Look up Portal, portal, or portals in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Portal may refer to:

• Portal (architecture), a gate, door, or the extremeties (ends) of a tunnel
• Portal (fiction), a magical or technological doorway that connects two different locations.

Computing[link]

• Enterprise portal, a framework to provide a single point of access to a variety of information and tools
• Intranet portal, a gateway that unifies access to all enterprise information and applications
• Portal rendering, an optimization technique in 3D computer graphics
• Web portal, a site that functions as a point of access to information on the Internet
• Portals network programming api, a high-performance networking programming interface for massively parallel supercomputers

Entertainment[link]

• Portal (interactive novel), a 1986 video game by Activision
• Portal (video game), a 2007 video game by Valve Corporation
• Portal 2, the sequel to Valve's 2007 video game Portal
• Portal (TV series), a series about MMORPGs

Geography[link]

• Portal, California
• Portal, Georgia
• Portal, North Dakota

Music[link]

• Portall, a Thrash-Death Metal band from the Netherlands
• Portal (Australian band), a metal band from Australia
• Portal (UK band), a band from the UK
• Portals (album), a 2009 album by Arsonists Get All The Girls

Other uses[link]

• Portal (comics), a Marvel comic character
• Portal (Magic: The Gathering), a set in the Magic: The Gathering card game
• Portal Bridge, over the Hackensack River in New Jersey
• Portal Software, a company based in Cupertino, California
• Clube Atlético Portal, a football club based in Uberlândia, Brazil
• Portals Athletic F.C., a defunct football club, based in Overton, England
• Portal (magic trick), an illusion performed by David Copperfield

People with the surname[link]

• Antoine Portal (1742–1832), French anatomist, doctor and medical historian
• Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford (1893–1971), British Marshal of the RAF and Chief of the Air Staff in World War II
• Wyndham Portal, 1st Viscount Portal (1885–1949), British businessman and public servant
• Michel Portal (born 1935), French composer, saxist, and clarinetist
• Nicolas Portal (born 1979), French professional road bicycle racer
• Gerald Portal (1858–1894), British colonial diplomat

See also[link]

Portal portal

Portal Directory

• El Portal, Florida
• Hepatic portal vein, a vein that drains blood from the digestive system
• Portal venous system, an occurrence where one capillary bed drains into another through veins
• Portal frame, a construction method
• Portal stones, a type of stone monument
• Porthole

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

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Politics portal
v t e

Politics (from Greek politikos "of, for, or relating to citizens") as a term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the corporate, academic, and religious segments of society. It consists of "social relations involving authority or power" and to the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy.^[1]

Modern political discourse focuses on democracy and the relationship between people and politics. It is thought of as the way we "choose government officials and make decisions about public policy". ^[2]

Etymology[link]

The word politics comes from the Greek word Πολιτικά (politika), modeled on Aristotle's "affairs of the city", the name of his book on governing and governments, which was rendered in English mid-15 century as Latinized "Polettiques".^[3] Thus it became "politics" in Middle English c. 1520s (see the Concise Oxford Dictionary). The singular politic first attested in English 1430 and comes from Middle French politique, in turn from Latin politicus,^[4] which is the latinisation of the Greek πολιτικός (politikos), meaning amongst others "of, for, or relating to citizens", "civil", "civic", "belonging to the state",^[5] in turn from πολίτης (polites), "citizen"^[6] and that from πόλις (polis), "city".^[7]

History[link]

The history of politics is reflected in the origin and development, and economics of the institutions of government.

The state[link]

Sun Tzu

The origin of the state is to be found in the development of the art of warfare. Historically speaking, all political communities of the modern type owe their existence to successful warfare.^[8]

Kings in many countries, including ancient China and Japan, were considered divine. Of the institutions that ruled states, that of kingship stood at the forefront until the French Revolution put an end to the "divine right of kings". Nevertheless, the monarchy is among the longest-lasting political institutions, dating as early as 2100 BC in Sumeria^[9] to the 21st Century A.D. British Monarchy. Kingship becomes an institution through heredity.

The king ruled his kingdom with the aid of his Council without it he could not hold his territories. The Council is the king's master mind. The Council is the germ of constitutional government. Long before the council became a bulwark of democracy, it rendered invaluable aid to the institution of kingship by:^{[citation needed]}

1. Preserving the institution of kingship through heredity.
2. Preserving the traditions of the social order.
3. Being able to withstand criticism as an impersonal authority.
4. Being able to manage a greater deal of knowledge and action than a single individual such as the king.

The greatest of the king's subordinates, the earls in England and Scotland, the dukes and counts in the Continent, always sat as a right on the Council. A conqueror wages war upon the vanquished for vengeance or for plunder but an established kingdom exacts tribute. One of the functions of the Council is to keep the coffers of the king full. Another is the satisfaction of military service and the establishment of lordships by the king to satisfy the task of collecting taxes and soldiers.^[10]

The state and property[link]

Property is the right vested on the individual or a group of people to enjoy the benefits of an object be it material or intellectual. A right is a power enforced by public trust. Sometimes it happens that the exercise of a right is opposed to public trust. Nevertheless, a right is really the creation of public trust, past, present or future. The growth of knowledge is the key to the history of property as an institution. The more man becomes knowledgeable of an object be it physical or intellectual, the more it is appropriated. The appearance of the State brought about the final stage in the evolution of property from wildlife to husbandry. In the presence of the State, man can hold landed property. The State began granting lordships and ended up conferring property and with it came inheritance. With landed property came rent and in the exchange of goods, profit, so that in modern times, the "lord of the land" of long ago becomes the landlord. If it is wrongly assumed that the value of land is always the same, then there is of course no evolution of property whatever. However, the price of land goes up with every increase in population benefitting the landlord. The landlordism of large land owners has been the most rewarded of all political services. In industry, the position of the landlord is less important but in towns which have grown out of an industry, the fortunate landlord has reaped an enormous profit. Towards the latter part of the Middle Ages in Europe, both the State - the State would use the instrument of confiscation for the first time to satisfy a debt - and the Church - the Church succeeded in acquiring immense quantities of land - were allied against the village community to displace the small landlord and they were successful to the extent that today, the village has become the ideal of the individualist, a place in which every man "does what he wills with his own." The State has been the most important factor in the evolution of the institution of property be it public or private.^[11]

The state and the justice system[link]

As a military institution, the State is concerned with the allegiance of its subjects as disloyalty is a risk to its national security. Thus arises the law of treason. Criminal acts in general, breaking the peace and treason make up the whole of criminal law enforced by the State as distinguished from the law enforced by private individuals. State justice has taken the place of clan, feudal, merchant and ecclesiastical justice due to its strength, skill and simplicity. One very striking evidence of the superiority of the royal courts over the feudal and popular courts in the matter of official skill is the fact that, until comparatively late in history, the royal courts alone kept written records of their proceedings. The trial by jury was adopted by the Royal Courts, securing it's popularity and making it a bulwark of liberty. By the time of the Protestant Reformation, with the separation of Church and State, in the most progressive countries, the State succeeded in dealing with the business of administering justice.^[12]

The state[link]

The making of laws was unknown to primitive societies.

That most persistent of all patriarchal societies, the Jewish, retains to a certain extent its tribal law in the Gentile cities of the West. This tribal law is the rudimentary idea of law as it presented itself to people in the patriarchal stage of society, it was custom or observance sanctioned by the approval and practice of ancestors.^{[citation needed]}

The state of affairs which existed in the 10th century, when every town had its own laws and nations like France, Germany, Spain and other countries had no national law until the end of the 18th century, was brought to an end by three great agencies that helped to create the modern system of law and legislation:^{[citation needed]}

1. Records: From the early Middle Ages in Europe there come what are called folk-laws and they appear exactly at the time when the patriarchal is becoming the State. They are due almost universally to one cause: the desire of the king to know the custom of his subjects. These are not legislation in the sense of law-making but statements or declarations of custom. They are drawn from a knowledge of the custom of the people. Unwritten custom changes imperceptibly but not the written. It is always possible to point to the exact text and show what it says. Nevertheless, the written text can change by addition with every new edition.
2. Law Courts: By taking some general rule which seemed to be common to all the communities and ignoring the differences, English common law was modeled after such a practice so that the law became common in all the districts of the kingdom. The reason why in the rest of Europe, there was no common law till centuries later is because the State in those countries did not get hold of the administration of justice when England did. One of the shrewdest moves by which the English judges pushed their plan of making a common law was by limiting the verdict of the jury in every case to questions of fact. At first the jury used to give answers both on law and fact; and being a purely local body, they followed local custom. A famous division came to pass: the province of the judge and the province of the jury.
3. Fictions: Records and Law Courts were valuable in helping the people adapt to law-making but like Fictions, they were slow and imperfect. Though slowly, Fictions work because it is a well known fact that people will accept a change in the form of a fiction while they would resist it to the end if the fact is out in the open.

British parliament

Finally there is the enactment of laws or legislation. When progress and development is rapid, the faster method of political representation is adopted. This method does not originate in primitive society but in the State need for money and its use of an assembly to raise the same. From the town assembly, a national assembly and the progress of commerce sprang Parliament all over Europe around the end of the 12th century but not entirely representative or homogeneous for the nobility and the clergy. The clergy had amassed a fortune in land, about one-fifth of all Christendom but at the time, in the 12th and 13th centuries, the Church was following a policy of isolation; they adopted the rule of celibacy and cut themselves from domestic life; they refused to plead in a secular court; they refused to pay taxes to the State on the grounds that they had already paid it to the Pope. Since the main object of the king in holding a national assembly was to collect money, the Church could not be left out and so they came to Parliament. The Church did not like it but in most cases they had to come.^{[citation needed]}

The medieval Parliament was complete when it represented all the states in the realm: nobles, clergy, peasants and craftsmen but it was not a popular institution mainly because it meant taxation. Only by the strongest pressure of the Crown were Parliaments maintained during the first century of their existence and the best proof of this assertion lies in the fact that in those countries where the Crown was weak, Parliament ceased to exist. The notion that parliaments were the result of a democratic movement cannot be supported by historical facts. Originally, the representative side of Parliament was solely concerned with money; representation in Parliament was a liability rather than a privilege. It is not uncommon that an institution created for one purpose begins to serve another. People who were asked to contribute with large sums of money began to petition. Pretty soon, sessions in Parliament would turn into bargaining tables, the king granting petitions in exchange for money. However, there were two kinds of petitions, one private and the other public and it was from this last that laws were adopted or legislation originated. The king as head of State could give orders to preserve territorial integrity but not until these royal enactments were combined with public petition that successful legislation ever took place. Even to the present day, this has always been the basis of all successful legislation: public custom is adopted and enforced by the State.^{[citation needed]}

In the early days of political representation, the majority did not necessarily carry the day and there was very little need for contested elections but by the beginning of the 15th century, a seat in Parliament was something to be cherished. Historically speaking, the dogma of the equality of man is the result of the adoption of the purely practical machinery of the majority but the adoption of the majority principle is also responsible for another institution of modern times: the party system. The party system is an elaborate piece of machinery that pits at least two political candidates against each other for the vote of an electorate; its advantage being equal representation interesting a large number of people in politics; it provides effective criticism of the government in power and it affords an outlet for the ambition of a large number of wealthy and educated people guaranteeing a consistent policy in government.^{[citation needed]}

These three institutions: political representation, majority rule and the party system are the basic components of modern political machinery; they are applicable to both central and local governments and are becoming by their adaptability ends in themselves rather than a machinery to achieve some purpose.^[13]

The state and the executive system[link]

The administration is one of the most difficult aspects of government. In the enactment and enforcement of laws, the victory of the State is complete but not so in regards to administration the reason being that it is easy to see the advantage of the enactment and enforcement of laws but not the administration of domestic, religious and business affairs which should be kept to a minimum by government.^{[citation needed]}

The German Chancellery (Bundeskanzleramt) in Berlin

Originally, the state was a military organization. For many years, it was just a territory ruled by a king who was surrounded by a small elite group of warriors and court officials and it was basically rule by force over a larger mass of people. Slowly, however, the people gained political representation for none can really be said to be a member of the State without the right of having a voice in the direction of policy making. One of the basic functions of the State in regards to administration is maintaining peace and internal order; it has no other excuse for interfering in the lives of its citizens. To maintain law and order the State develops means of communication. Historically, the "king's highway" was laid down and maintained for the convenience of the royal armies not as an incentive to commerce. In almost all countries, the State maintains the control of the means of communication and special freedoms such as those delineated in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution are rather limited. The State's original function of maintaining law and order within its borders gave rise to police administration which is a branch of the dispensation of Justice but on its preventive side, police jurisdiction has a special character of its own, which distinguishes it from ordinary judicial work. In the curfew, the State shows early in history the importance of preventing disorder. In early days, next to maintaining law and order, the State was concerned with the raising of revenue. It was then useful to the State to establish a standard of weights and measures so that value could be generally accepted and finally the State acquired a monopoly of coinage. The regulation of labor by the State as one of its functions dates from the 15th century, when the Black Plague killed around half of the European population.^{[citation needed]}

The invariable policy of the State has always being to break down all intermediate authorities and to deal directly with the individual. This was the policy until Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations was published promoting a strong public reaction against State interference. By its own action, the State raised the issue of the poor or the State relief of the indigent. The State, of course, did not create poverty but by destroying the chief agencies which dealt with it such as the village, the church and the guilds, it practically assumed full responsibility for the poor without exercising any power over it. The Great Poor Law Report of 1834 showed that communism ran rampant in the rural areas of England. In newly developed countries such as the colonies of the British Empire, the State has refused to take responsibility for the poor and the relief of poverty, although the poor classes lean heavily towards State socialism.^{[citation needed]}

Recognizing the great power of the State, it is only natural that in times of great crisis such as an overwhelming calamity the people should invoke general State aid.^{[citation needed]}

Political representation has helped to shape State administration. When the voice of the individual can be heard, the danger of arbitrary interference by the State is greatly reduced. To that extent is the increase of State activity popular. There are no hard and fast rules to limit State administration but it is a fallacy to believe that the State is the nation and what the State does is necessarily for the good of the nation. In the first place, even in modern times, the State and the nation are never identical. Even where "universal suffrage" prevails, the fact remains that an extension of State administration means an increased interference of some by others, limiting freedom of action. Even if it is admitted that State and nation are one and the same, it is sometimes difficult to admit that State administration is necessarily good. Finally, the modern indiscriminate advocacy of State administration conceals the fallacy that State officials must necessarily prove more effective in their action than private enterprise. Herein lies the basic difference between Public and Business Administration; the first deals with the public weal while the second deals basically in profit but both require a great deal of education and ethical conduct to avoid the mishaps inherent in the relationship not only of business and labor but also the State and the Administration.^[14]

The varieties of political experience[link]

The swearing of the oath of ratification of the treaty of Münster in 1648 (1648) by Gerard ter Borch.

According to Aristotle, States are classified into monarchies, aristocracies, timocracies, democracies, oligarchies, and tyrannies. Due to an increase in knowledge of the history of politics, this classification has been abandoned. Generally speaking, no form of government could be considered the best if the best is considered to be the one that is most appropriate under the circumstances. All States are varieties of a single type, the sovereign State. All the Great Powers of the modern world rule on the principle of sovereignty. Sovereign power may be vested on an individual as in an autocratic government or it may be vested on a group as in a constitutional government. Constitutions are written documents that specify and limit the powers of the different branches of government. Although a Constitution is a written document, there is also an unwritten Constitution. The unwritten constitution is continually being written by the Legislative branch of government; this is just one of those cases in which the nature of the circumstances determines the form of government that is most appropriate. Nevertheless, the written constitution is essential. England did set the fashion of written constitutions during the Civil War but after the Restoration abandoned them to be taken up later by the American Colonies after their emancipation and then France after the Revolution and the rest of Europe including the European colonies.^{[citation needed]}

There are two forms of government, one a strong central government as in France and the other a local government such as the ancient divisions in England that is comparatively weaker but less bureaucratic. These two forms helped to shape the federal government, first in Switzerland, then in the United States in 1776, in Canada in 1867 and in Germany in 1870 and in the 20th century, Australia. The Federal States introduced the new principle of agreement or contract. Compared to a federation, a confederation's singular weakness is that it lacks judicial power.^{[citation needed]} In the American Civil War, the contention of the Confederate States that a State could secede from the Union was untenable because of the power enjoyed by the Federal government in the executive, legislative and judiciary branches.^{[citation needed]}

According to professor A. V. Dicey in An Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution, the essential features of a federal constitution are: a) A written supreme constitution in order to prevent disputes between the jurisdictions of the Federal and State authorities; b) A distribution of power between the Federal and State governments and c) A Supreme Court vested with the power to interpret the Constitution and enforce the law of the land remaining independent of both the executive and legislative branches.^[15]

Political party[link]

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to attain and maintain political power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions. Parties often espouse an expressed ideology or vision bolstered by a written platform with specific goals, forming a coalition among disparate interests.^{[citation needed]}

As an academic discipline[link]

Political science, the study of politics, examines the acquisition and application of power.^[16] Political scientist Harold Lasswell defined politics as "who gets what, when, and how".^[17] Related areas of study include political philosophy, which seeks a rationale for politics and an ethic of public behaviour, political economy, which attempts to develop understandings of the relationships between politics and the economy and the governance of the two, and public administration, which examines the practices of governance.^{[citation needed]} The philosopher Charles Blattberg, who has defined politics as "responding to conflict with dialogue," offers an account which distinguishes political philosophies from political ideologies.^[18]

The first academic chair devoted to politics in the United States was the chair of history and political science at Columbia University, first occupied by Prussian émigré Francis Lieber in 1857.^[19]

Spectra[link]

Left-right politics[link]

Recently in history, political analysts and politicians divide politics into left wing and right wing politics, often also using the idea of center politics as a middle path of policy between the right and left. This classification is comparatively recent (it was not used by Aristotle or Hobbes, for instance), and dates from the French Revolution era, when those members of the National Assembly who supported the republic, the common people and a secular society sat on the left and supporters of the monarchy, aristocratic privilege and the Church sat on the right.^[20]

The meanings behind the labels have become more complicated over the years. A particularly influential event was the publication of the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels in 1848. The Manifesto suggested a course of action for a proletarian revolution to overthrow the bourgeois society and abolish private property, in the belief that this would lead to a classless and stateless society.^{[citation needed]}

The meaning of left-wing and right-wing varies considerably between different countries and at different times, but generally speaking, it can be said that the right wing often values tradition and social stratification while the left wing often values reform and egalitarianism, with the center seeking a balance between the two such as with social democracy or regulated capitalism.^[21]

According to Norberto Bobbio, one of the major exponents of this distinction, the Left believes in attempting to eradicate social inequality, while the Right regards most social inequality as the result of ineradicable natural inequalities, and sees attempts to enforce social equality as utopian or authoritarian.^[22]

Some ideologies, notably Christian Democracy, claim to combine left and right wing politics; according to Geoffrey K. Roberts and Patricia Hogwood, "In terms of ideology, Christian Democracy has incorporated many of the views held by liberals, conservatives and socialists within a wider framework of moral and Christian principles."^[23] Movements which claim or formerly claimed to be above the left-right divide include Fascist Terza Posizione economic politics in Italy, Gaullism in France, Peronism in Argentina, and National Action Politics in Mexico.^{[citation needed]}

Authoritarian-libertarian politics[link]

Authoritarianism and libertarianism refer to the amount of individual freedom each person possesses in that society relative to the state. One author describes authoritarian political systems as those where "individual rights and goals are subjugated to group goals, expectations and conformities",^[24] while libertarians generally oppose the state and hold the individual and his property as sovereign. In their purest form, libertarians are anarchists, who argue for the total abolition of the state, while the purest authoritarians are totalitarians who support state control over all aspects of society.^{[citation needed]}

For instance, classical liberalism (also known as laissez-faire liberalism,^[25] or, in much of the world, simply liberalism) is a doctrine stressing individual freedom and limited government. This includes the importance of human rationality, individual property rights, free markets, natural rights, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional limitation of government, and individual freedom from restraint as exemplified in the writings of John Locke, Adam Smith, David Hume, David Ricardo, Voltaire, Montesquieu and others. According to the libertarian Institute for Humane Studies, "the libertarian, or 'classical liberal,' perspective is that individual well-being, prosperity, and social harmony are fostered by 'as much liberty as possible' and 'as little government as necessary.'"^[26]

World politics[link]

NYC UN

The 20th century witnessed the outcome of two world wars and not only the rise and fall of the Third Reich but also the rise and fall of communism. The development of the Atomic bomb gave the United States a more rapid end to its conflict in Japan in World War II. Later, the development of the Hydrogen bomb became the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. The United Nations has served as a forum for peace in a world threatened by nuclear war. "The invention of nuclear and space weapons has made war unacceptable as an instrument for achieving political ends."^[27] Although an all-out final nuclear holocaust is out of the question for man, "nuclear blackmail" comes into question not only on the issue of world peace but also on the issue of national sovereignty.^[28] On a Sunday in 1962, the world stood still at the brink of nuclear war during the October Cuban missile crisis from the implementation of U.S. vs U.S.S.R. nuclear blackmail policy.

Political corruption[link]

Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act is directly related to their official duties.^{[citation needed]}

Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. While corruption may facilitate criminal enterprise such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and trafficking, it is not restricted to these activities.^{[citation needed]}

The activities that constitute illegal corruption differ depending on the country or jurisdiction. For instance, certain political funding practices that are legal in one place may be illegal in another. In some cases, government officials have broad or poorly defined powers, which make it difficult to distinguish between legal and illegal actions.^{[citation needed]}

Worldwide, bribery alone is estimated to involve over 1 trillion US dollars annually.^[30] A state of unrestrained political corruption is known as a kleptocracy, literally meaning "rule by thieves".^{[citation needed]}

See also[link]

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References[link]

Rhett and Link
Rhett McLaughlin (left) and Link Neal (right)
Medium	Internet, Television, Film
Nationality	American
Years active	2000–present
Genres	Musical comedy Interviews Advertising
Website	www.rhettandlink.com

Rhett and Link are the comedy, filmmaking, musical and advertising duo of Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln "Link" Neal. They star in the television show Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings on the Independent Film Channel.^[1] They are known for their videos, songs and commercials and are one of the most subscribed channels on YouTube.^[2][3][4] As of May 2012, they have over 879,000 subscribers. ^[5] Their videos have been seen over 110 million times and have been featured on Lopez Tonight, Last Call with Carson Daly, Jay Leno, Conan, NPR, CNN and Time Magazine.^[2][6][7][8]

Early years[link]

Rhett and Link are originally from Buies Creek, North Carolina, and have been best friends and collaborators since meeting in first grade.^[9][10] Rhett and Link met on the first day of first grade in Buies Creek Elementary School, in Ms. Locklear's class. They were made to stay inside during recess for writing profanity on their desks, and became best friends after they were forced to be quiet and color pictures of Unicorns.^[11] At age twelve, they wrote a screenplay entitled "Gutless Wonders." In high school, Rhett was on the basketball team, while Link competed in multiple science competitions. Later, they were roommates at North Carolina State University where they studied engineering.^[12][13] They taught themselves filmmaking and are known for low-budget, DIY productions.^[9]

Internet & advertising[link]

Rhett and Link at the Red House.

They are among the top YouTube channels with more than 850,000 subscribers and with more than 110 million video views, earning over six figures a year in advertising revenue.^[2][14] In 2011, Rhett and Link made a commercial for Ojai Valley Taxidermy, owned by Chuck Testa. The commercial was created as part of their TV show, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings. After the episode featuring the commercial aired, Chuck Testa uploaded the commercial to his company's YouTube channel. The ad went viral, topping 10.4 million views (as of January 30th) and spawning the "Nope! Chuck Testa" Internet meme. ^[15] The Chuck Testa ad was included in Time Magazine's top 10 memes of 2011, as part of Time's Top 10 Best of Everything.^[16] In 2010, they were called the "undisputed masters of bad local commercials" by George Lopez.^[17] The success of Rhett and Link's commercials have garnered the attention of major advertising publications such as Advertising Age^[18] and AdWeek.^[19] Their commercials have also been featured on CNN, NPR,^[8][10] The New York Times, Forbes, and TMZ.^[20]

Rhett and Link's music videos, such as the Facebook Song, the American Idol Song, The Epic Rap Battle, the S.E.T.I. Song and T-Shirt War have proven to be among their most popular videos.^[2][21] In December 2010, Rhett & Link’s 2 Guys 600 Pillows video was named to Time's 2010 List of the Top Ten of Everything,^[6] and the same video won two 2011 Webby Awards, including the Best Editing category as well as a Peoples' Voice Award.^[22][23] In February 2010, their Fast Food Folk Song won the Contest of Awesome for the Best Comic Music Video of 2009. The contest awarded them a trip to Los Angeles and a cameo in a Weezer music video.^[24]

Additionally, Rhett and Link have created a series of extremely popular free local commercials for businesses throughout the U.S. For their "I Love Local Commercials" web series, sponsored by Microbilt, they conceived and produced viral commercials like "Red House Furniture" with the controversial jingle "Where Black People and White People Buy Furniture".^[9] Other well-known commercials include ads for Cullman Liquidation Center, which won Best Local Commercial at the 2010 Ad Age Viral Video Awards,^[25] and TDM Auto, featuring Rudy, the Cuban Gynecologist.^[26][27] The success of the web series led to Rhett and Link's television show, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings on IFC.^[28]

Rhett and Link make a living through sponsorship of their web videos.^[10][29] They have created web videos for McDonald's, Coca-cola, Taco Bell, Alka-Seltzer, Food Network, Microbilt, Sanyo, Kotulas, TV Guide,^[30] Baby Ruth, Starburst, Hummer, and Cadillac, as well as integrating smaller brands such as Smule, AJJ Cornhole, and iRESQ.^[31] They have partnered with General Motors, serving as web correspondents for IGotShotgun.com, one of GM's internet marketing strategies.^[32]

In 2008, they spent the summer releasing videos for the Alka-Seltzer Great American Road Trip.^[33] The series won the Gold award in the Consumer Goods category at Advertising Age’s 2008 W3 Awards,^[34] as well as best online campaign at Adweek’s 2008 Buzz Awards.^[35] The series also picked up two Golds (Best Campaign, Best Single) and a Craft award (Music) at the 2009 Bessies.^[36] and received two golds in the interactive category for Viral Marketing and Business to Consumer website at the 2009 Advertising & Design Club of Canada Awards.^[37]

On January 3, 2011, the duo released a morning talk show, "Good Morning Chia Lincoln", on their YouTube channel, "rhettandlink2". This show was released every weekday morning from January 3 to February 28. This series consisted of 40 unique episodes in which Rhett and Link would pick a topic, usually a personal experience or news story, and state their opinions on it. Due to the show's success and popularity, the two decided to release a new morning talk show, "Good Mythical Morning". Good Mythical Morning is also uploaded to YouTube on the rhettandlink2 channel every weekday morning at 6 AM. As of May 28, 2012, a total of 100 episodes have been released.^[38]

Music[link]

Rhett and Link

Rhett and Link are known to perform live musical comedy and have completed two albums. In 2001, Rhett and Link independently released Just Mail Us the Grammy, featuring the popular song "The Unibrow Song".^[39] In 2005, Rhett and Link independently released I’m Sorry, What Was That? (Live in the Living Room), a live album featuring "The Wal-Mart Song". The album is available at the iTunes store. In April 2007, Rhett and Link placed 3rd in the TurboTax TaxRap Contest, a contest judged by Vanilla Ice.^[40] In 2008, Rhett and Link independently released Websongs Vol 1, an online album featuring "Facebook Song", "Cornhole Song" and "Velcro Song".^[39] On February 1, 2009, Rhett and Link independently released "Secret Songs", a collection of songs that were previously only available to winners of their monthly "Community Building Exercises", a part of their "Quest for the Seven Keys" contest.^[41]

On 4 December 2009, Rhett and Link teamed up with DFTBA Records and created a new album called Up To This Point.^[42]

On February 16 2012, Rhett and Link were featured in Epic Rap Battles Of History. They played the Wright brothers, battling the Mario brothers.

On February 21, 2012, Rhett and Link, along with a dancing zebra from their video "Dope Zebra", appeared in LMFAO music video for the song Sorry for Party Rocking.

Film & television[link]

Rhett and Link star in the Independent Film Channel original series, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings. The show chronicles the quest of Rhett and Link as they travel the country making local commercials for small businesses. It premiered Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:00pm ET/PT on IFC, this ten-part docu-comedy is based on their successful web series I Love Local Commercials and features Rhett & Link helping local businesses achieve their goals by creating eye-catching local commercials using local talent.^[28]

Rhett and Link are among the first group of internet personalities to make a transition from the internet into network television.^[43] In 2007 Along with Stevie Ryan and Joy Leslie, Rhett and Link hosted the short-lived series Online Nation, a show that featured the best viral videos from the internet, part of the 2007 fall lineup on the CW Network.^[44] The premiere episode was seen by 1 million people,^[45] but the show was cancelled after only four episodes.^[46] As the hosts, Rhett and Link responded with an internet video.^[46][47]

They appeared as guests on Lopez Tonight^[17] where they were interviewed, made a commercial for George's favorite donut place, and were back-up dancers for the remainder of the show after their interview. They have also appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly^[7] and Leno^[48]

Rhett and Link served as musical correspondents for Brink, hosted by Josh Zepps, on the Science Channel. They wrote and produced three music videos including "My Robot Girlfriend",^[49] "Space Junk",^[50] and "The S.E.T.I. Song".^[51]

Rhett and Link’s first short film, "One Man’s Trash"^[52] won best North Carolina Comedy at the 2007 All-American Film Festival. It was also an official selection at the Carrboro Film Festival, the Carolina Film and Video Festival, the Lake County Film Festival, and the Southern Fried Flicks Film Festival.^{[citation needed]}

Rhett and Link also currently produce music video segments for Phil Vischer's "What's in the Bible."

In 2006, Rhett and Link began work on a documentary about their search for their first grade teacher, Ms. Locklear, entitled Looking for Ms. Locklear. The film released in 2008 and won the Southern Lens Award from South Carolina Public TV, which led to the film screening on PBS in South Carolina.^[53] The film also won audience choice awards at the ACE Film Festival and the Secret City Film Festival, and won 2nd place documentary at the Secret City Film Festival. The documentary was an official selection at the Real to Reel Film Festival, the Landlocked Film Festival, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, BendFilm Festival, Asheville Film Festival, and the Cucalorus Film Festival.^[54][55] On September 9, 2009 the duo released the movie on DVD, distributing it over the internet.^{[citation needed]}

In 2012, Rhett and Link appeared on Season 7 of America's Got Talent with the "Dope Zebra" in the Los Angeles auditions, but they quickly received three "X"s from the judges and did not make it past the first audition round. They were featured in a montage for about 2 seconds. All of the zebra was on screen, and half of Link's body was on screen. Rhett and Link explained in their morning talk show "Good Mythical Morning" that they did not expect to make it past the first round, nor did they want to.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Rhett McLaughlin at the Internet Movie Database
• Link Neal at the Internet Movie Database

To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, the introduction of this article may need to be rewritten. Please discuss this issue on the talk page and read the layout guide to make sure the section will be inclusive of all essential details. (May 2011)

MC Hammer
Hammer at TechCrunch in July 2008.
Background information
Birth name	Stanley Kirk Burrell
Also known as	(M.C. Hammer, Hammer, Hammertime, King Hammer)
Born	(1962-03-30) March 30, 1962 (age 50) Oakland, California, United States
Origin	De Soto, Missouri, United States
Genres	Hip hop, dance, pop rap, house, gospel
Occupations	Rapper, entrepreneur, actor
Years active	1985–Present
Labels	Capitol Records, Giant Records, Full Blast Music
Associated acts	Johnny J, 2 Pac, Vanilla Ice, Paperboy, Young Boss, D'Angelo
Website	mchammer.blogspot.com mchammer.com

Stanley Kirk Burrell (born March 30, 1962), better known by his stage name MC Hammer (or simply Hammer), is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s. Remembered for a rapid rise to fame before filing bankruptcy, Hammer is also known for his hit records (such as "U Can't Touch This"), flamboyant dance movements and trademark Hammer pants. Hammer's superstar-status made him a household name and pop icon.^[1] He has sold more than 50 million records worldwide.^[2]

Burrell also became a preacher during the late 1990s, was a television show host and dance judge, is a record label CEO, and as of 2008 works as a co-creator of a dance website called DanceJam, while still performing concerts at music venues and assisting with other social media, ministry and outreach functions. In addition, he was executive producer of his own reality show called Hammertime which aired on the A&E Network during the summer of 2009.^[3][4] Prior to becoming ordained, Hammer signed with Suge Knight's Death Row Records by 1995.

M.C. Hammer is considered a "forefather" and innovator^[5] of pop rap, and is the first hip hop artist to achieve diamond status for an album.^[6][7][8][9] Hammer was later considered a sell-out rapper due in part to over-exposure and as a result of his increasingly gritty image as the landscape of rap changed.^[10][11] Nonetheless, BET ranked Hammer as the #7 "Best Dancer Of All Time".^[12] Vibe's "The Best Rapper Ever Tournament" declared him the 17th favorite of all-time during the first round.^[13]

Throughout his career, Hammer has managed his own recording business. As a result, he has created and produced his own acts including Oaktown's 3.5.7, Common Unity, Special Generation, Analise, One Cause One Effect, Teabag, Dom Kimberley, Geeman, Pleasure Ellis, B Angie B, Stooge Playaz, Ho Frat Ho^[14] and Wee Wee, among others. A part of additional record labels, he has associated/collaborated/recorded with VMF, Tupac Shakur, Teddy Riley, Felton Pilate, Tha Dogg Pound, Deion Sanders, Big Daddy Kane and Jon Gibson, as well as others. In 1992, Doug E. Fresh was signed to M.C. Hammer's Bust It Records label.

Early life[link]

Stanley Kirk Burrell was born in Oakland, California as the adopted son of a nightclub manager and a police department assistant. He grew up poor with his mother, a secretary, and eight siblings in a small apartment in East Oakland. The future rapper recalled that six children were crammed into a three-bedroom housing project apartment. Early in life his siblings thought he was androgynous. The young Burrell sold stray baseballs and danced with a beatbox at the Oakland Coliseum parking lot to earn money for games sometimes. Oakland A's team owner Charles O. Finley saw the 11-year-old doing splits and hired him as a clubhouse assistant and batboy as a result of his energy and flair.^[5][15]

Burrell served as a "batboy" with the team from 1973 to 1980. In 2010, Hammer discussed his life-long involvement with sports athletes on ESPN's First Take as well as explained that his brother Louis Burrell (who would later become Hammer's business manager)^[16][17] was actually the batboy while his job was to take calls and do "play-by-plays" for the A's absentee owner during every summer game.^[18] The colorful Finley, who lived in Chicago,^[5] used the child as his "eyes and ears."^[19] Reggie Jackson, in describing Burrell's role for Finley, took credit for his nickname:

Hell, our chief executive, the guy that ran our team, uh, that communicated [with] Charlie Finley, the top man there, was a 13-year old kid. I nicknamed him "Hammer," because he looked like Hank Aaron.^[19]

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Pedro Garcia may also have given Burrell the nickname "Little Hammer" due to his resemblance to Aaron.^[5] Ron Bergman, at the time an Oakland Tribune writer who covered the A's, recalled that:

He was an informant in the clubhouse, an informant for Charlie, and he got the nickname "Pipeline."^[19]

According to Hammer:

Charlie said, "I'm getting you a new hat. I don't want you to have a hat that says "A's" on it. I'm getting you a hat that says 'Ex VP,' that says 'Executive Vice President.' You're running the joint around here." ... Every time I come down to the clubhouse, you know, Rollie would yell out "Oh, everybody be quiet! Here comes Pipeline!"^[19]

He acquired the nickname "M.C." for being a "Master of Ceremonies" which he used when he began performing at various clubs while on the road with the A's, and eventually in the military.^[5]

Hammer, who played second base in high school, dreamed of being a professional baseball player but did not make the final cut at a San Francisco Giants tryout.^[5] However, he has now become a regular participant/player in the annual Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game wearing an A's cap to represent Oakland (American League).^[20][21][22]

Burrell went on to graduate from high school in Oakland and took undergraduate classes in communications. Discouraged by his studies at a local college and failing to win a place in a professional baseball organization, Hammer considered the drug trade.^[5] Instead he joined the Navy^[5] for three years, serving with Patron (Patrol Squadron) Forty Seven (VP-47) of Moffett Field in Mountain View, California as a Petty Officer Third Class Aviation Store Keeper (AK3) until his honorable discharge.^[23]

Music career[link]

Before his mainstream career and "rags-to-riches-to-rags-and-back saga",^[24] Burrell formed Christian rap music group Holy Ghost Boys, producing songs called "Word", "B-Boy Chill"^[25] and later releasing "This Wall"^[26] (it was within the lyrics of this song that Burrell first identified himself as M.C. Hammer)^[27][28] with CCM's Jon Gibson (or "J.G.").^[29] This rap hit appeared on Gibson's album Change of Heart,^[30] and "Son of the King" showed up on Hammer's debut album Feel My Power (1987), as well as the updated version Let's Get It Started (1988).^[31][32][33]

With exception to later remixes of early releases, Hammer produced and recorded many rap songs that were never made public, yet are now available on the Internet.^[34] Via his record labels such as Bust It Records, Oaktown Records and FullBlast, Hammer has introduced, signed and produced new talent including Oaktown's 3.5.7, Ho Frat Ho,^[35] the vocal quintet Special Generation, Analise,^[36] James Greer,^[37] One Cause One Effect,^[5] B Angie B, The Stooge Playaz,^[38][39] DASIT (as seen on ego trip's The (White) Rapper Show),^[40] Teabag, Common Unity, Geeman^[41] and Pleasure Ellis;^[42] both collaborating with him and producing raps of their own during his career.^[43][44]

At about the age of 12, Oakland native Keyshia Cole recorded with Hammer and sought career advice from him.^{[45][46][47][48]}

[edit] Feel My Power (1987)

In the mid-80s while rapping in small venues and after a record deal went sour, Hammer borrowed US$20,000 each from former Oakland A's players Mike Davis and Dwayne Murphy to start a record label business called Bust It Productions.^[5] He kept the company going by selling records from his basement and car. Bust It spawned Bustin' Records, the independent label of which Hammer was CEO. Together, the companies had more than 100 employees.^[5] Recording singles and selling them out of the trunk of his car, he marketed himself relentlessly. Coupled with his dance abilities, Hammer's style was unique at the time.

Now billing himself as "M.C. Hammer", he recorded his debut album, Feel My Power, which was produced between 1986–1987 and released independently in 1987 on his Oaktown Records label (Bustin').^[49] It was produced by Felton Pilate (of Con Funk Shun), and sold over 60,000 copies and was being distributed by City Hall Records. 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, LL Cool J, or DJ Run" — after which the track began to gain popularity in clubs. (He would continue to call out other East Coast rappers in future projects as well.)

Hammer also released a single called "Ring 'Em", and largely on the strength of tireless street marketing by Hammer and his wife, it achieved considerable popularity at dance clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Heartened by his rising prospects, Hammer launched into seven-day-a-week rehearsals with the growing troupe of dancers, musicians, and backup vocalists he had hired. It was Hammer's stage show, and his infectious stage presence, that led to his big break in 1988 while performing in an Oakland club. There he impressed a record executive who "didn't know who he was, but knew he was somebody", as was quoted as saying in the New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll.

M.C.Hammer had received several offers from major record labels before (which he initially declined due to his personal success), but after the successful release of this independent album and elaborate live dance show amazed the Capitol Records executive, Hammer agreed to sign a record deal soon after. Hammer took home a US$1,750,000 advance and a multi-album contract, which did not take long for Capitol to recoup its investment.^[15]

[edit] Let's Get It Started (1988)

Once signed to Capitol Records, Hammer re-issued his first record (a revised version of Feel My Power) with additional tracks added and sold over 2 million copies. "Pump It Up", "Turn This Mutha Out", "Let's Get It Started" and "They Put Me in the Mix" were the most popular singles from this album which all charted. But not quite satisfied with this first multi-platinum success, Hammer's music underwent a metamorphosis, shifting from the standard rap format in his upcoming album. "I decided the next album would be more musical," he says. Purists chastised him for being more dancer than rapper. Sitting in a leopard-print bodysuit before a concert, he defended his style: "People were ready for something different from the traditional rap style. The fact that the record has reached this level indicates the genre is growing."^[5]

M.C. Hammer was very good friends with Arsenio Hall, as well as a then-unknown teen named Robert Van Winkle (aka Vanilla Ice) - despite later rumors that there was a "beef" between the two rappers which was addressed during the height of their careers on Hall's show^[50] - who he would later reunite with in a 2009 concert in Salt Lake City, Utah.^[51] Therefore, Hammer was first invited to perform the song "U Can't Touch This", prior to its release, on The Arsenio Hall Show in 1989.^[52] He also performed "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em", a song that didn't make it on his upcoming album, but did appear in the same-titled movie.

Hammer used some of the proceeds from this album to install a rolling recording studio in the back of his tour bus, where he recorded much of his sophomore effort.^[15]

Mainstream Success (1990-1991)[link]

Notorious for dissing rappers in his previous recordings, Hammer appropriately titled his third album (and second major-label release) Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em,^[53] which was released February 12, 1990 (with an original release date of January 1, 1990).^[54] It included the successful single "U Can't Touch This" (which sampled Rick James' "Super Freak"). It was produced, recorded, and mixed by Felton Pilate and James Earley on a modified tour bus (while on tour) in 1989.^[55] Despite heavy airplay and a #27 chart debut, "U Can't Touch This" stopped at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart because it was released only as a twelve-inch single.^{[clarification needed]} However, the album was a #1 success for 21 weeks, due primarily to this single, the first time ever for a rap recording on the pop charts. The song has been and continues to be used in many filmmaking and television shows to date, and appears on soundtrack/compilation albums as well.^[56]

Follow-up successes included "Have You Seen Her" (a cover of the Chi-Lites) and "Pray" (a beat sampled from Prince's "When Doves Cry" and Faith No More's "We Care a Lot"),^[57] hich was his biggest hit in the US, peaking at #2. "Pray" was also a major UK success, peaking at #8. The album went on to become the first hip-hop album to earn diamond status, selling more than 18 million units to date.^[6][7][8][9] 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 during 1991.

The album was notable for sampling other high-profile artists and gave some of these artists a new fanbase. "Dancin' Machine" sampled The Jackson 5, "Help the Children" (also the name of an outreach foundation Hammer started)^[58] interpolates Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "She's Soft and Wet" also sampled Prince's "Soft and Wet". All of these songs proved to be successful on radio and video television, with "U Can't Touch This," "Pray" (most successful), "Have You Seen Her," "Here Comes the Hammer," and "Yo!! Sweetness" (UK only) all charting. The album increased the popularity of hip-hop music. It remains the genre's all-time best-selling album.^[59]

At the same time, he also appeared in The West Coast Rap All-Stars posse cut "We're All in the Same Gang." Music videos from this album and the previous albums began to receive much airplay on MTV and VH1. A movie also accompanied the album and was produced at this same time called "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie" along with music videos included within the movie.^[60]

A critical backlash began over the repetitive nature of his lyrics, his clean-cut image, and his perceived over-reliance on sampling others' entire hooks for the basis of his singles—criticisms also directed to his contemporary, Vanilla Ice. He was mocked in music videos by 3rd Bass, The D.O.C., DJ Debranz, and Ice Cube. Oakland hip-hop group Digital Underground mocked him in the CD insert of its Sex Packets album when placing his picture in with the other members and referring to him as an unknown derelict. In fact, LL Cool J mocked him in "To tha Break of Dawn," a track on his Mama Said Knock You Out album, calling Hammer an "amateur, swinging a Hammer from a bodybag [his pants]," and saying, "My old gym teacher ain't supposed to rap." (LL Cool J would later compliment and commend Hammer's abilities/talents on VH-1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop, which aired in 2008). However, Ice-T came to his defense on his 1991 album O.G. Original Gangster: "A special shout out to my man M.C. Hammer: a lot of people dis you, man, but they just jealous." Ice-T later explained that he had nothing against people who were pop-rap from the start, as Hammer had been, but only against emcees who switch from being hardcore or dirty to being pop-rap so that they can sell more records.

Despite the criticisms, Hammer's career continued to be highly successful including tours in Asia, Europe, Australia, and Russia. Soon after, M.C. Hammer Mattel dolls, lunchboxes, and other merchandise were marketed. He was also given his own Saturday morning cartoon, called Hammerman, which he hosted and voiced.^[61]

After publicly dropping the "M.C." from his stage name, Hammer released Too Legit to Quit (also produced by Felton Pilate) in 1991. Hammer answered his critics within certain songs from the album. Sales were strong (over five million copies),^[62] with the title track being the biggest hit single from this record. The album peaked in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200. Another hit came soon after, with "Addams Groove" (which appeared on both The Addams Family motion picture soundtrack and the vinyl and cassette versions of 2 Legit 2 Quit), reaching #7 in the U.S. and #4 in the UK. His video for the song appeared after the movie.

Hammer set out on a tour for this album, but the stage show had become as lavish as his lifestyle; loaded with singers, dancers, and backup musicians, the supporting concert tour was too expensive for the album's sales to finance, and it was canceled partway through.^[63] In 1992, Boyz II Men joined Hammer's high-profile 2 Legit 2 Quit tour as an opening act. While traveling the country, their tour manager Khalil Roundtree was murdered in Chicago, and the group's future performances of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" were dedicated to him. As a result of this unfortunate experience, the song would help advance their success.^[64]

Music videos were produced for all four singles released from this album (including "Do Not Pass Me By" and "This Is The Way We Roll"), all which charted. The "2 Legit 2 Quit" video featured many celebrity appearances. It's been ranked as one of the most expensive videos ever made.^[65] The hand motions used within the song and video also became very popular.^[66] The song proved to be successful in the U.S., peaking at the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, at #5. Despite the album's multi-platinum certification, the sales were one-third of Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em.

At the end of the "Too Legit to Quit" video, after James Brown enlists Hammer to get the famous glove of Michael Jackson, a silver-white sequined glove is shown on the hand of a Michael Jackson look-alike doing the "2 Legit 2 Quit" hand gesture.^[66] In a related story, M.C. Hammer appeared on The Wendy Williams Show (July 27, 2009) and talked about his hit reality show Hammertime on A&E, his marriage, his role as a dad and the reasons he eventually went bankrupt. He told an amusing story about a phone call he received from "M.J.", regarding the portion of the "2 Legit 2 Quit" video that included a fake Michael Jackson, giving his approval and inclusion of it. He explained how Michael had seen the video and liked it, and both expressed they were a fan of each others.^[67] Hammer and Jackson would later appear, speak and/or perform at the funeral service for James Brown in 2006.^[68]

Prior to Hammer's next album (The Funky Headhunter), rumors from critics and fans began claiming Hammer had quit the music/entertainment business and had suffered a financial downfall (since a couple of years pass in between the two records), which Hammer denied at the time.^[62]

New venture (Oaktown/Giant) (1992-1993)[link]

Hammer claimed rumors falsely heralded his downfall, probably as a result of the fact he turned over his "trimmed-down" Bust It Records to his brother and manager Louis Burrell, and his horse-racing interests to his brother Chris and his father, Louis Burrell Sr.^[62] In the meantime, Hammer, a big sports fan, launched a new enterprise, Roll Wit It Entertainment & Sports Management (which released DRS' two-million-selling "Gangsta Lean") and had clients such as Evander Holyfield, Deion Sanders and Reggie Brooks.^[16] During the hiatus between albums, Hammer consequently signed a multimillion-dollar deal with a new record company. He said there were a lot of bidders, but "not too many of them could afford Hammer".^[62]

Therefore, Hammer parted ways with Pilate, and switched record labels to Giant Records, taking his Oaktown label with him. Hammer was later sued by Felton Pilate (who had worked with the successful vocal group Con Funk Shun) and by several of his former backers, and faced charges that performance troupe members endured an abusive, militaristic atmosphere.^[15] By this time, he also parted ways with his only female executive, Linda Lou McCall, a songwriter and music industry consultant specializing in entertainment marketing, street promotion, and creative development (having worked with Con Funk Shun and The Delfonics previously and artists such as Notorious B.I.G and Eminem afterwards) who signed Keith Martin as a backup musician and vocalist for Hammer.^[69]

With a new home, a new daughter, a new record, and a new business, Hammer claimed he was happy and far from being broke during a tour of his mansion for Ebony. "Today there is a more aggressive Hammer, because the '90s require you to be more aggressive", he said of his music. "There is a harder edge, but I'm no gangsta. Hammer in the '90s is on the offense, on the move, on the attack. And it's all good".^[70]

[edit] The Funky Headhunter and Death Row Records (1994-1996)

In 1993, Hammer began recording his fifth official album. To adapt to the changing landscape of hip-hop, this album was a more aggressive sounding album entitled The Funky Headhunter. He co-produced this record with funky rapper and producer, Stefan Adamek. While Hammer's appearance changed to keep up with the gangsta rap audience, his lyrics still remained honest and somewhat clean with minor cursing. Yet, as with previous records, Hammer would continue to call out and disrespect other rappers on this album. As with some earlier songs such as "Crime Story" (from the album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em),^[71] the content and reality about "street life" remained somewhat the same, but the sound was different, resulting in Hammer losing favor with fans.^[72][73] Nonetheless, this harder-edged, more aggressive record went gold, but failed to win him a new audience among hardcore hip-hop fans.^[63]

In another appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show during the mid-1990s, Hammer debuted the video for "Pumps and a Bump". Talk show host Arsenio Hall said to M.C. Hammer, "Women in the audience want to know, what's in your speedos in the 'Pumps and a Bump' video?" A clip from the video was then shown, to much approval from the audience. Hammer didn't give a direct answer, but instead laughed. Arsenio then said, "I guess that's why they call you 'Hammer.' It ain't got nothin' to do with Hank Aaron."^[74]

The accompanying video to the album's first single, "Pumps and a Bump", was banned from heavy rotation on MTV with censors claiming that the depiction of Hammer in Speedos (and with what appeared to be an erection) was too graphic.^[75][76] This led to an alternative video being filmed (with Hammer fully clothed) that was directed by Bay Area native Craig S. Brooks, who also helmed the video of rap group DRS' only hit single "Gangsta Lean".

"It's All Good" was the second single released, which would become a pop culture phrase as a result of its success.^[77] It was also the most successful song by this title. Within this album, Hammer disses rappers such as A Tribe Called Quest (Q-Tip), Redman and Run DMC for previous attacks they made against him on wax. This quite possibly led to a decrease in his popularity after this comeback record responded to his critics.

On December 26, 1994, Deion Sanders released Prime Time, a rap album on Bust It Records (Hammer's label) that featured the minor hit "Must Be The Money". "Prime Time Keeps on Tickin'" was also released as a single. Sanders, a friend of Hammer's, had previously appeared in his "Too Legit to Quit" music video, and his alter-ego "Prime Time" is also used in Hammer's "Pumps and a Bump" video.

The song "Help Lord (Won't You Come)" appeared in Kingdom Come.^[78] This album peaked at number two on the R&B charts and remained in the Top 30 midway through the year.^[74] To date, it has managed to become certified platinum.

In 1995, Hammer released the album V Inside Out (or inside out V), which critics claimed was unfocused, as it was unclear what genre it was.^{[citation needed]} However, some critics praised the fact it was perhaps intentionally eclectic (combining elements of dance, pop, rap, hip hop, alternative rock and gospel).^[79] Nonetheless, the album sold poorly compared to previous records (peaking at 119 on the Billboard Charts) and Giant Records dropped him and Oaktown Records from their roster. Songs "Going Up Yonder" and "Sultry Funk" managed to get moderate radio play (even charting on national radio station countdowns).

Some claimed this album had not sold as well as its predecessors because it was victim of the "crab mentality".^[80] Hammer would go on to explain in this album that he felt many of his so-called friends he staffed used and betrayed him which contributed to a majority of his financial loss (best explained in the song "Keep On" and the bio from this album).^[81] He would also hint about this again in interviews, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2009.^[82]

In 1995, Hammer released "Straight to My Feet" (with Deion Sanders) from the Street Fighter soundtrack (released in December 1994). The song charted #57 in the UK.

Hammer's relationship with Suge Knight dates back to 1988. Hammer signed with Death Row Records, then home to Snoop Dogg and his close friend, Tupac Shakur.^[11] The label did not release the album of Hammer's music (Too Tight) while he had a career with them (although he did release versions of some tracks on his next album).^[83][84] However, Burrell did record tracks with Shakur and others, most notably the song "Too Late Playa" (along with Big Daddy Kane and Danny Boy).^[85][86] After the death of Shakur in 1996, Burrell left the record company.^[87] He later explained his concern about this circumstance in an interview on Trinity Broadcasting Network since he was in Las Vegas with Tupac the night of his death.^[88]

Return to EMI (1996–2000)[link]

In 1996, Burrell and Oaktown signed with EMI, which saw the release of a compilation of Hammer's chart topping songs prior to The Funky Headhunter album. The album, Greatest Hits, featured 12 former hits and was released in October.^[89] Since then, several compilation album versions of his "greatest hits" have been produced.

Hammer's empire began to collapse when his last few albums failed to match the sales of its predecessors. Since he unsuccessfully attempted to recast himself in the streetwise "gangsta rap" mold of the day, Hammer turned to a gospel-friendly audience.^[15]

In 1998, M.C. 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 (Geeman, Teabag, and Common Unity) as they made their recording debut. Technically his seventh album since his debut EP, this record was highly promoted on Trinity Broadcasting Network (performing a more gospel version of "Keep On" from his album V Inside Out), but featured no charting singles and selling between about 100,000-500,000 copies worldwide.^[90][91] Nonetheless, it did include a song originally by 2Pac that was given to Hammer which he did as a remake on this album called "Unconditional Love".^[43] Hammer would later dance and read the lyrics to this song on the first VH1 Hip Hop Honors in 2004.^[92][93]

After this album, new projects were rumored to be in the works, including an album (War Chest: Turn of the Century) and a soundtrack to the film Return to Glory: The Powerful Stirring of the Black Man, but neither appeared.^[94][95]

[edit] Active Duty (2001)

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, M.C. Hammer released his 8th studio album, Active Duty, on his own World Hit Music Group label (the musical enterprise under his Hammertime Holdings Inc. umbrella) to pay homage to the ones lost in the terrorist attacks.^[37] The album followed that theme, and featured two singles (with accompanying videos), "No Stoppin' Us (USA)" and "Pop Yo Collar" (featuring Wee Wee) which demonstrates "The Phat Daddy Pop", "In Pop Nito", "River Pop", "Deliver The Pop" and "Pop'n It Up" dance moves.[3]^[96] The album, like its predecessor, failed to chart and would not sell as many copies as previous projects. Hammer did however promote it on such shows as The View and produced a video for both singles.^[97]

This patriotic album, originally planned to be titled The Autobiography Of M.C. Hammer, donated portions of the proceeds to 9/11 charities.^[36][37][98] Hammer shot a video for the anthem "No Stoppin' Us (USA)" in Washington, D.C., with several members of the United States Congress, who sang in the song and danced in the video. Present members of the United States House of Representatives included J. C. Watts, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Thomas M. Davis, Earl Hilliard, Alcee Hastings, Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.), Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) and Jesse Jackson, Jr.

[edit] Full Blast (2004)

After leaving Capitol Records and EMI for the second time in his career, M.C. Hammer decided to move his Oaktown imprint to an independent distributor and released his ninth studio album, Full Blast (which was completed in late 2003 and released as a complete album in early 2004). The album would feature no charting singles and was not certified by the RIAA. A video was produced for "Full Blast", a song that attacks Eminem and Busta Rhymes for previous disrespect towards him.

Some of the original songs didn't end up making the final album release. Guest artists included The Stooge Playaz, Pleasure, Rain, JD, Greer & DasIt.^[99]

[edit] Look Look Look (2006)

After going independent, he decided to create a digital label to release his tenth studio album, Look Look Look. The album was released in February 2006 and featured production from Scott Storch. The album featured the title-track single (Look Look Look) and a music video. It would sell much better than his previous release (400,000 copies worldwide). "YAY" was produced by Lil Jon. "What Happened to Our Hood?" (featuring Sam Logan) was originally from Active Duty.

"I Got It From The Town" was used in the movie but not present on The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (soundtrack).

Between 2006 and 2007, Hammer released a military-inspired rap song with a political message to President George W. Bush about sending American troops back home from war, called "Bring Our Brothers Home".^[100] The video was filmed at the Santa Monica Pier.^[101][102]

[edit] DanceJamtheMusic (2009)

Since his 2006 album, Hammer continued to produce music and released several other raps that appeared on his social websites (such as Myspace) or in commercials,^[103] with another album announced to be launched in late 2008 (via his own record label Fullblast Playhouse). Talks of the tour and a new album were expected in 2009.^{[39][104][105]}

"Getting Back to Hetton" was made public in 2008 as a digital single. It was a new departure for Hammer, bringing in funky deep soul and mixing it with a more house style. Released through licence on Whippet Digital Recordings, media reviews were said to be "disappointing". However, the song "I Got Gigs" from this eleventh album was used in a 2009 ESPN commercial and performed during Hammertime.^[106]

Other tracks and videos from the album included: "I Go" (produced by Lil Jon), "Keep It In Vegas", "Lookin' Out The Window", "Dem Jeans" (by DASIT), "Stooge Karma Sutra" (by The Stooge Playaz) and "Tried to Luv U" (by DASIT featuring Pleasure Ellis).^[107][108]

MC Hammer performing with Vanilla Ice in July 2009.

In March 2009, M.C. Hammer and Vanilla Ice had a one-off concert in the McKay Events Center, Orem, Utah.^[51] This concert aided in the promotion of Hammer's new music and television show. During the concert, as shown on Hammer's show Hammertime, it was mentioned between the two rappers that this was their first headline show together in nearly 20 years when they were touring together at the peak of their hip-hop careers. Hammer said: "Contrary to popular belief, Ice and I are not only cool with each other, we are like long lost friends. I've known him since he was 16, before he had a record contract and before I had a record contract. It is a great reunion." Vanilla Ice, real name Robert Van Winkle, said: "It's like no time has passed at all. We set the world on fire back in the day - it gives me goosebumps to think about. The concert wouldn't have been so packed if it wasn't us together. I'm so happy right now, the magic is here."^[109][110]

Current releases (2010-present)[link]

"Better Run Run" (2010)

M.C. Hammer promised to release a track responding to a rap by Jay-Z which attacked him, expected on October 31, 2010. On the "So Appalled" track, which features Swizz Beatz and RZA, Jay-Z spits a line which targets Hammer for his fall from grace in the 1990s, which left him in a financial disaster. On it Jay says: 'Hammer went broke so you know I'm more focused / I lost 30 mil' so I spent another 30 / 'Cause unlike Hammer 30 million can't hurt me'. Hammer addressed his displeasure about the diss on Twitter, claiming he will react to Jay-Z on Halloween.^{[111][112][113]}

Hammer recently released a sample of his "beef" with Jay-Z (aka 'Hell Boy') in a brief teaser trailer called "Better Run Run" by 'King Hammer'. At one point, it was uncertain if his reaction would be a film video, a music video or a combination of both.^[114] Regardless, he claimed he would show evidence that 'Jigga worships the devil'.^[115][116] It's possible that Jay-Z was offended by an analogy Hammer was conveying in an earlier interview in response to "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" on AllHipHop.^[117]

On November 1, Hammer's new video ("Better Run Run!") hit the web in retaliation to Jay-Z's September diss towards him.^[118][119] M.C. accuses Jigga of being in league (and in the studio) with Satan — and then Hammer defeats the devil and forces Jay to be baptized. Speaking on the video, Jacob O'Gara of Ethos Magazine wrote: "What’s more likely is that this feud is the last chapter in the tragic cautionary tale of M.C. Hammer, a tale that serves as a warning to all present and future kings of hip-hop. Keep your balance on the pedestal and wear the crown strong or you’ll have the Devil to pay."^[120]

In an interview with BBC's DJ Semtex, Jay said he didn't mean the verses as a personal attack. "I didn't know that [Hammer's financial status] wasn't on the table for discussion!" he said. "I didn't know I was the first person ever to say that..." He continued, "When I say things, I think people believe me so much that they take it a different way — it's, like, not rap anymore at that point. I say some great things about him in the book I have coming out [Decoded] — that's wasn't a cheap plug," he laughed. "He's gonna be embarrassed, I said some really great things about him and people's perception of him. But it is what it is, he took it that wrong way, and I didn't know I said anything wrong!"^[121]

Additional business ventures[link]

In 1991, M.C. Hammer established Oaktown Stable that would eventually have nineteen Thoroughbred racehorses. That year, his outstanding filly Lite Light won several Grade I stakes races including the prestigious Kentucky Oaks. His D. Wayne Lukas-trained colt Dance Floor won the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and the Breeders' Futurity Stakes in 1991, then the following year won the Fountain of Youth Stakes and finished 3rd in the 1992 Kentucky Derby. He continues to attend shows as well as many sporting events along side celebrities.

Hammer had several costly videos, two in particular were Too Legit to Quit or 2 Legit 2 Quit (which many celebrities appeared in) and "Here Comes the Hammer".^[65][122]

In the late 1990s into the early 2000s, along with a new clothing line called "J Slick", Hammer began creating and working on M.C. Hammer USA, an interactive online portal.^[123]

In 2002, Hammer signed a book contract with publishing company Simon & Schuster which called for a release the following year. However, a manuscript for an inspirational book called Enemies of the Father: Messages from the Heart on Being a Family Man (addressing the situation of African American men), for which Hammer received advance money to write, was never submitted in 2003. This resulted in Hammer being sued by the book company over claims that he never finished the book as promised. The company's March 2009 lawsuit sought return of the US$61,000 advance given to Hammer for the unwritten book about fatherhood.^{[15][124][125]}

As a result of his previous success, Hammer has now become somewhat of a popular web mogul and activist, currently involved in several Internet projects (such as the TechCrunch40 conferences and DanceJam).^{[126][127][128]} In early 2008, Hammer launched his newest project as co-founder and chief strategy officer of Menlo Park-based (Silicon Valley) DanceJam.com. This exclusive community site is only dedicated to dancing video competitions, techniques and styles which Hammer, and others, judge or rate.^[129][130]

In July 2010, Hammer started a mixed martial arts management company to manage, market, promote, and brand-build for fighters such as Nate Marquardt, Tim F. Kennedy, and Vladimir Matyushenko, among others. According to MMAWeekly.com and Bizjournals, his new company is Alchemist Management in Los Angeles. It now manages 10 fighters.^[131] That same month, Hammer also announced his latest venture called Alchemist Clothing. The brand described as a colorful new lifestyle clothing line debuted during an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight in Austin. Middleweight fighter Nate "The Great" Marquardt wore an Alchemist shirt as he walked out to the ring. Hammer has shown an interest in boxing throughout his career.^[132]