S. Samuel
Rap veteran MC Hammer has stood by his decision to release the Jay-Z-targeted "Better Run Run" song/video and discussed why the record has garnered so much attention.
Hammer believes his record’s strength has been measured by the constant references it has received.
“Everything from the Jay Z look-alike to the hook of ‘Run, you better run run’. To the direct verses that are simplistic in nature, but are very revealing in what would be ‘punch lines.’ If you’ve noticed on my Twitter feed, you’ve never seen quote on quote ‘Hammers not lyrical’. But all of my lines from the song are being quoted. From ‘He stole my swag, to let’s put the prints all over the bag’ to ‘The Devil say can you give me a sign? Throw the Roc up that’s one of mine.’ If you go from verse to verse you see that my verses are being quoted.” (All Hip Hop)
Despite reveling in the attention gained for his rhymes Hammer insists his goal was to get his message across.
“I am not trying to be ‘Mr Lyrical.’ I am trying to be effective and that has been the same style I use from day one as an artist. Remember these are the same people who said from ‘Let’s Get It Started’ was wack, but 50 million people said ‘Where can I buy this?’ But 50 million people said ‘This style and this Hammer guy, where can I buy it and where can I see this?’ So I am not offended by the naysayers I just need a few more of them so I can know that I got something that is really gonna be hot.” (All Hip Hop)
Hammer’s track was released a day after Halloween and directly called out Jay.
The track includes several lyrical references to the rapper, as well as an apparent lookalike. In one verse, MC Hammer raps: “Yo Jay I gotta reason to doubt, if I knock on your door would you come on out? “If I knock on your door that mean I’m knockin’ you out, if I knock on your door boy I’ll bust you in ya mouth.” (Gigwise)
Although Jay has acknowledged Hammer’s lyrical onslaught, the rap mogul recently denied attempting to release a rebuttal.
“I didn’t know that wasn’t on the table for discussion,” Jay laughingly told DJ Semtex. “I didn’t know I was the first person to ever say that? Am I? [laughs] I’m not, am I? I know I’ve heard that before, I didn’t think I was the first one to say it. I guess, you know when I say things, I think people believe me so much that they take it a different way. It’s not rap anymore at that point. I didn’t mean it. I said some great things about him in the [Decoded] book that I have coming out — he’s gonna be like, embarrassed. I said some really great things about him in the book and about people’s perception of him and how he’s from East Oakland. It is what it is. He took it the wrong way. I didn’t know I said anything wrong. I don’t know if I said a lie.” (DJ Semtex)
Check out MC Hammer’s “Better Run Run” music video below:
