MC Hammer Wants You to Dump Your Hammer—And Your Nails

Ask Hip-Hop recording artist MC Hammer why he partnered with Command Brand to stop hammer time—he’s the only ‘hammer’ who hates nails when it comes to decorating walls and other surfaces—and this ‘90s icon, known for hit records such as ‘U Can’t Touch This’ and ‘2 Legit 2 Quit’ and his signature loose-fitting harem-inspired Hammer pants, will tell you all about being the brand’s first celebrity partner.

What attracted you to the campaign in the first place?

It was a great idea—obviously their focus was to not use hammers on the walls—so when they approached me I thought it was perfect!

The ads make home décor look really fun.

The real focus is that if you put the nails in the walls, it tears up the wall and you’re hurting the walls. It’s also a lot of work. We wanted to show another way to make it quick and easy to hang up pictures. It’s convenient, too.

Catch us up to date: What have you been doing since ‘U Can’t Touch This?’

I think I’ve followed a pretty steady path of life and family and love and God and just kept my ear to the ground. Musically I’ve always stayed in tune. Performance wise, art and film, I’ve felt pretty plugged in.

You’re considered a rap pioneer. Do you feel like the hip-hop scene has changed since the ‘90s?

I think the hip-hop scene is pretty steady. There hasn’t been much change if you look at where rap was 30 years ago and where it is today. It’s consistent. The music is consistent and the stories are told from different perspectives. If you’re asking who I like, I’ll tell you that I like Drake and Chance the Rapper. I think they’re really putting out good music, good visuals, good vibes.

What’s the one thing people don’t know about Stanley Burrell AKA Hammer?

People might be surprised that I spend every year traveling the world. Spanning the globe gives me more ideas for my music, for my life. I think travel was embedded in me as a young person.

You started traveling as a young kid, right?

Yes. I grew up in Oakland and started traveling with the Oakland As baseball team when I was nine years old. I was this California kid going to New York City, Boston, Chicago, Detroit. I had two brothers who worked for the As—one was a bat boy and one was the assistant clubhouse manager so I tagged along. One day Reggie Jackson gave me a radio and a James Brown record came on. I was dancing and the owner of the As walked by and told me I danced like a grown man. He let me work as a bat boy and later I got to sit in the owner’s box and I’d do play by plays for the owner on the intercom. I did this from the time I was nine until I was 18. I was the youngest executive VP in Major League Baseball. I went on the show ‘Kids are People Too’ as the youngest executive VP.

I hear you have a dreamy man cave. Can you tell me more?

It looks very tropical. It’s outdoors and it’s surrounded by banana plants and palm trees. There’s a secret entrance to it, but once you arrive, you’ve found a new oasis. There’s an outdoor spa and it’s a place to get away—you go on vacation without leaving the house.

How does anyone get to experience this man cave?

You have to be invited!