MC Shan

Legend has it that MC Shan, born Shawn Moltke, landed his first real break in 1983 after the man who would later run Cold Chillin' Records caught him attempting to steal his car. His link to cousin Marley Marl, the veteran super-producer, surely helped as well, allowing Shan to join Marl’s Juice Crew All-Stars. Several singles followed, among them the old-school classic “The Bridge,” before his 1987 debut album Down By Law presented a b-boy persona across beats crafted by his relative. The same production and persona shaped the 1988 sequel Born to Be Wild, while 1990’s Play It Again, Shan brought a more adult perspective and fresh production yet marked his last recording at the time. He later shifted into production work but resurfaced with “Da Bridge 2001” on Queensbridge’s Finest, the 2000 LP issued by Nas.