MC Hammer On Hip Hop Today, Ending 'Hammer Time'
By David Walters
(CBS NEWS) – Rap icon MC Hammer might seem like an obvious choice to rep one particular home improvement tool, but the artist is actually campaigning to eliminate "hammer time" by using Command Brand's adhesive wall hooks instead.
"We're really trying to emphasize: We don't want to harm the walls," he told CBS News. "We need to stop hammer time. Do no harm to the walls. We've got to keep the walls safe."
The Bay Area rapper, who calls himself "Hammer who hates nails" in the commercials, wears his iconic harem pants in the nostalgic ads. The commercials are perfect timing considering it's the 25th anniversary of his triple-platinum album, "Too Legit to Quit," and the hit video to the title track "2 Legit 2 Quit."
Still one of the most expensive music videos of all time, MC Hammer reflected on the star-studded cast that brought together some of the largest pop icons of the era, from legendary musicians like James Brown and Eazy-E to a long list of Hall of Famers, including David Robinson and Ricky Henderson.
"That whole project we had a lot of fun," said the rapper. "We had the Addams family involved in that project -- so many people involved in that project. It's just a historic video, so we're going to celebrate the music."
He said it's clear that '90s dance tracks like "2 Legit 2 Quit" have influenced today's hip-hop sounds.
"There's a tremendous amount of dancing going on, and that was the foundation we laid, going from the late '80s into the '90s, celebrating the art of dance, beats, performance, music," said MC Hammer.
The rapper has much love for today's artists, such as Kanye West ("He understands how to perfect the moment or create the moment"), Drake ("If you look at the fun he had on 'Hotline [Bling],' he did his own thing, his own dance") and Chance the Rapper, whose mixtape he says encompasses the "touch points and sensibilities of hip-hop."
"Hip-hop is in good hands," said MC Hammer.
Of course, he means his own hands as well, though he was coy about his upcoming single "The Plug" and accompanying video. Insisting he keep some element of surprise, MC Hammer promised an enjoyable summer tune that is "already a classic" along with a video that would "no doubt" include signature visuals. It looks like "Hammer time" won't stop, after all -- at least outside the home.
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