M.C. Hammer

Birth Name:

Stanley Kirk Burrell

Birth Place:

Oakland, California, United States

Profession

Soundtrack, Actor, Producer, Music department

Married Stephanie Fuller in 1985, and had five children with her
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
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
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

Fast Facts