MC Hammer seriously can’t take a joke, can he?

After Jay-Z took a slight jab at the rapper-minister-Cash4Gold spokesman (OK, maybe it was just one commercial) in a verse on Kanye West’s “So Appalled,” making light of Hammer's well-documented financial problems, the "Too Legit to Quit" rapper took to Twitter and promised retaliation.

“Hammer went broke, so you know I’m more focused/I lost 30 mil’, so I spent another 30/’Cause unlike Hammer, 30 million can’t hurt me,” Jay-Z rapped on one of West's G.O.O.D. Friday tracks.

The reminder of Hammer's infamous bankruptcy proved to be a breaking point for the rapper.

“The Answer to Jay comes on Oct 31 (Devils Nite) ..I saw him coming...” he tweeted. Hammer later posted a link to a 36-second video of himself going to town on a punching bag (he even created a special #hellboy hashtag that he uses in reference to Jigga).

A day later -- maybe he realized revenge is a dish best served on a weekday -- Hammer has released a new dis track and accompanying video, “Better Run Run.”

Now, we could make a million jokes about the not so smooth references to Hov -- there is a chunky male running through the woods in a white T-shirt, dark shades and, of course, a Yankees cap -– but we appreciate the irony of an irrelevant rapper-turned-preacher lambasting Jay for selling his soul to the devil (“I don’t Roc your wear,” is one of his clever rhymes as a dancer in a devil mask throws up the Roc sign). He lectures the poor soul at the end of the clip, and then baptizes (or drowns) the fake Jay-Z (we’re not sure which).

Check out the video for yourself. Should Jay prep himself for the next great rap beef?

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy

twitter.com/GerrickKennedy

Credit: MC Hammer in the Cash4Gold commercial, saying he can get cash for his gold records. Credit: Euro RSCG Edge