MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This (Official Music Video)

Thanks, Joe.

Thank you my friend TSgt Joe C. for posting the official music video MC Hammer performing "U Can't Touch This"

Song background "The music is based on "Super Freak" by Rick James. That song was a hit in 1981, so many younger listeners did not know the beat was sampled. In a strange irony, Hammer got a huge boost from MTV, who put the video in heavy rotation. In 1981, however, they refused to play "Super Freak," as they didn't play videos by black artists with any regularity. Maybe if Rick James wore parachute pants and pulled off the "Chinese Typewriter" dance move, he would have gotten some respect from the network.
Hammer was a bat boy for the Oakland A's baseball team, and got the name "Hammer" because he looked like baseball legend Hank Aaron, who was known as "Hammerin' Hank." Some members of The A's helped finance Hammer's rap career, and he emerged from the West Coast rap scene in the late '80s, representing Oakland.
His first album, Feel My Power, was released on his independent label in 1987 and got the attention of Capitol Records, which gave him a $750,000 advance to sign. His first Capitol album, Let's Get It Started, was released in 1988 and produced a minor hit with "Turn This Mutha Out."
"U Can't Touch This" was released in January 1990 a month ahead of his third album, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. The song took him in a new direction, incorporating many elements of dance music and costing him some credibility in the rap community. It was a massive pop hit, and Hammer appeared on MTV and a variety of talk shows performing in ridiculously baggy pants that became his trademark along with his distinctive dance moves. A 60-date tour followed with lots of backup dancers and hangers on, many of whom were old friends happy to share in his financial success (although some complained of underpayment and harsh working conditions - Hammer imposed a strict curfew and levied fines for mistakes). The tour was bloated and expensive, and when Hammer's star faded, there was no money left. He dropped the "MC" and tried to reinvent himself as more of a gangsta rapper, but he has lost credibility in the rap world and no longer appealed to that audience. He became a bit of a joke as listeners realized that it didn't take much talent to take a hit song from years ago and rap over the beat (think Vanilla Ice).
In 2005, Hammer made some appearances where he was willing to poke fun at himself, including a reality TV show and a commercial where he performs this song in front of a mansion that gets repossessed 15 minutes later when his luck runs out. He also performed on the MTV video music awards that year.
Rick James tried to keep rappers from sampling his music, turning down any requests. According to James, his lawyers authorized the "Super Freak" sample without his permission; he heard about it when a friend told him about "U Can't Touch This" and the song came on the radio they were listening to in the car. James said he was irate, but somewhat appeased when he found out how much money it was making for him. Still, he claimed he wouldn't have done the deal if he was asked.
James had another beef as well: he wanted to be listed as a songwriter on "U Can't Touch This," and sued MC Hammer for credit. The case was settled out of court, with James getting listed as a co-writer on the track along with Hammer and Alonzo Miller, a disc jockey who wrote some lyrics on "Super Freak."
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/mc-hammer/u-cant-touch-this


U Can't Touch This written by Alonzo Miller, MC Hammer, after a law suit Rick James was added :-)
Lyrics
"You can't touch this
You can't touch this
You can't touch this (oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh)
You can't touch this (oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh)
My-my-my-my music makes me so hard makes me say oh my Lord
Thank you for blessing me with a mind to rhyme and two hype feet
That's good when you know you're down
A super dope homeboy from the Oaktown
And I'm known as such
And this is a beat uh u can't touch
I told you homeboy u can't touch this
Yeah that's how we're livin' and you know u can't touch this
Look in my eyes man u can't touch this
You know let me bust the funky lyrics u can't touch this
Fresh new kicks and pants
You got it like that now you know you wanna dance
So move out of your seat
And get a fly girl and catch this beat
While it's rollin' hold on pump a little bit
And let me know it's going on like that like that
Cold on a mission so pull on back
Let 'em know that you're too much
And this is a beat uh u can't touch
Yo I told you u can't touch this
Why you standing there man u can't touch this
Yo sound the bells school is in sucker u can't touch this
Give me a song or rhythm
Making 'em sweat that's what I'm giving 'em
Now they know when you talk about the Hammer
You talk about a show that's hyped and tight
Singers are sweatin' so pass them a mic
Or a tape to learn what it's gonna take
And now he's gonna burn
The charts legit either work hard
Or you might as well quit
That's word because you know
You can't touch this (oh-oh oh oh-oh-oh)
You can't touch this (oh-oh oh oh-oh-oh)
Break it down
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh oh-oh)
Stop Hammer time
Go with the flow in a spin if you can't move to this
Then you probably are dead
So wave your hands in the air
Bust through the moves run your fingers through your hair
This is it for a winner
Dance to this and you're gonna get thinner
Move slide your rump
Just for a minute let's all do the bump
Bump bump bump yeah
Can't touch this
Look man u can't touch this
You'll probably get hyped boy 'cause you know you can't u can't touch this
Ring the bell school's back in break it down
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Stop Hammer time
(Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh)
(Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh) u can't touch this
(Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh) u can't touch this
(Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh) u can't touch this
(Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh) break it down
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Stop Hammer time
Every time you see me that Hammer's just so hype
I'm dope on the floor and I'm magic on the mic
Now why would I ever stop doing this
With others makin' records that just don't hit
I toured around the world from London to the bank
It's Hammer go Hammer
It's a Hammer yo Hammer and the rest go and play
You can't touch this (oh-oh oh oh-oh-oh)
You can't touch this (oh-oh oh oh-oh-oh)
Can't touch this (oh-oh oh-oh-oh)
Yeah u can't touch this
I told you u can't touch this (oh-oh oh-oh-oh)
Too hype can't touch this
Get me outta here u can't touch this
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)"

FYI SSG Franklin Briant SSG William Jones 1SG Joseph Dartey SPC Nancy Greene PO1 Robert George CPT Paul Whitmer SPC Richard (Rick) Henry SPC Randy Zimmerman 1SG John Highfill COL Mikel J. Burroughs SPC Margaret Higgins 1SG Steven Imerman Cpl (Join to see) CPL Dave Hoover SFC John LichSgt Jackie JuliusSFC Richard WilliamsonMaj Scott Kiger, M.A.S.SGT James Bower

SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Jim Arnold (Join to see) Sgt Albert Castro SSG William Jones PO1 William "Chip" Nagel CMSgt (Join to see) SSgt Boyd Herrst Maj Kim Patterson SGT Tim Fridley SGT Quentin Moore LT Ed Skiba SSG Michael Noll PO2 Michael Martin SGT (Join to see) CWO3 Dave Alcantara SFC Richard Williamson SSG Robert "Rob" Wentworth PO3 Phyllis Maynard SGT (Join to see)