Hammer pants are modified baggy pants, tapered at the ankle with a sagging rise, made suitable for hip hop dancing.[1] They were popularized in the 1980s and 1990s by American rapper MC Hammer.[2] They were inspired by harem pants, which originated in the Middle East, and were introduced to Western fashion by Paul Poiret around 1910.
Hammer's specialized clothing line would come in a variety of colors and were usually shiny and flashy-styled, as often seen throughout his hip-hop career during talk show appearances, live concerts and music videos (including "U Can't Touch This" and "Pray"). The customized pants appeared again on Hammertime, his 2009 TV reality show.[3]
In 2022, Bobby Brown claimed he started wearing the "diaper pants" that Hammer altered and made famous, on his A&E show Bobby Brown: Every Little Step.[4] However, Brown wore a less sagging variation during some concerts and in music videos, such as "My Prerogative" (1988) and "Every Little Step" (1989).[5]