Champion of The Underdog: An Appreciation of The Life & Work of Biz Markie, Vol. 6 - An Ode to The Biz, Pt. 1-2 By: Egon (Re-published)

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


"An Ode to The Biz, Pt. 1: This Donovan album, [The Hurdy Gurdy Man,] which I just pulled out to play a few days ago, is one of those rare 60's Rock albums that sounds superb in both Stereo & Mono Mixes. The Stereo Version can be found anywhere and should be in every record enthusiast's collection. The Mono Version was made for radio stations and is rather impossible to find—but Sundazed re-issued it in 2013 and that's one you can purchase and I recommend it, too. For while, you [could] easily find the Mono 45 of the title track, [but] you [could not] hear the Mono Version of "Get Thy Bearings," unless you [heard] the LP and that song is what this post is about. This is a tribute to the Hip-Hop catalyst Biz Markie, who died yesterday and whose music is a fixture in my life.

Anyone who was into Hip-Hop in the 80's knew Biz Markie and not just because of his hit, "Just A Friend," but because of how ubiquitous his music was. And he was one of the first deep samplers (and notoriously, the first deep sampler to get deeply busted, in a court case that even hit the tabloids, at the time.) I found out about so many records because they were source material for Biz Markie songs. One I found, independently, was "Get Thy Bearings," as my record collecting and graffiti mentor, Dooley-O, used the original song as a backdrop for a late night New Haven bombing session that he aired on his Public Access TV show, Graffiti TV. I must have been 16 when I inquired as to what the song was. He told me and told me that Biz sampled it for "I Told You" and I heard Biz rapping over Donovan singing and it just sounded to good to be true."


"An Ode to The Biz, Pt. 2: When I first met Peanut Butter Wolf and we got to talking about our favorite samples, I told him about "I Told You." He, too, liked "Get Thy Bearings" and he knew Biz well. He told me something incredulous—that Biz had told him that he had a 45 of "Get Thy Bearings" with the Vocal Version on one side and an Instrumental on the flip side. He, also, told me that Biz was quite the record collecting fibber and that he had told him of all types of "records" he "had" in what was rumored to be a second house he'd purchased JUST to store his collection. (It turns out many of them, actually, did exist, but back in those days, when The Internet was Dial-up Speed and pretty useless for arcane vinyl knowledge, what could we know?) I asked [Wolf] if he would give me Biz's number, as I just had to know more. He said he would talk to Biz and get back to me. And he did. I called Biz one day from my dorm room and he picked up and we got to talking. About five minutes in, we got to the subject of the Donovan 45.

Biz quickly told me the story that he'd told Wolf and I asked the only obvious question—"if he had an Instrumental, why did he rap over Donovan singing?" His response was immediate and as perfect as his song: he had "sampled the Instrumental," Biz said, but, then, he "went back and overlaid a second sample of the singing atop, as well. It just sounded better that way." Some years later, after I moved to Los Angeles and started Now-Again [Records] and had given up on ever finding this mythical Donovan 45, I was talking with Dan Ubick of the group Connie Price & The Keystones about our favorite moments of the Hippie Era. We quickly met at the Donovan nexus and I told him the story of Biz's "Get Thy Bearings" 45. I forget, if it was Dan, who suggested it, or me, but we decided we would make the 45. Wolf would sing the Vocal Version. The flip side would be an Instrumental. I put out that 45 in early 2003. And the first person I sent a copy to was Biz Markie. R.I.P. to one of the greatest to ever do this thing that we love so much and with such sincerity, humor, and [aplomb]."

- Originally posted by Egon (@nowagain) on Instagram