Why yes, that is a Rick James sample that dominates this song. In fact, Rick James and Alonzo Miller - the original writers of "Super Freak" - are listed as co-writers of the song.
But let's be clear. This song was written and produced by MC Hammer.
How big a hit was it? Well, in the short term, it was a big, but not mega-big, hit. It was the THIRD single from MC Hammer's 3rd album, 1990's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em. This song, however, got airplay long before it was released as a single, and that drove album sales - to the point where it was the longtime best selling rap album of all time (it has since fallen to 5th on that list).
The single itself was a top 10 hit on the pop charts - never making it to the top spot, though. It was also a number 1 R&B hit, and a hit worldwide. Moreover, it brought rap to a much broader audience, including many in my group of friends at the time.
You know the song. Now, it's Hammer time.
One thing about MC Hammer... you probably know him for what he recorded. His live performances were full of energy. He was one of the most dynamic performers of his generation - which made him an excellent bridge from the old school sound that dominated the 1980s to the more in-your-face rap style of the 1990s.
Did I say "were"? MC Hammer famously lost all his money from "U Can't Touch This" pretty quickly, which means he didn't get to just retire (although all indications seem to be that he recovered from that). Twenty years after the song came out, he was still touring and still putting on a hell of a show.
Here he is in 2018, STILL performing this song. Yes, he's got other people doing his dancing, but he's still putting on a hell of a show.
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