His debut album Feel My Power was produced between 1986 and 1987 to be released independently in 1987. It was produced by VEH (of Con Funk Shun), and sold over 60,000 copies. In the spring of 1988, a DJ played the track "Let's Get it Started"—a song in which he declared he was "...second to none, from Doug E. Fresh, Cool LL, or DJ Run"—after which the track began to gain popularity in clubs. Hammer received several offers from major record labels after the successful release of the independent album.
Hammer initially refused to sign a contract with Capitol Records, but after a substantial signing bonus was added to his contract, he did. His debut album was then re-released as Let's Get It Started. A new video was shot for "Let's Get it Started," and another video was produced in fall of 1988 called "Pump It Up" (a new track added to Let's Get It Started). The "Pump It Up" video was added to the roster of "new wave" hip-hop videos that premiered or re-aired on the premiere season of Yo! MTV Raps. It depicted hip-hop legends Run-DMC getting disrespected by Hammer. The album eventually went triple-platinum (more than 3 million units sold). "Turn This Mutha Out" (the album's biggest hit), "Feel My Power", and "They Put Me in the Mix" saw heavy rotation on R&B/Hip-Hop radio stations throughout late 1988 into 1989.
His second album, 1990's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, included the smash single "U Can't Touch This", which sampled Rick James' 1981 hit "Super Freak". Interestingly, despite heavy airplay, "U Can't Touch This" stopped at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart due to the fact that it was released only as a twelve-inch single. Follow-up hits included "Have You Seen Her" (cover of the Chi-Lites); and "Pray", which had a beat sampled from Prince's "When Doves Cry" and was his biggest hit in the US, peaking at #2. The album went on to become the first hip-hop album to reach diamond status, selling more than 10 million units.During 1990 Hammer toured extensively in Europe which included a sold-out concert at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. With the sponsorship of PepsiCo, PepsiCo International CEO Christopher A. Sinclair went on tour with him in 1991. At the same time, he also appeared in The West Coast Rap All-Stars posse cut "We're All in the same Gang".
The Addams Groove Songfacts that in 1991 Hammer recorded the theme for the launch of the 1990s run of the Addams' Family film series, which introduced a whole new generation of fans to the Addams Family franchise. MC Hammer was still on the rise, and having a rap artist do the theme song added a contemporary feel to the movie, which was based on a '60s TV series about a very creepy family.
Hammer's relationship with Suge Knight dates back to 1988. Hammer next signed with Death Row Records, then home to Snoop Dogg and his close friend, Tupac Shakur. The label did not release any of Hammer's music while he was with them. However, Burrell did record music with Shakur, most notebly the song "Too Late Playa", and the album (Too Late) he recorded leaked onto the internet some years later. Their collaborative efforts are yet to be released. After the death of Shakur in 1996, Burrell left the record company.
In 1996, Burrell and Oaktown signed with EMI, which saw the release of a compilation of Hammer's chart topping songs. The album, Greatest Hits, featured 12 former hits and was released in October, only six months after his bankruptcy.
In 1997, just prior to beginning his ministry, MC Hammer (who by that time had readopted the "MC") was the subject of an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show and the VH1 series Behind the Music (music from his previous album was featured in this documentary). In these appearances, Burrell admitted that he had already used up most of his fortune of over $20 million, proving that money is nothing if it doesn't bring peace.
In 1998, MC Hammer released his first album in his new deal with EMI, titled Family Affair because it was to introduce the world to the artists he had signed to his Oaktown Records as they made their recording debut. This album was highly plugged on Trinity Broadcasting Network but featured no charting singles, and sold only 500,000 copies worldwide.
In 2001, MC Hammer released his 8th studio album, Active Duty, to pay homage to the ones lost in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The album followed that theme, it featured two singles, "No Stoppin' Us (USA)," and "Pop Yo Collar." The album, like its predecessor, failed to chart and would not sell as many copies as previous projects.
After leaving Capitol Records and EMI for the second time in his career, MC Hammer decided to move his Oaktown imprint to an independent distributor and released his ninth studio album, Full Blast, in 2003. The album would feature no charting singles and failed to certify in the RIAA. A video was produced for Full Blast, a song that attacks Eminem and Busta Rhymes.
After going independent, he decided to create a digital label to release his tenth studio album, Look Look Look. The album was released in 2006 and featured production from Scott Storch. The album featured the title-track single, and would sell much better than his previous release (300,000 copies worldwide).
Between 2006 and 2007, Hammer released a military-inspired rap song with a political message to President George W. Bush about sending the American troops back from war, called "Bring Our Brothers Home". The video was filmed at the Santa Monica Pier.
To see current information, check out his official blog: http://mchammer.blogspot.com/
Lets Go Deeper
MC Hammer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper (break it down)
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
How we need it how
We achieve it first, we get knowledge then
We abolish ignorance in our people thenWe go deeper, this is a thought that I bring, so think with the music and sing
Ooooooooo oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo, think with the music and sing, yeah ooooooo
Oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo
Take them to the hole
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper (break it down)
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
I think so I am equal to
Any man next to me, no matter who or what
We could be here, from there colorblind so
I don't care, this is a thought that I bring, so think with the music and sing
Ooooooooo oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo, think with the music and sing, yeah ooooooo
Oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo
Take them to the hole, deeper
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper (break it down)
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
Scientific is the formula
Thinking like that, they own youRock stops and bell
Then your problem, you flush or flail
In your thoughts, you've been bought
And generations, we made a cost, this is a thought that I bring, so think with the
Music and sing
Ooooooooo oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo, think with the music and sing, yeah ooooooo oo
Oo oo oo oo oo ooooo
Yo! We at the hole, hit it
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper (break it down)
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
Money (money) is power
Now is the hour to, make a move
Sleeping dogs, they don't move, they lie, steal
We know how to go deeper, in time
Money yo, it change minds
Ooooooooo oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo, think with the music and sing, yeah ooooooo
Oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo
Yo! We at the hole, hit it
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
Poverty a tradition
Stuck is our condition
Learn, from having welfare your son gotta have it
Others, just choose so I was and booze
I hate that we lose, to crack dope is a rule
Ooooooooo oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo, think with the music and sing, yeah ooooooo
Oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo
Yo! We back at the hole, hit it
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper (break it down)
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
Elevate yo mind
Pull and climb higher
Increase your desire, to obtain knowledge
Is fame wrapped up, and done
You, you be the one
Ooooooooo oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo, think with the music and sing, yeah ooooooo
Oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo
Man, we back at the hole again
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper
The song "Let's Go Deeper" by MC Hammer is a call to action for deeper thinking and knowledge-seeking. The title phrase is repeated throughout the song to emphasize the message, urging listeners to break down barriers and challenge their own beliefs. Hammer speaks of the need to abolish ignorance and think scientifically in order to progress, using terms like "scientific formula" and "increase your desire to obtain knowledge." He also speaks about breaking down societal barriers, saying "we could be here, from there colorblind so I don't care." Hammer's message is encapsulated in the line "think with the music and sing," suggesting that music can be a tool for deeper thinking and change.
The song features a catchy beat and repetitive chorus, making it a popular dance track in the early 1990s. However, the message of "Let's Go Deeper" stands out from Hammer's other party-centric tracks, displaying a social consciousness that is less commonly associated with the artist. The song was released on Hammer's "Too Legit to Quit" album in 1991.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's go deeper, we wanna go deeper
We want to explore deeper into the issues and concerns we face
Let's go deeper, we gotta go deeper (break it down)
We must delve deeper into these issues to understand them completely
How we need it how
There is a great need for us to go deeper into these issues
We achieve it first, we get knowledge then
We must gain knowledge and understanding in order to solve these issues
We abolish ignorance in our people then
We need to eliminate ignorance and educate people to solve these problems
Ooooooooo oo oo oo oo oo oo ooooo, think with the music and sing, yeah ooooooo
We can use music as a tool to help us reflect and think about these issues
Take them to the hole
Let's dive deeper and really explore these issues
I think so I am equal to
We are all equal to each other
Any man next to me, no matter who or what
Everyone is equal, regardless of their identity
We could be here, from there colorblind so
We should treat everyone as equals, regardless of their race or ethnicity
Scientific is the formula
We need to use logical and scientific methods to solve these problems
Thinking like that, they own you
If you think the way others want you to, they can control you
Rock stops and bell
We need to stop the cycle of poverty and injustice
Then your problem, you flush or flail
We need to face our problems head-on and solve them
In your thoughts, you've been bought
We need to think for ourselves and not be swayed by others
Money (money) is power
Money can have a great influence and impact on our lives
Now is the hour to, make a move
We need to take action now to solve these issues
Poverty a tradition
Poverty has become a long-standing issue that needs to be addressed
Stuck is our condition
We are currently stuck in our current state and need to work towards change
Learn, from having welfare your son gotta have it
We need to learn from our past mistakes and make sure we don't repeat them
Others, just choose so I was and booze
Some people turn to drugs and alcohol as a means of coping with poverty and other issues
I hate that we lose, to crack dope is a rule
It's unfortunate that some people turn to drugs like crack as a means of escape from their problems
Elevate yo mind
We need to broaden our horizons and think outside the box
Pull and climb higher
We need to work hard and strive for success
Increase your desire, to obtain knowledge
We should always be seeking knowledge and trying to better ourselves
Is fame wrapped up, and done
Is fame enough to solve our problems?
You, you be the one
We are all capable of making a change and being the solution
Writer(s): Mc Hammer
Contributed by Kayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.