Champion of The Underdog: An Appreciation of The Life & Work of Biz Markie, Vol. 2 By: (DJ Cool) Chris Daly
Marcel Theo Hall, better know as Biz Markie and oftentimes, affectionately referred to as The Biz, The Clown Prince of Hip-Hop, The Inhuman Orchestra, The Diabolical Biz Markie, and The Emizah-Emizah, was highly revered as one of the most genuine emcees to ever do it. Biz passed away on Friday, July 16, 2021 at the tender age of 57, likely due to complications from Type 2 Diabetes, although, no official Cause of Death has been revealed just yet. Biz Markie is most well-known for his infectious 1989 break-out single, "Just A Friend," but he was a truly multi-talented artist, as well. Biz Mark's lesser-known talents included beat-boxing, dancing, producing, DJ'ing, acting, singing, and song-writing.
It was proven time and time again that "Nobody Beats The Biz," but he surely didn't mind collaborating with just about anyone; racking up genre-defying features with everyone from the Beastie Boys to Spin Doctors. Biz's film and television appearances included roles on In Living Color, Men In Black II, black-ish, and Yo Gabba Gabba! as well as Paul Simon's "Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard" music video. Since Biz Markie's untimely passing, his friends, fans, peers, fellow musicians, and admirers have been sharing their fond memories online. We'll attempt to collect some of the most meaningful tributes here with Champion of The Underdog: An Appreciation of The Life & Work of Biz Markie. Rest Easy to the man, the mouth, the legend, Marcel Theo "Biz Markie" Hall.
Sincerely,
Matt "The Witz" Horowitz
The Witzard Founder/Editor
"The Diabolical. The Original. The Clown Prince of Rap. Regardless of the titles he went by, the world of Hip-Hop (and just in general) became a less entertaining place with the passing of Marcel Theo Hall AKA Biz Markie. The consummate performer, Biz was at home on seemingly any stage, whether it was upstaging Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones on film, teaching kids to beat-box on Yo Gabba Gabba!, providing the voice of Snorlock The Beat-boxing Slug for an episode of Adventure Time, or easing behind the wheels of steel for seemingly every "old school Hip-Hop extravaganza" that rolled through D.C. over the past few years.
Biz first came to prominence as a member of the Juice Crew All-Stars, arguably the "greatest" Rap posse on the planet until Wu-Tang [Clan] appeared on the scene years later. While his rapping skills were above average, it was his skill as a beat-boxer that took him to the next level. While the talent largely has been disregarded since technology grew cheaper and kids no longer had to come up with alternates for overpriced equipment, Biz clearly forged a Mount Rushmore of Beat-boxing place alongside such luminaries as Doug E. Fresh & Buff Love of Fat Boys fame. From goofy sounds to precise tongue drum rolls to smacking the mic against his throat, Biz went beyond simple beats to act as an entire "mouth orchestra."
While "Just A Friend" was his sole Top Ten hit, tracks like "Pickin' Boogers," "Me Versus Me," and "Vapors" have become Hip-Hop classics in their own right. Damn near every "old skool" show you'll see will include at least one of tracks played by the resident DJ. His work with others is possibly greater still, whether he was trading verses with Big Daddy Kane ("Just Rhymin' with Biz,") Heavy D. ("We Write The Songs,") Humpty Hump ("The Odd Couple,") or Chubb Rock ("No Rubber, No Backstage Pass") or providing the beat for Roxanne Shanté ("Def Fresh Crew") or Chubb again ("Mr. Large.") His partnerships seemingly proved both his accessibility and friendliness as an artist, something fans clearly picked up on.
Though a cause of death has not been listed yet, Biz was known to suffer from Diabetes later in life, allegedly resulting in a stroke that was the beginning of the very end in hindsight. He apparently took the disease seriously, however, losing weight and telling reporters he wanted to live a healthier life. While he could have retired from performing altogether, he, instead, took a more senior statesman role and found new ways to interact with fans, whether it was teaching healthy cooking classes or how to DJ."
"I had the great enjoyment to take one of the DJ classes and while I never learned a damn thing in the class, it really was an opportunity to watch Biz play DJ and pose for [pics] while his crew hit on the prettiest girls in attendance. Even if it wasn't the most educational endeavor, not one person left that room without a smile on his/her face. As part of the class, Biz recorded a short DJ intro for each participant. For me, it was, "my name is Biz Markie and I goes like this and I'm with my man by the name of DJ Cool Chris in the house." He, then, proceeded to argue with my brother over my brother's name, having mistakenly heard him say "Matt," instead of "Pat" and apparently not wanting to re-record the intro. Can you honestly say you've ever had a Golden Age of Hip-Hop legend tell you that you didn't know your own name? I thought not. Biz Markie was more than "Just A Friend." The man was a larger than life legend. Hip-Hop-dom is poorer for his absence."
- Chris Daly (@oddbodkins)