Remembering Biz Markie
• Biz Markie, the rapper, singer and actor who rose to fame on the power of his memorable 1989 hit, “Just a Friend,” died Friday, July 16 in Baltimore at the age of 57. According to TMZ, he had been suffering from complications due to diabetes.
In a statement, Markie’s representative Jenni Izumi confirmed the news of his passing, as she said, “It is with profound sadness that we announce, this evening, with his wife Tara by his side, hip hop pioneer Biz Markie peacefully passed away. We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support that we have received during this difficult time. Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years. He leaves behind a wife, many family members and close friends who will miss his vibrant personality, constant jokes and frequent banter. We respectfully request privacy for his family as they mourn their loved one.”
As reported by Variety, “Born Marcel Theo Hall on April 8, 1964 in Harlem, NY, Markie was raised on Long Island and began his music career performing in night clubs and colleges, eventually finding himself a member of Marley Marl‘s famed ‘Juice Crew,’ where he performed as a beatboxer alongside the likes of Roxanne Shanté and MC Shan.
It was 1989 when Markie made a huge national impact with his highly unusual (and equally compelling) single, “Just a Friend,” off of his second album, The Biz Never Sleeps. As Variety‘s coverage notes, “The song’s signature piano melody (interpolated from Freddie Scott‘s ‘You Got What I Need’) matched with Markie’s narrative-driven rapping and raspy, off-kilter singing voice, made it a success — reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart — and an eventual oldies favorite. Its music video, too, was a hit, detailing Markie’s romantic problems in a humorous way, including a scene of Markie at the piano dressed as Mozart.”
Markie also made numerous appearances in television and film, most notably as a rapping alien in Men in Black II in 2002, and on the children’s television show Yo Gabba Gabba. Markie also appeared on In Living Color in 1994, was an announcer on the animated series Crank Yankers and voiced roles on SpongeBob SquarePants and Adventure Time. More recently, he appeared as himself on the popular TV series Empireand Black-ish. At the time of his passing Markie was in production on the film Chaaw, which is set for release in May 2022.
