught up like a piece of straw in a whirlwind ten year’s ago, the new
millennium Hammer is a Born-Again Christian whose primary objective is
spreading the Word and serving as a positive role model to kids.
Hammer’s got a new CD – Active Duty – in stores and a new single/video
called, “No Stoppin Us – USA.” As you might expect, it’s a flag-wavin’
anthem, which is cool considering Hammer is a former Navy man.
The war against terrorism and the tragedy of Sept. 11 were among the
topics Hammer preached about during his visit to N.W. Indiana’s Family
Christian Center late last month.
Hammer brought along with him the urban vocal group, Common Unity, and
the Christian world’s answer to Destiny’s Child – Trin-i-tee 5:7. The
latter, Louisiana-based protegees of Chicago’s R.Kelly, are nothing short of
remarkable.
As he stood on stage at the 3,000-seat F.C.C., he spoke of being “a
warrior for God” and how Christians must “fight the Good fight” every day
against evil, whether is comes in the form of a terrorist or as someone who
sucks kids into gangs or into using drugs.
Hammer used the biblical story of Adam and Eve to illustrate an
anti-gang message about not believing what people tell you is “cool to do.”
Hammer’s appearance was taped for later broadcast on his “M.C. Hammer &
Friends” television program aired on the Trinity Broadcast network.
To catch up on Hammer and learn where he’s been and why he’s back,
check out VH1’s original movie, “Too Legit: The M.C. Hammer Story,” which
airs on December 19.
His new CD, Active Duty, is currently in stores via his own WorldHit
Music imprint (distributed by RED