#17: MC Hammer
Parachute pants, spinning dance moves, and “U Can’t Touch This” turned MC Hammer into a global superstar. His 1990 album sold over 10 million copies. He built a giant California mansion with gold-plated gates and kept a crew of around 200 people on his payroll.

When his album sales slowed down, the huge bills did not. In 1996, Hammer filed for bankruptcy with about $13 million in debt, and his dream mansion sold for far less than it cost. He bounced back as a preacher, a tech investor, and a performer who still tours today.
