M.C. Hammer Biography

Fast Facts

• Married Stephanie Fuller in 1985, and had five children with her
• Tried out to play professional baseball for the San Francisco Giants, but didn't make the cut
• Worked as an aviation storekeeper during his three-year stint in the Navy
• As a boy, he would dance outside the Oakland Coliseum during Oakland A's games for tips
• Oakland A's owner Chuck Finley noticed him performing outside the stadium and invited him to watch a game from his luxury box, eventually hiring him as the team's batboy
• Helped make rap music mainstream with the release of "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em," the biggest-selling rap album ever
• His first two albums, "Feel My Power" and "Let's Get It Started," were released by his own record label, Bust It Productions
• Developed a reputation for wearing parachute pants
• Once employed 40 people, bought a $30 million home, and owned 17 cars and several racehorses
• The "MC" in his stage name stands for "Master of Ceremonies," while the "Hammer" comes from a nickname stemming from his resemblance to MLB player Hank "The Hammer" Aaron