U Can't Touch This

U Can't Touch This was MC Hammer's most widely-known single, propelling sales of its album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, which for a time was the best-selling rap album of all time, selling over ten million copies. The song heavily samples Rick James's "Super Freak"; James is accordingly credited as a co-author. The lyrics, written entirely by Hammer, are in the boastful self-promotional style common in hip hop. They describe the rapper as having "toured around the world, from London to the Bay" and as being "magic on the mic," which Hammer says combines with Rick James' "beat that you can't touch" to create the perfect rap song. While some critics, especially in the gangsta rap community, disliked the song, enough people approved of it to secure the Grammy for Best R&B Song and Best Rap Solo Performance, a brand new category at the time, for MC Hammer. In 2008, it was ranked number 26 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.

[Chorus] You can't touch this You can't touch this You can't touch this You can't touch this [Verse 1] My, my, my my music hits me so hard Makes me say, "Oh my Lord" Thank you for blessin' me With a mind to rhyme and two hype feet It feels good, when you know you're down A super dope homeboy from the Oaktown And I'm known as such And this is a beat, uh, you can't touch [Chorus] I told you homeboy (You can't touch this) Yeah, that's how we livin' and ya know (You can't touch this) Look in my eyes, man (You can't touch this) Yo, let me bust the funky lyrics (You can't touch this) [Verse 2] Fresh new kicks, and pants You gotta like that, now you know you wanna dance So move outta yo seat And get a fly girl and catch this beat While it's rollin', hold on! Pump a little bit and let 'em know it's goin' on Like that, like that Cold on a mission, so fall on back Let 'em know, that you're too much And this is a beat, uh, they can't touch [Chorus] Yo, I told you (Can't touch this) Why you standin' there, man? (You can't touch this) Yo, sound the bell, school's in, sucka (You can't touch this) [Verse 3] Give me a song, or rhythm Makin' 'em sweat, that's what I'm givin' 'em Now, they know You talkin' 'bout the Hammer, you're talkin' 'bout a show That's hyped, and tight Singers are sweatin', so pass them a wipe Or a tape, to learn What's it gonna take in the 90's to burn The charts? Legit Either work hard or you might as well quit [Chorus] That's word because you know (You can't touch this) (You can't touch this) Break it down! [Breakdown] Stop, Hammer time! [Verse 4] Go with the flow, it is said That if you can't groove to this then you probably are dead So wave yo hands in the air Bust a few moves, run your fingers through your hair This is it, for a winner Dance to this and you're gonna get thinner Move, slide your rump Just for a minute let's all do the bump (Bump, bump, bump) [Chorus] Yeah (You can't touch this) Look, man (You can't touch this) You better get hype, boy, because you know you can't (You can't touch this) Ring the bell, school's back in Break it down! [Breakdown] Stop, Hammer time! [Chorus] You can't touch this You can't touch this You can't touch this You can't touch this Break it down! [Breakdown] Stop, Hammer time! [Verse 5] Every time you see me, the Hammer's just so hyped I'm dope on the floor and I'm magic on the mic Now why would I ever stop doin' this? With others makin' records that just don't hit I've toured around the world, from London to the Bay It's "Hammer!" "Go Hammer!" "MC Hammer!" Yo Hammer!" And the rest can go and play You can't touch this [Chorus] You can't touch this You can't touch this Yeah (You can't touch this) I told you (Can't touch this) Too hot (Can't touch this) Yo, we outta here (Can't touch this)