Have you ever wondered where Stanley Burrell, a.k.a. rap legend MC Hammer, got his stage name?

That would be "Hammerin'" Hank Aaron, the legendary slugger and former all-time home run king who passed away Friday at the age of 86. Aaron is a giant in the annals of baseball lore, and the number 755, representing the home run total he amassed during his Hall of Fame career, remains one of the most iconic in the game's history.

But there is more to Burrell's love of Aaron than that. He posted several messages on Twitter upon learning of Aaron's passing that conveyed just how great an influence Aaron had on his life.

• 'The standard of greatness': Hall of Famers remember Aaron

"A king's touch. That gentle, warm, joyful smile and his heartfelt embrace of a little kid from East Oakland in a moment empowered and changed my life," Hammer wrote. "Hank 'The Hammer' Aaron smiled upon me. The love shown is forever appreciated. I am Hammer because he was 'Hammering Hank Aaron.'"

• Timeline of Hank Aaron's legendary career

Burrell posted a photo of himself as a boy with Aaron, as well as one in which he wore a No. 44 Athletics jersey with the name "Hammer" on the back from his time as a bat boy in Oakland.

Aaron touched countless lives during his life, both on and off the field. One of them was Burrell's. And in MC Hammer's case, you can't touch his love for his namesake.