Feel My Power

Released in 1986 on Bust It Records, Feel My Power is the independent debut from Stanley Burrell, better known as MC Hammer. Recorded and distributed primarily on cassette in the San Francisco Bay Area, the album sold an impressive 60,000 copies independently, a feat that eventually led to his signing with Capitol Records. Sonically, the album is a product of the mid-80s transition from old-school electro-funk to the harder-edged boom bap. It features production that is significantly more minimalist and raw than his 1990 breakthrough, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. Many of these tracks were later re-recorded or remixed for his major-label debut, Let's Get It Started. The album is historically significant as a blueprint for the independent 'hustle' in hip-hop, showcasing Hammer's early ability to market himself and his high-energy performance style before he became a global pop icon. It remains a cult favorite for fans of early West Coast rap.