How much is MC Hammer worth now?
| Net Worth: | $1 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Rapper |
| Date of Birth: | March 30, 1962 (age 60) |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.82 m) |
About MC Hammer
MC Hammer (Stanley Kirk Burrell) was born on March 30 1962 in Oakland, California and has a net worth estimated to be $1 million. He is known mostly for his achievements as a rapper and dancer but expanded his activity with numerous businesses that offered him some financial security beyond his musical career.
Throughout his early teenage years, MC Hammer would sell stray baseballs and dance along with a beatboxing friend. His first attempt at rap music was in with a Christian rap music group but he started his professional rap artist career in 1986. Just a few years later, in 1990, MC Hammer released his third album, featuring his most popular record, “U Can’t Touch This”, which brought him his fame and fortune.
In parallel with his music career, MC Hammer built several businesses and as his musical career began to lose traction, Burrell sank into debt. At the peak of his career, MC Hammer amassed an estimated net worth of $70 million but lost most of it due to his expensive lifestyle and inability to maintain his success as a rap artist. In 1996, it was reported that he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with debts totaling $10 million and assets totaling $1 million.
By 1990, MC Hammer already had 2 solo albums released. His recognition as a rap artist was nothing to brag about but he managed to step out of anonymity when his 3rd album was released featuring his most popular single, “U Can’t Touch This”. Following the release of “U Can’t Touch This”, MC Hammer became a rap star overnight and gained worldwide recognition.
Allegedly, Vanilla Ice was paid $1 million to wear the MC Hammer pants in one of his videos as part of a PR move to promote both artists.
The aftermath of “U Can’t Touch This” can be summarized in a boost in earnings from album sales, concerts, record deals, and public appearances. Sadly, MC Hammer was not able to maintain his fame as all his records released after his third album was not received as well. Many would categorize MC Hammer as a one-hit-wonder. As the hype surrounding the artist diminished, his most popular tracks are still praised today.
On social media, MC Hammer is still active and releases content quite frequently, showcasing his various activities, public events, and even some religious content. Surprisingly, MC Hammer still has a considerable following across all his social media accounts.
MC Hammer took a shot at entrepreneurship, however he was not able to make a significant fortune from his business endeavors. Burrell made most of his money from music and when the music stopped, he seemed to eat away at his earnings faster than most of his peers who also experienced similar success.
At the peak of his career, MC Hammer had an estimated net worth of $70 million. In 1996, Burrell filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This was just 6 years after he released his hit single “U Can’t Touch This”, causing great public concern on how Burrell managed his fortune. Burrell has admitted that most of his fortune was spent on his lavish lifestyle. A lifestyle that became unsustainable once his career took a downturn. Even if he filed for bankruptcy, MC Hammer has said that he was never bankrupt in the true sense of the word and could still enjoy a decent living off his remaining assets.
Despite his bankruptcy, Burrell continues to release music and invest in various tech startups but has not reached the same level of wealth as during the peak of his musical career.
The success experienced by MC Hammer cannot be attributed to luck. He is seen as a one-hit-wonder by many however as Burrell was unable to reproduce the same level achieved with “U Can’t Touch This”. His subsequent releases were not received that well by the public either, yet he has never stopped releasing music.
Burrell also tried to become a successful entrepreneur, by investing in different tech startups. Burrell even attempted to create a web search engine to rival Google but his ambitious project was shut down after one year. He continues to invest in tech companies and even owns shares in Twitter according to some recent interviews in 2020.
Summing-Up
The success of MC Hammer was short-lived but not unnoticed. Burrell earned a fortune from his hit singles and had his name imprinted into the history of rap music. The fortune that came with his fame was seemingly wiped out however in just 5 years. Many attribute this to extreme spending habits and failing follow-up on his success hit “U Can’t Touch This”. Maybe he was just a victim of his own success, not knowing how to manage the wealth that came overnight. Perhaps he began spending money that he hadn’t earned yet feeling sure he could produce another smash hit.
At his peak, MC Hammer had 17 cars, a private jet, and a $30 million mansion in California (after renovations). MC Hammer when he lost almost everything and finally filed for bankruptcy protection. With persistence he began to earn it back and, as of 2023, MC Hammer has a net worth estimated to be $1 million.
Beyond his musical career, MC Hammer tried his luck with various startups and movie productions. None of it worked and once he lost his fortune made from music, Burrell has not been able to bounce back to that level. Today, in pop culture, it seems Burrell is no longer really in the spotlight of fan attention. He continues to show up in the media sometimes when he makes an investment in a tech start-up or has a public appearance at an event.
What many might not know is that MC Hammer keeps on releasing music. Following his 1990 success with his third album, MC Hammer, he released two new albums, several singles, and had some of his newer songs featured in various commercials.
