MC Hammer gets shy in Auckland

BY CHRIS SCHULZ

He's responsible for one of the '90s most iconic songs, but when offered a chance to perform his hit single U Can't Touch This in Auckland today, rapper MC Hammer got shy.

"I'm not doing it. That's not fair - it's my song," said Hammer, real name Stanley Kirk Burrell, when asked to perform the song as a karaoke duet with radio personality Dominic Harvey at a press conference in Auckland.

Harvey, dressed in Hammer's trademark baggy gold pants complete with extra bling, soldiered on on his own, performing about a minute of the hit 1990 single and dancing across the small stage before being cut off.

Hammer, 47, was expected to perform the song as part of promotions for the new XBox karaoke game Lips: Number One Hits, which features U Can't Touch This, and was flown in to New Zealand after a short Australian tour especially for the occasion.

It was his first time in the country since 1991, when he was one of the world's biggest musical stars thanks to his 10 million-selling album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em.

He told a small gathering of media at Sale St bar he was enjoying his time here.

"It's been a while but it's good to be back ... it's just gorgeous," he said.

Hammer has been through a lot since his last visit. He has filed for bankruptcy, studied religion, launched an unsuccessful acting career, had five children and starred in a reality television show.

He has kept making music and recorded and released seven albums, none of which have matched the success of Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em.

But he has had a second coming, of sorts, thanks to social networking site Twitter, where he has more than 1.6 million followers.

He told the press conference he needed five television screens in his bedroom to keep up with all of his online activity. He even checked out updates while using the bathroom.

"Twitter is such a real time platform and the interaction and connectivity is very stimulating. It becomes very addictive because (you're) able to connect with people any time, any place.

"You have your trivial use, but then again you can have a huge problem happening, or a problem you're trying to solve, or breaking news, you can see it all happening in real time ... it's very powerful."

He said U Can't Touch This was inspired by Rick James, and he was honoured so many people had enjoyed the song.

"It's very rewarding to be connected with memories and life and good times and fun and things like that. That's the best thing about the music industry."

As well as refusing the opportunity to sing the hit, he turned down an offer to have a "hammer off" with an audience member who had bought along a plank, two hammers and a nail.

"I don't quite get it ... I don't understand what it is," he said. "All I know is I see you with a board. I don't know what that means."

* Watch footage from the press conference below:

- © Fairfax NZ News