At the time of his first album, Hammer opened his own music management firm. As a result of the success of his third album, Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt 'Em, Hammer had amassed approximately US$33 million. US$12 million of this total was used to have his Xanadu-like home built in Fremont, California, 30 miles (50 km) south of where he grew up. Jet estimated that Hammer employed 200 people, with an annual payroll of US$6.8 million. He currently resides in a large ranch-style abode situated on a two-acre corner lot in Tracy, California with his wife Stephanie of 25 years (whom he met at a church revival meeting and married December 21, 1985) and their five children: three boys (Bobby, Jeremiah, Sammy) and two girls (Sarah, A'keiba), along with his nephew (Jamaris) and cousin (Marv).
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".
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.
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.
Hammer frequently posts about his life and activities on his blog "Look Look Look," as well as other social websites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter (being one of the earliest celebs to contribute and join).
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). 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.
In March 2009, Ellen DeGeneres made plans for Hammer to be on her show (The Ellen DeGeneres Show) via communication with Twitter. As a result of his popularity with the site, he has been considered a "Tweeter star".
On September 28, 2010, M.C. Hammer headlined at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference for an official after-hours party.
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. 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.
Award recipient, appearances and recognitions
M.C. Hammer has sold more than 50 million records worldwide, demonstrating hip-hop's potential for mass market success. He has won three Grammy Awards (one with Rick James and Alonzo Miller) for Best Rhythm and Blues Song (1990), Best Rap Solo (1990) and Best Music Video: Long Form (1990) taken from Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie. He also received eight American Music Awards, a People's Choice Award, an NAACP Image Awards and the Billboard Diamond Award (the first for a hip hop artist).
The International Album of the Year validated Hammer's talent as a world-class entertainer. Additionally, Hammer was also honored with a Soul Train Music Award (Sammy Davis, Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year) in 1991.
Hammer appeared on gospel music's Stellar Awards show in 1997 and spoke of his renewed commitment to God. In the same interview, Hammer promised to unveil the "second leg" of his career.
In the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Hammer made a surprise appearance in the middle of the show with best friend Jermaine Jackson.
On June 12, 2008, Hammer gave his support to Warren Beatty by attending the 36th AFI Life Achievement Awards.
In August 2008, at the World Hip Hop Dance Championships, Hammer won a Living Legends of Hip Hop Award from Hip Hop International in Las Vegas.
Hammer, Rick Sanchez and Shaquille O'Neal celebrated the Best of Twitter in Brooklyn at the Shorty Awards on February 11, 2009, which honored the top short-form content creators on Twitter.
Hammer attended the 2009 Soul Train Music Awards which aired on BET November 29, 2009. He has also been a presenter/performer at Soul Train's Music Awards several times, including The 5th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (1991), The 9th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (1995) and Soul Train's 25th Anniversary (1995).
On October 2 (aired October 12), Hammer opened the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards performing "2 Legit 2 Quit" in Atlanta along with Rick Ross, Diddy and DJ Khaled (performing "MC Hammer" from the Teflon Don album).
In September 2009, Hammer made the "accomplishment appearance" in Zombie Apocalypse for the downloadable Smash TV/Left 4 Dead hybrid for the Xbox 360.
With nearly 2 million Twitter followers, his contribution to social media and as a co-founder of his own Internet businesses (such as DanceJam), Hammer has been announced as the recipient of the first Gravity Summit Social Media Marketer of the Year Award. The award will be presented to him at the 3rd Annual Gravity Summit on February 22, 2011 at the UCLA Covel Commons.
Source: Wiki
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