Editing MC Hammer (section)

=== ''Feel My Power'' (1986) ===
{{Main|Feel My Power}}

In the mid-1980s, while rapping in small venues and after a record deal went sour, Hammer borrowed US$20,000 each from former [[Oakland A's]] players [[Mike Davis (baseball)|Mike Davis]] and [[Dwayne Murphy]] to start an [[independent record label]] business.<ref name="Ebony"/> As the CEO of Bust It Productions, Hammer kept the company going by selling records from his basement and car. Bust It Records spawned Bustin' Records, and collectively the companies had more than 100 employees.<ref name="Ebony"/> Recording singles and selling them out of the trunk of his car, he marketed himself relentlessly. Coupled with his dance abilities, Hammer's style was unique at the time.

Now billing himself as "MC Hammer", he recorded songs for his debut album ''[[Feel My Power]]'' in 1986. It was originally released on Hammer's independent label, Bustin' Records (via Oaktown Records), and produced by [[Felton Pilate]] of [[Con Funk Shun]]. It sold over 60,000 copies and was distributed by City Hall Records. Hammer released singles from the album, including "Ring 'Em" in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.metason.net/artistinfo?name=MC%20Hammer%20And%20The%20Posse&title=Stupid%20Def%20Yal%20%2F%20Ring%27%20Em |title=MC Hammer And The Posse – Stupid Def Yal – Ring 'Em – Artist Info |website=Music.Metason.Net |access-date=July 7, 2022}}</ref> Largely on the strength of tireless [[street marketing]] by Hammer and his wife, in addition to continuous radio play, it achieved considerable popularity at dance clubs in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. In Spring 1988, Tony Valera (a 107.7 [[KSOL]] [[Radio DJ]]), played the track "Let's Get It Started" in his mix-shows. The track also gained popularity in [[nightclub]]s. Hammer declared he was "second to none from [[Doug E. Fresh]], [[LL Cool J]] or [[DJ Run]]" within the song. He would continue to call out other [[East Coast hip hop|East Coast rappers]] in future projects as well.

Heartened by his rising prospects, Hammer launched into seven-day-a-week rehearsals with the growing troupe of dancers, musicians and backup vocalists he had hired. It was Hammer's stage show and his infectious stage presence that led to his big break in 1988 while performing in an [[Oakland]] club. There, Hammer impressed a record executive who "didn't know who he was, but knew he was somebody", according to the ''New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll''. Though Hammer had previously received and declined offers from major record labels before, he agreed to a multi-album contract with [[Capitol Records]] with a $1,750,000 advance. It did not take long for Capitol to recoup its investment.<ref name="answers1"/>