From his supercharged performances to his outlandish outfits, MC Hammer was entertainment personified at the height of his powers. He burst onto the music scene in 1990 with the groundbreaking album Please Hammer Don't Hurt Em, featuring the smash hit single "U Can't Touch This," was one of the top rap albums of all time selling 10 million copies. Considered one of the first "mainstream" rappers, Hammer delivered rap music to a new segment of the population, paving the way for elaborate choreography and showmanship never before seen from any artist of that genre. He even started a new dance craze called the "Hammer Dance." Hammer's sophomore release, Too Legit to Quit (1991), also sold millions.

MC Hammer paved the way for modern rappers' extravagant live shows, flashy footwork, and sampled melodies that might not exist without Hammer's original vision.

While other chart-toppers of his era may have burned out, Hammer has been going strong, working in and out of the spotlight ever since his Billboard glory days. Not only an artist, he’s also a record producer, choreographer, reality TV star, startup entrepreneur and ordained minister.