Jacket and pants worn by MC Hammer in music video for "They Put Me in the Mix": Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This blue jacket (.1) and Hammer pants (.2) were worn by the rapper and dancer MC Hammer in the 1988 music video for his song "They Put Me in the Mix."

(.1): Blue cropped jacket with full-length sleeves. The jacket is made of a bright blue synthetic fabric and has a notched collar. The front of the jacket has an open front style with a single button closure at the bottom center front. The large circular gold button has a raised design of an eagle holding an anchor surrounded by stars, and is attached with the eagle upside down. The button closes around a loop on the proper left front made from the blue fabric. The sleeves are wide at the shoulder and taper toward the wrist. The jacket is fully lined with a white synthetic fabric. There are thick shoulder pads attached between the facing and lining fabric.

(.2): Blue Hammer style pants with black waistband. The pants are made of the same blue synthetic fabric as the jacket. The legs are wide-legged with a slight taper toward the hem, ending at the ankle. A gusset is sewn between the legs to make the crotch loose and baggy. The blue fabric is gathered at the top and joined to a wide black elastic waistband, which is seamed at the center back. The pant legs are hemmed with black thread. The pants are not lined.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1988
• Created by: Unidentified
• Worn by: MC Hammer, American, born 1962
• Type: ensembles (costume)
• Type: jackets
• Type: trousers
• Medium: Jacket: synthetic fiber, foam, and metal button
• Medium: Pants: synthetic fiber and elastic
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2011.153.7.1-.2 on form): 61 × 25 × 16 1/2 in. (154.9 × 63.5 × 41.9 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2011.153.7.1 jacket on form): 23 1/2 × 25 × 16 1/2 in. (59.7 × 63.5 × 41.9 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (2011.153.7.1 jacket flat): 23 1/2 × 21 1/2 in. (59.7 × 54.6 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2011.153.7.2 pants on form): 46 × 17 × 13 in. (116.8 × 43.2 × 33 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (2011.153.7.2 pants flat): 44 × 17 1/2 in. (111.8 × 44.5 cm)
• Place used: California, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Dance
• Topic: Fashion
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Object number: 2011.153.7.1-.2
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.