The Funky Headhunter
The Funky Headhunter | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by Hammer | ||||
Released | March 1, 1994 (1994-03-01) | |||
Recorded | March – November 1993[1] | |||
Genre |
| |||
Length | 68:08 | |||
Label |
| |||
Producer |
| |||
Hammer chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from The Funky Headhunter | ||||
| ||||
The Funky Headhunter is the fifth studio album by American rapper Hammer, released on March 1, 1994, via Giant Records and Reprise Records.
The album at the time was hailed as Hammer's comeback album. As with some earlier songs such as "Crime Story" (from the album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em),[2] the content and reality about "street life" remained somewhat the same, but the sound was different, resulting in Hammer losing favor with fans.[citation needed] Nonetheless, the record was eventually certified platinum.[3]
Album history
Hammer debuted the album and video for "Pumps and a Bump" two months before its release on The Arsenio Hall Show and finally released it in March. Talk show host Arsenio Hall said to 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" (which refers to the fact that Hammer was nicknamed after Aaron).[4]
"Pumps and a Bump" proved to be a controversial track on this album, somewhat affecting Hammer's image. However, the single peaked at number three on the US Rap charts. It was banned from heavy rotation on MTV with censors claiming that the depiction of Hammer in Speedos was too graphic. This led to an alternative video being filmed (with Hammer fully clothed) that was directed by Bay Area native Craig S. Brooks.
"It's All Good", produced by The Whole 9, was the second single released on this album, and peaked on the record charts as follows: US number 46, US R&B number 14, US Rap number three and UK number 52.
This album peaked at number two on the R&B charts and remained in the Top 30 midway through the year.[4] The album eventually reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart[5] The album managed to become certified platinum.
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
AllMusic writer Ron Wynn said about the album overall: "Hammer's sound was leaner, his rapping tougher and more fluid, and his subject matter harder and less humorous."[6] Dennis Hunt of the Los Angeles Times felt that Hammer had "zero feel" for his choice in subgenre, but praised the record's "smashing beats" and highlighted "Don't Stop" for being "unbelievably funky".[7] In a review for Vibe, contributor Charles Aaron called it "one of the most stunning curios of pop marketing hubris ever perpetrated", criticizing Hammer's half-hearted attempts at dissing other rappers, and the tracks for utilizing the overused G-funk sound and lacking lyrical substance or even "a nifty turn of phrase."[8]
Track listing
Information taken from Amazon.com, Apple Music and Spotify.[9][10][11]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" | 2:11 | ||
2. | "Oaktown" |
|
| 4:16 |
3. | "It's All Good" |
|
| 4:10 |
4. | "Somethin' for the O.G.'s" |
|
| 4:15 |
5. | "Don't Stop" |
| Riley | 5:34 |
6. | "Pumps and a Bump" |
|
| 5:05 |
7. | "One Mo' Time" |
|
| 4:08 |
8. | "Clap Yo' Hands" |
|
| 3:47 |
9. | "Break 'Em off Somethin' Proper" |
|
| 4:18 |
10. | "Don't Fight the Feelin'" |
|
| 3:40 |
11. | "Somethin' 'Bout the Goldie in Me" |
|
| 3:49 |
12. | "Sleepin' on the Master Plan" |
|
| 4:50 |
13. | "It's All That" |
|
| 3:56 |
14. | "The Funky Headhunter" |
|
| 3:45 |
15. | "Pumps and a Bump Reprise (Bump Teddy Bump)" |
|
| 6:38 |
16. | "Help Lord (Won't You Come)" | Burrell |
| 3:44 |
Total length: | 68:11 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
17. | "Do It Like This" | |
18. | "Heartbreaka (Is What They Call Me)" |
Samples
Break 'Em Off Somethin' Proper
- "So Ruff, So Tuff" by Roger Troutman
- "Stay" by Jodeci
- "Check the Rhime" by A Tribe Called Quest
Don't Fight the Feelin'
- "Person to Person" by Average White Band
Don't Stop
- "Funkin' for Jamaica (N.Y.)" by Tom Browne
- "Der Kommissar" by Falco
- "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton
- "La Di Da Di" by Doug E. Fresh
It's All Good
- "Dusic" by Brick
- "Hobo Scratch" by Malcolm McLaren
Oaktown
- "More Bounce to the Ounce" by Zapp
- "Get It Up" by The Time
Pumps and a Bump
- "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton
Somethin' for the O.G.'s
- "Dance Floor" by Zapp
- "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton
Personnel
Adapted from the liner notes of The Funky Headhunter.[12]
- Wilton Rabb – guitar (tracks 8, 11–14)
- Ben Ross – bass (track 14)
- Eddy Schreyer – mastering (Future Disc, Los Angeles)
- Nancie Stern, Mary-Jo Braun – sample clearance assistance (Music Resources)
- Kevin Design Hosmann – art direction
- Michael Miller – photography
- Madame Mack Style – stylist
Charts
Chart (1994) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[13] | 192 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Japan (RIAJ)[14] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[15] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ Rosen, Craig (February 19, 1994). "Hammer Pursues Street Credibility On Giant Set". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Sandow, Greg (February 16, 1990). "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum: RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ a b "The Funky Headhunter: Information from". Answers.com. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
- ^ "MC Hammer Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
- ^ a b Wynn, Ron. "MC Hammer - The Funky Headhunter". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 27, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
- ^ a b Hunt, Dennis (March 6, 1994). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
- ^ Aaron, Charles (April 1994). "Hammer". Vibe. Vol. 2, no. 3. pp. 99–100. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved April 5, 2018.[dead link]
- ^ "Hammer - Funky Headhunter". Amazon.com. 1994. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Funky Headhunter by MC Hammer on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Funky Headhunter by MC Hammer on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ The Funky Headhunter (liner notes). Hammer. Giant. Reprise. 1994. 24545.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "MC Hammer ARIA Chart History (albums) complete to 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
- ^ "Japanese album certifications – MC Hammer – The Funky Head hunter" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved October 22, 2019. Select 1994年9月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ "American album certifications – Hammer – The Funky Headhunter". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- v
- t
- e
- Feel My Power (1987)
- Let's Get It Started (1988)
- Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990)
- Too Legit to Quit (1991)
- The Funky Headhunter (1994)
- Inside Out (1995)
- Active Duty (2001)
- Full Blast (2004)
- Look Look Look (2006)
- DanceJamtheMusic (2009)
- Greatest Hits (1996)
- Back 2 Back Hits (1997)
- The Hits (2000)
- Platinum MC Hammer (2008)
- "Let's Get It Started" (1988)
- "U Can't Touch This" (1990)
- "Have You Seen Her" (1990)
- "Pray" (1990)
- "Here Comes the Hammer" (1990)
- "For the Love of You (1990)
- "2 Legit 2 Quit" (1991)
- "Addams Groove" (1991)
- "Do Not Pass Me By" (1991)
- "This Is the Way We Roll" (1992)
- "Straight to My Feet" (1994)
- "Pumps and a Bump" (1994)
- "Unconditional Love" (1998)
- "Full Blast" (2004)