In a debate with an internet user, MC Hammer says he is not a one-hit wonder

For almost everyone who started paying attention to music after the 1990s, MC Hammer – in “U Can’t Touch This” — was presented as a one-hit wonder. This expression is used to define artists who only managed to record one successful song, without repeating the feats later.

To serve as an example, an Australian series called 20 to 1 even ranked The Knack (in “My Sharona”), The Buggles (in “Video Killed the Radio Star”), Billy Ray Cyrus (in “Achy Breaky Heart”) It is Lou Bega (in “Mambo No. 5 – A Little Bit of…”) this way. In Brazil, the always widely accessed Wikipedia illustrates the term with mentions of PO Box (in “Alligator Talk”), Virguloids (in “Bagulho no Bumba”) It is The Outbreak (in “The Wax”).

Even though he has been defined this way for so many years, Hammer denies the title. And he is able to get into an online argument to demand the recognition he feels is his due.

The situation occurred through the X/Twitter. According to the websiteHot New Hip Hopstarted when he shared a video of Australian Academy of Social Sciences. One internet user told the MC to “keep to himself”, calling him “has been” (someone who “was” famous, in a more contextualized translation). In response, the artist stated:

“Ouch! I must remind you that a ‘has been’ is greater than a ‘never was’.”

Stick to being a one hit wonder. You have no idea about what you’re wading into.

— Rasputin Quince (@QuinceRasputin) September 22, 2023

Another user joined the conversation, reinforcing the chorus against MC Hammer. The citizen declared: “Stick to being a one-hit wonder. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.” The artist then resorted to numbers when replying: “I managed to score at least 19 hits on the charts”.

I got at least 19 charted hits… which one made you wonder 🤔 https://t.co/vxmSwgbCJD

— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) September 22, 2023

Hammer It had its defenders too. One of them, in fact, very classy. None other than Chuck Drapper from Public Enemyspoke out to support his colleague.

“More importantly, I saw 15,000 to 20,000 people in an arena get exhausted watching MC Hammer while he sang his hits. Yes, young people of the new generation, this has happened for years. No myth, no exaggeration.”

Hammer replied, “I’m always grateful for you and our journey, Chuck D.”

More importantly I saw 15,000 -20,000 arena people…get exhausted and worn out watching you @mchammer while singing those hits. Yes NEWGENS it did happen years on end. No myth, no hype https://t.co/5ewSnO0eSr

— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) September 23, 2023

MC Hammer’s hits

There is no denying that, by far, “U Can’t Touch This” is the biggest hit of his career MC Hammer. Released in 1990 as part of the album Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Emthe track that features samples from “Super Freak” (Rick James) entered the charts in several countries, as well as in the artist’s homeland, the United States.

Won two Grammys for Best R&B Song and Best Rap Solo Performance, in addition to being nominated in the main Record of the Year category — it was the first time that a hip hop track managed to enter this competition. Today, it has accumulated more than 800 million reproductions on the YouTubein a number far above the singer’s second most listened to: “2 Legit 2 Quit”with 19 million.

The aforementioned album Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em also achieved impressive achievements due to the success of the song. It sold more than 10 million copies in the United States alone, reached the top of the chart intended for that, and repeated strong numbers in other countries, to the point of receiving eight platinum records in Canada, two in the United Kingdom, one in Australia and another in New Zealand.

However, it is also true that MC Hammer says about other of his songs having entered the charts. Not always in the main US, the Hot 100 — here, ten songs were included between 1990 and 1994 —, but a similar number cited by the artist can be seen in the ranking Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs. To know: “Pump It Up”, “Turn This Mutha Out”, “They Put Me in the Mix”, “U Can’t Touch This”, “Have You Seen Her”, “Pray”, “Here Comes the Hammer”, “ Help the Children”, “(Hammer Hammer) They Put Me in the Mix”, “2 Legit 2 Quit”, “Addams Groove”, “Do Not Pass Me By”, “This is the Way We Roll”, “Pumps and a Bump”, “It’s All Good”, “Don’t Stop”, “Sultry Funk” and “Going Up Yonder”.