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 Funky Headhunter
A sepia tone image of a man squatting down with his hands clasped, wearing a black toque, sunglasses, tank top, pants and shoes.
Studio album by
Hammer
ReleasedMarch 1, 1994 (1994-03-01)
RecordedMarch – November 1993[1]
Genre
Length68:08
Label
Producer
Hammer chronology
Too Legit to Quit
(1991)		 The Funky Headhunter
(1994)		 Inside Out
(1995)
Singles from The Funky Headhunter
  1. "Pumps and a Bump"
    Released: February 28, 1994 (1994-02-28)
  2. "It's All Good"
    Released: April 19, 1994 (1994-04-19)
  3. "Don't Stop"
    Released: July 4, 1994 (1994-07-04)

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. 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 (and with what appeared to be an erection) 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 3 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
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Los Angeles Times[7]

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] 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.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"  2:11
2."Oaktown"
  • MC Hammer
  • The Whole 9
4:16
3."It's All Good"
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • The Whole 9
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
4:10
4."Somethin' for the O.G.'s"
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • Gerald Baillergeau
  • Hammer
4:15
5."Don't Stop"
  • Aquil Davidson
  • Menton Smith
  • Teddy Riley
Riley5:34
6."Pumps and a Bump"
  • David L. Spradley
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Garry M. Shider
  • George Clinton Jr.
  • Baillergeau
  • Burrell
  • Baillergeau
  • Hammer
5:05
7."One Mo' Time"
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
4:08
8."Clap Yo' Hands"
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
3:47
9."Break 'Em off Somethin' Proper"
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • Baillergeau
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
4:18
10."Don't Fight the Feelin'"
  • Ben Ross
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
3:40
11."Somethin' 'Bout the Goldie in Me"
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
3:49
12."Sleepin' on the Master Plan"
4:50
13."It's All That"
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • Sylvester Stewart
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
3:56
14."The Funky Headhunter"
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Burrell
  • The Whole 9
  • Andra Hines
  • Duncan Hines
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
3:45
15."Pumps and a Bump Reprise (Bump Teddy Bump)"
  • Spradley
  • Deuce Deuce
  • Shider
  • Clinton Jr.
  • Baillergeau
  • Burrell
  • Baillergeau
  • Hammer
6:38
16."Help Lord (Won't You Come)"Burrell
  • Hammer
  • The Whole 9
3:44
Total length:68:11
Exclusive bonus tracks (UK, Belgium and Japan)
No.TitleLength
17."Do It Like This" 
18."Heartbreaka (Is What They Call Me)" 

Samples

Break 'Em Off Somethin' Proper

Don't Fight the Feelin'

Don't Stop

It's All Good

Oaktown

Pumps and a Bump

  • "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton

Somethin' for the O.G.'s

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

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[13] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[14] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Craig Rosen (February 19, 1994). "Hammer Pursues Street Credibility On Giant Set". Billboard. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  2. Sandow, Greg (February 16, 1990). "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em | Music". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  3. "Gold & Platinum: RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  4. "The Funky Headhunter: Information from". Answers.com. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
  5. "MC Hammer Chart History". Billboard Magazine. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  6. Wynn, Ron. "MC Hammer - The Funky Headhunter". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  7. Hunt, Dennis (March 6, 1994). "In Brief". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  8. Aaron, Charles (April 1994). "Hammer". Vibe. Vol. 2, no. 3. pp. 99–100. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  9. "Hammer - Funky Headhunter". Amazon.com Music. 1994. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  10. "The Funky Headhunter by MC Hammer on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  11. "The Funky Headhunter by MC Hammer on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  12. The Funky Headhunter (liner notes). Hammer. Giant. Reprise. 1994. 24545.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. "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
  14. "American album certifications – Hammer – The Funky Headhunter". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
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