MC Hammer

Although M.C. Hammer was derided as a sell-out by many of his rap peers for his suspect skills, concessions to the pop market, and corporate endorsements, there is no denying that he was instrumental in bringing hip-hop music into the mainstream and making it a viable commercial form. Although Hammer's parachute pants, over-the-top live show, and shamelessly pop-driven sound feel dated, he was one of the biggest pop stars of the early 1990s, and certainly the first rapper to have both his own action figure and Saturday morning cartoon. A decadent lifestyle and the mainstreaming of gangsta rap marked the end of Hammer's run, forcing him to declare bankruptcy; however, the deeply spiritual artist persevered and became a successful preacher in the late 1990s, with his own congregation.

• pop
• r&b/soul
• 1990s
• 1980s