Biz Markie

Biz Markie's playful wit and preference for absurd, melody-free refrains often obscured his real skill as an off-the-cuff lyricist. Although he rarely captured his most spontaneous rhymes in the studio, the material he did commit to record still held distinct value. Through his comic sensibility and fresh, sample-driven beats, he demonstrated that rap could embrace levity and hooks while retaining its underground edge. That approach propelled his sophomore effort, The Biz Never Sleeps, to gold status and lifted the track "Just a Friend" into the pop Top Ten. The sudden visibility earned him the nickname "the Clown Prince of Hip-Hop," yet it also pigeonholed him as a novelty and drew legal scrutiny when Gilbert O'Sullivan sued over the uncleared "Alone Again (Naturally)" interpolation on 1991's I Need a Haircut. The judgment stalled his momentum so severely that All Samples Cleared! became his final release of the decade. His standing recovered modestly mid-decade once the Beastie Boys endorsed him and several alternative rap acts echoed his chaotic, freewheeling sound. Although new music slowed in the 2000s, he stayed visible through live dates, film and television cameos, and a SiriusXM program on LL Cool J's Rock the Bells Radio channel before succumbing to complications from Type 2 diabetes in 2021.

Born Marcel Hall in New York, he first gained notice in the early '80s by performing at Manhattan venues such as the Funhouse and the Roxy. After linking with producer Marley Marl in 1985, he served as human beatbox for MC Shan and later Roxanne Shanté, while also cutting early demos that led to a 1988 Cold Chillin' deal. His debut, Goin' Off, spread by word of mouth on the strength of the cult favorites "Vapors," "Pickin' Boogers," and "Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz." Mainstream breakthrough arrived the following year when "Just a Friend," with its rapped verses and deliberately off-key choruses, cracked the pop Top Ten and helped The Biz Never Sleeps achieve gold certification.

That peak proved fleeting. By the time I Need a Haircut arrived, sales were already lagging when Gilbert O'Sullivan filed suit, alleging the track "Alone Again" lifted his hit "Alone Again (Naturally)" without permission. The court victory rewrote sampling rules across hip-hop; Warner Bros. withdrew the album, and every label thereafter had to secure clearances in advance. Biz responded with 1993's All Samples Cleared!, yet the earlier ruling had already damaged his prospects and the project flopped. He maintained a lower profile for the rest of the '90s, contributing guest spots to Beastie Boys records and starring in a 1996 freestyle MTV2 spot. The Beastie Boys connection revived interest, though he shifted focus to DJ work rather than new albums. Weekend Warrior surfaced on Tommy Boy in 2003, but greater attention came from his 2005 win on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club. After that project he largely stepped back from recording while continuing to surface onscreen in Men in Black II, Sharknado 2: The Second One, Black-ish, Spongebob Squarepants, and Yo Gabba Gabba!. Reflecting in 2019, he expressed contentment with his fame and likened his career to the McDonald's McRib, remarking, "When I do pop up, they appreciate everything they see." Biz Markie died on July 16, 2021 at the age of 57.