Biz Markie
Encyclopedia
Marcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name
, Biz Markie, is an American
rapper, beatboxer
, DJ
, comedian
, singer, reality television
personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989. In 2008, "Just a Friend" made #100 on VH1
's list of the 100 greatest hip hop songs of all time.
Markie has been called "the Clown Prince of Hip Hop."
, New York in the early 1980s, where he established his reputation for beat-boxing and rapping. MC Shan
and Roxanne Shante
were part of Marley Marl
's Cold Chillin' Records
, and Biz beatboxed on Shante's underground hit "Def Fresh Crew" (1986). This lent credibility to his recording career and put Cold Chillin' on the map. In the same year, Biz Markie's debut single, "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz", was released on Prism Records
. He released his debut album, Goin' Off
, which attracted a fair amount of attention, largely due to the lead single, "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz". The album also featured the underground hit singles "Nobody Beats The Biz", "The Vapors" and "Pickin' Boogers".
I Need a Haircut sales were already low when Markie was served a lawsuit by Gilbert O'Sullivan
, who claimed that the album's Alone Again featured an unauthorized sample from his hit "Alone Again (Naturally)
". O'Sullivan's claim was upheld in a landmark ruling, Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records, Inc., that altered the landscape of hip-hop, finding that all samples must be cleared with the original artist before being used. In accordance with the ruling, Warner Bros., the parent company of Cold Chillin', had to pull I Need a Haircut from circulation, and all companies had to clear samples with the samples' creators before releasing the records. This development reflected the increasing popularity of hip-hop and the financial stakes over which releases were set. Biz responded in 1993 with the mischievously titled All Samples Cleared!, but his career had been hurt by the publicity emanating from the lawsuit, and the record suffered accordingly. For the remainder of the decade, he occasionally made television appearances, including guest appearances on In Living Color
(including as Damian "Foosball" Franklin in the recurring sketch "The Dirty dicks" and as Marlon Cain in "Ed Bacon: Guidance Counselor") and in a 1996 freestyle rap
commercial on MTV2
. He also made numerous guest appearances with the Beastie Boys
, "Check Your Head
" (1992), "Ill Communication
" (1994), "Hello Nasty
" (1998), and their anthology The Sounds of Science (1999). He also rapped on the song "Schizo Jam", on Don Byron's 1998 release, "Nu Blaxploitation" (Blue Note/Capitol) and worked with Canibus
on the first track on the Office Space soundtrack (1999). He also rapped on the track "So Fresh" alongside Slick Rick
on Will Smith
's 1999 album "Willennium
".
In 1996, he appeared on the Red Hot Organization
's compilation CD, America is Dying Slowly
, alongside Wu-Tang Clan
, Coolio
, and Fat Joe
, among others. The CD, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men, was heralded as a masterpiece by The Source
magazine.
In 1997 he appeared on the Rolling Stones' song Anybody Seen My Baby?
on their album Bridges to Babylon
. His part was shortened on some radio versions.
In 2002, he appeared as an alien in Men in Black II
with Will Smith
and Tommy Lee Jones
, essentially playing an alien parody of himself, whose native language sounded exactly like beatboxing
. Between 2002 and 2003 he appeared in episode 5 of the TV series Fastlane
playing himself as a nightclub DJ. In 2003 he appeared in the international television series titled Kung Faux
performing a series of voice over characters featured in a variety of episodes. In 2004, his song The Vapors appeared on the soundtrack of Rockstar
's popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
which featured an old school hip hop
radio station, Playback FM. In 2005, Biz detoured from his recording duties to appear on the first season of the television show Celebrity Fit Club
which challenged celebrities to lose weight by a combination of diet and exercise. Biz Markie lost more weight than anybody else in the competition. That year, he was also in an episode of The Andy Milonakis Show
.
Biz Markie was a cast member on Nick Cannon
's Wild 'n Out
, seasons 1 and 3. Biz also does the beatboxing segment, Biz's Beat of the Day on the Nick Jr.
show Yo Gabba Gabba!
.
Biz Markie began 2008 opening for Chris Rock
's "No Apologies" tour. Biz Markie's act includes spinning records ranging from old school hip hop
to Lynyrd Skynyrd
and then performing "Just a Friend". Biz Markie's playlist includes the following: "Children's Story
" by Slick Rick
, "Rapper's Delight
" by The Sugarhill Gang
, "Billie Jean
" by Michael Jackson
, "Holiday
" by Madonna
, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!
, "It Takes Two
" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
, "The Breaks
" by Kurtis Blow
and "Robot Rock
" by Daft Punk
.
In December 2009, Biz Markie appeared in a RadioShack
commercial, repeating the line: "Oh Snap! Guess what I saw!" from his song "Just A Friend". That same year saw his debut with Andy Milonakis
in television commercials for the commercial Internet service, Tune Up.
In 2010, Biz Markie appeared on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, providing commentary throughout the series. Biz Markie himself was not included on the list.
On November 9, 2010, Biz appeared on The Aquabats! new EP, Radio Down!
in the title track.
On November 11, 2010, Biz sat in with The Roots on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and performed "Just a Friend" with actor Jeff Goldblum
.
Biz Markie also appeared in the Adventure Time
season two episode Slow Love, which aired on November 15, 2010.
On September 8, 2011, Biz Markie sat in with Umphrey's McGee at The Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY and sang vocals on a cover of Steve Miller's "The Joker" for the encore on night three of the band's 4-night run.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
, Biz Markie, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper, beatboxer
Beatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
, DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, singer, reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989. In 2008, "Just a Friend" made #100 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's list of the 100 greatest hip hop songs of all time.
Markie has been called "the Clown Prince of Hip Hop."
Life and career
Biz Markie's career began on Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York in the early 1980s, where he established his reputation for beat-boxing and rapping. MC Shan
MC Shan
MC Shan is an American rapper. He is perhaps best known for collaborating with Snow in "Informer", an international number one hit single.-Biography:...
and Roxanne Shante
Roxanne Shanté
Roxanne Shanté is an American hip-hop pioneer. Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects, Shanté first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and her association with the Juice Crew....
were part of Marley Marl
Marley Marl
Marlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is an American DJ and record producer, who is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
's Cold Chillin' Records
Cold Chillin' Records
Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released some important music in the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. A producer-and-crew label founded by manager Tyrone Williams and run by Len Fichtelberg Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released some...
, and Biz beatboxed on Shante's underground hit "Def Fresh Crew" (1986). This lent credibility to his recording career and put Cold Chillin' on the map. In the same year, Biz Markie's debut single, "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz", was released on Prism Records
Prism Records
Prism Records was an American record label formed in 1978 by Len Fichtelberg. It was originally an independent label, focusing on the New York R&B and disco music scene of the day...
. He released his debut album, Goin' Off
Goin' Off
Goin' Off is the debut studio album by Biz Markie, a US hip hop musician. The album was released by Cold Chillin' Records, and produced by Marley Marl. The album was praised for its wit and humor. Big Daddy Kane wrote the lyrics of the album's first five songs...
, which attracted a fair amount of attention, largely due to the lead single, "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz". The album also featured the underground hit singles "Nobody Beats The Biz", "The Vapors" and "Pickin' Boogers".
I Need a Haircut sales were already low when Markie was served a lawsuit by Gilbert O'Sullivan
Gilbert O'Sullivan
Gilbert O'Sullivan is an Irish-English singer-songwriter, best known for his early 1970s hits "Alone Again ", "Clair" and "Get Down". The music magazine, Record Mirror, voted him the No...
, who claimed that the album's Alone Again featured an unauthorized sample from his hit "Alone Again (Naturally)
Alone Again (Naturally)
"Alone Again " is a song by Irish singer–songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan. It was released in 1972, and in total spent six weeks, non-consecutively, at #1 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. In Casey Kasem's American 'Top 40 of the 1970s', "Alone Again " ranked as the fifth...
". O'Sullivan's claim was upheld in a landmark ruling, Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records, Inc., that altered the landscape of hip-hop, finding that all samples must be cleared with the original artist before being used. In accordance with the ruling, Warner Bros., the parent company of Cold Chillin', had to pull I Need a Haircut from circulation, and all companies had to clear samples with the samples' creators before releasing the records. This development reflected the increasing popularity of hip-hop and the financial stakes over which releases were set. Biz responded in 1993 with the mischievously titled All Samples Cleared!, but his career had been hurt by the publicity emanating from the lawsuit, and the record suffered accordingly. For the remainder of the decade, he occasionally made television appearances, including guest appearances on In Living Color
In Living Color
In Living Color is an American sketch comedy television series, which originally ran on the Fox Network from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers Keenen and Damon Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with 20th Century...
(including as Damian "Foosball" Franklin in the recurring sketch "The Dirty dicks" and as Marlon Cain in "Ed Bacon: Guidance Counselor") and in a 1996 freestyle rap
Freestyle rap
Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head"...
commercial on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
. He also made numerous guest appearances with the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
, "Check Your Head
Check Your Head
Check Your Head is the third studio album by the Beastie Boys, released on April 21, 1992.Three years elapsed between the release of Paul's Boutique and their recording of this album. Check Your Head was recorded at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village, California in 1991...
" (1992), "Ill Communication
Ill Communication
Ill Communication is the fourth studio album by the Beastie Boys. It was released on May 24, 1994 via Grand Royal Records. It was remastered and made available on the Beastie Boys' Web site on July 7, 2009....
" (1994), "Hello Nasty
Hello Nasty
Hello Nasty is the fifth studio album by the Beastie Boys. It was released on July 14, 1998 via Capitol Records and sold 681,000 copies in its first week, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 album sales chart...
" (1998), and their anthology The Sounds of Science (1999). He also rapped on the song "Schizo Jam", on Don Byron's 1998 release, "Nu Blaxploitation" (Blue Note/Capitol) and worked with Canibus
Canibus
Germaine Williams , better known by his stage name Canibus, is a Jamaican-born American rapper. He is a part of supergroup The HRSMN. Canibus rose to fame in the mid-nineties...
on the first track on the Office Space soundtrack (1999). He also rapped on the track "So Fresh" alongside Slick Rick
Slick Rick
Richard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
on Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
's 1999 album "Willennium
Willennium
Willennium is Will Smith's second solo studio album. It was released on the heels of Smith's unprecedented success, Big Willie Style.-Album information:...
".
In 1996, he appeared on the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
's compilation CD, America is Dying Slowly
America Is Dying Slowly
America Is Dying Slowly is a compilation album, the eighth in the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series of recorded by the Red Hot Organization...
, alongside Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
, Coolio
Coolio
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. , better known by the stage name Coolio, is an American musician, rapper, actor and record producer.-Late 80s:He recorded two singles in the late 80s, titled "Watcha Gonna Do" and "You're Gonna Miss Me"...
, and Fat Joe
Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
, among others. The CD, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men, was heralded as a masterpiece by The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
magazine.
In 1997 he appeared on the Rolling Stones' song Anybody Seen My Baby?
Anybody Seen My Baby?
"Anybody Seen My Baby?" is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones featured on their 1997 album Bridges to Babylon.Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song also carries writing credits for k.d. lang and Ben Mink. The song is known for its chorus, which sounds strikingly...
on their album Bridges to Babylon
Bridges to Babylon
Bridges to Babylon is a studio album by British rock band The Rolling Stones, released by Virgin Records on 29 September 1997. It would prove to be the band's final studio album of the 1990s and their last full-length release of new songs until 2005's A Bigger Bang...
. His part was shortened on some radio versions.
In 2002, he appeared as an alien in Men in Black II
Men in Black II
Men in Black II is a 2002 science fiction action comedy starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The film also stars Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson and Rip Torn...
with Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
and Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
, essentially playing an alien parody of himself, whose native language sounded exactly like beatboxing
Beatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
. Between 2002 and 2003 he appeared in episode 5 of the TV series Fastlane
Fastlane (TV series)
Fastlane is an American action/crime drama series that was broadcast on Fox from 2002 to 2003. On August 14, 2005 G4 began rebroadcasting the complete series. After finishing its initial run on the network, Fastlane stopped airing on G4...
playing himself as a nightclub DJ. In 2003 he appeared in the international television series titled Kung Faux
Kung Faux
Kung Faux is a critically acclaimed comedy television and DVD series created by Mic Neumann that remixes classic kung fu movies with popular music, comic book style editing and video game style special effects, and new voice-over dubbing from primarily hip hop personalities and pop culture...
performing a series of voice over characters featured in a variety of episodes. In 2004, his song The Vapors appeared on the soundtrack of Rockstar
Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games is a major video game developer and publisher based in New York City, owned by Take-Two Interactive following its purchase of UK video game publisher BMG Interactive. The brand is mostly known for Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, L.A...
's popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
which featured an old school hip hop
Old school hip hop
Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...
radio station, Playback FM. In 2005, Biz detoured from his recording duties to appear on the first season of the television show Celebrity Fit Club
Celebrity Fit Club (U.S. TV series)
Celebrity Fit Club is a reality television series which follows eight overweight celebrities as they try to lose weight.This show is based on the British version, which aired on the ITV Network from 2002 until 2006...
which challenged celebrities to lose weight by a combination of diet and exercise. Biz Markie lost more weight than anybody else in the competition. That year, he was also in an episode of The Andy Milonakis Show
The Andy Milonakis Show
The Andy Milonakis Show is an American sketch comedy television show starring Andy Milonakis, which aired on MTV2, the first season having aired on MTV...
.
Biz Markie was a cast member on Nick Cannon
Nick Cannon
Nicholas Scott "Nick" Cannon is an American actor, comedian, rapper, entrepreneur, record producer, radio, and television personality. On television, Cannon began as a teenage sketch comedian on All That before going on to host The Nick Cannon Show, Wild 'N Out, and America's Got Talent...
's Wild 'n Out
Wild 'N Out
Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'n Out is a game show on MTV starring Nick Cannon.-Premise:Similar in premise to game-type shows such as Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the show puts two teams of comedians: the "Red Squad", captained by Cannon and contained Katt Williams for the first 3 seasons, and the "Black...
, seasons 1 and 3. Biz also does the beatboxing segment, Biz's Beat of the Day on the Nick Jr.
Nick Jr.
Nick Jr. was a programming block on the Nickelodeon television channel, seen on Nickelodeon weekday mornings. It was aimed at a preschool-age audience ages 6 and under. On September 28, 2009, Nick Jr. became its own official channel, replacing Noggin...
show Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba!
Yo Gabba Gabba! is an American children's television show currently airing on the Nick Jr. cable network in the United States and the Nick Jr. networks in the United Kingdom & Ireland, Italy, France and Australia as well as Treehouse TV network in Canada and RTE2 on RTEjr see Raidió Teilifís...
.
Biz Markie began 2008 opening for Chris Rock
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
's "No Apologies" tour. Biz Markie's act includes spinning records ranging from old school hip hop
Old school hip hop
Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...
to Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
and then performing "Just a Friend". Biz Markie's playlist includes the following: "Children's Story
Children's Story
"Children's Story" is a single by British-born American hip hop artist Slick Rick, from his album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.-Reception:It's on the list of the top 100 rap songs, and is ranked #61 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop....
" by Slick Rick
Slick Rick
Richard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
, "Rapper's Delight
Rapper's Delight
"Rapper's Delight" is a 1979 single by American hip hop trio The Sugarhill Gang. While it was not the first single to feature rapping, it is generally considered to be the song that first popularized hip hop in the United States and around the world. The song's opening lyric "I said a hip hop, a...
" by The Sugarhill Gang
The Sugarhill Gang
The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop group, known mostly for their 1979 hit, "Rapper's Delight", the first hip hop single to become a Top 40 hit. The song uses the instrumental track from the classic hit "Good Times" by Chic as its foundation....
, "Billie Jean
Billie Jean
"Billie Jean" is a dance-pop/R&B song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was written, composed, and co-produced by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones from the singer's sixth album, Thriller . Originally disliked by Jones, the track was almost removed from the album after he and...
" by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, "Holiday
Holiday (Madonna song)
"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. Released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records, it later appeared remixed on the 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance and the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the...
" by Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!
WHAM!
Wham! were a short-lived British musical duo formed by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with an American band....
, "It Takes Two
It Takes Two (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock song)
"It Takes Two" is a 1988 hip hop song by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock and produced by Teddy Riley that was later certified platinum. The song samples heavily from Lyn Collins' 1972 song "Think ", using multiple drum breaks, the well known "Woo! Yeah!" sample, as well as the lyric sung by Collins which...
" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock are a hip-hop duo from Harlem, New York who are best known for their hit "It Takes Two." The duo consists of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock .- Career :Their first U.S...
, "The Breaks
The Breaks
The Breaks is an American 1999 comedy film written by and starring Mitch Mullany and directed by Eric Meza. The plot involves a day in the life of Derrick King, an Irish kid raised by a black family in Los Angeles, as he is kicked out of his house and suffers various other mishaps before eventually...
" by Kurtis Blow
Kurtis Blow
Kurt Walker , better known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the first commercially successful rappers and the first to sign with a major record label...
and "Robot Rock
Robot Rock (song)
"Robot Rock" is the first single from Daft Punk's 2005 album Human After All. Whilst the single reached a moderately high chart position, many critics found the song overly repetitive...
" by Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
.
In December 2009, Biz Markie appeared in a RadioShack
RadioShack
RadioShack Corporation is an American franchise of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe, South America and Africa. As of 2008, RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 billion. The headquarters of RadioShack is located in Downtown...
commercial, repeating the line: "Oh Snap! Guess what I saw!" from his song "Just A Friend". That same year saw his debut with Andy Milonakis
Andy Milonakis
Andrew Michael "Andy" Milonakis is an American actor, writer, rapper, and comedian of Greek descent best known for creating and starring in The Andy Milonakis Show on MTV and MTV2.-Life and career:...
in television commercials for the commercial Internet service, Tune Up.
In 2010, Biz Markie appeared on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, providing commentary throughout the series. Biz Markie himself was not included on the list.
On November 9, 2010, Biz appeared on The Aquabats! new EP, Radio Down!
Radio Down!
Radio Down! is an EP single by American band The Aquabats, released on November 9, 2010.-Overview:The Aquabats had announced plans earlier in the year for their next studio album to be released on this date, though a last-minute deal with Fearless Records postponed the album's release to January...
in the title track.
On November 11, 2010, Biz sat in with The Roots on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and performed "Just a Friend" with actor Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum
Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum is an American actor. His career began in the mid-1970s and he has appeared in major box-office successes including The Fly, Jurassic Park and its sequel Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and Independence Day...
.
Biz Markie also appeared in the Adventure Time
Adventure Time
Adventure Time was a local children's television show on WTAE-TV 4 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1959 to 1975. It was hosted by the late Paul Shannon, with guitarist Joe Negri and puppeteer Jim Martin...
season two episode Slow Love, which aired on November 15, 2010.
On September 8, 2011, Biz Markie sat in with Umphrey's McGee at The Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY and sang vocals on a cover of Steve Miller's "The Joker" for the encore on night three of the band's 4-night run.
Studio albums
- 1988: Goin' OffGoin' OffGoin' Off is the debut studio album by Biz Markie, a US hip hop musician. The album was released by Cold Chillin' Records, and produced by Marley Marl. The album was praised for its wit and humor. Big Daddy Kane wrote the lyrics of the album's first five songs...
- 1989: The Biz Never SleepsThe Biz Never SleepsThe Biz Never Sleeps is the second studio album by Biz Markie. It was released on October 10, 1989, on Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros. Records and was produced by Biz, his cousin Cool V and seminal producer Paul C, instead of Cold Chillin' in-house producer Marley Marl...
- 1991: I Need a HaircutI Need a HaircutI Need a Haircut is the third studio album by Biz Markie. It was released on August 27, 1991, on Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros. Records and was produced by Biz Markie and his cousin Cool V...
- 1993: All Samples Cleared!All Samples Cleared!All Samples Cleared! is the fourth studio album by Biz Markie. It was released on June 2, 1993; produced by Biz and his cousin Cool V; and was his final studio album released by Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros. Records. The album was not much of a success, only peaking at #43 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop...
- 2003: Weekend WarriorWeekend Warrior (album)Weekend Warrior is the fifth and latest studio album by the American recording artist Biz Markie, released in November 18, 2003, on Tommy Boy Entertainment, ten years after his last release, his 1993 album, All Samples Cleared! Production was handled by Cool V, DJ Mark the 45 King, and Biz Markie...
Compilations
- 1994: Biz's Baddest BeatsBiz's Baddest BeatsBiz's Baddest Beats is a compilation album by Biz Markie. It was released on July 1, 1994, on Cold Chillin' Records.-Track listing:#"One Two"- 2:20#"Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz"- 4:56#"Biz Dance, Pt...
- 1996: Schoolhouse Rock! RocksSchoolhouse Rock! RocksSchoolhouse Rock! Rocks is a tribute album based on the Emmy Award-winning animated TV series, Schoolhouse Rock!. It was released by Atlantic/Hollywood Records in 1996 and contains 15 tracks, the original "Schoolhouse Rocky" theme and covers of 14 songs from the series performed by popular music...
- 1998: On the TurntableOn the TurntableOn the Turntable is a mix album released by Biz Markie. A follow-up was released in 2000, titled On the Turntable 2.-Track listing:#"My Automobile"- 2:04#"Which Way"- 1:17#"I Like It"- 1:00#"L.A...
- 2000: On the Turntable 2On the Turntable 2On the Turntable 2 is a second Mix album released by Biz Markie. It was the follow-up to 1998's On the Turntable.-Track listing:#"Intro"#"Watcha See Is Watcha Get"#"Play The Blues For You"#"Never Grow Old"#"Food Stamps"#"I Like It"...
- 2002: Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (Biz Markie album)Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Biz Markie. It was released on May 7, 2002 for Landspeed Records.-Track listing:#"Biz Dance, Pt. 1"- 3:41#"Nobody Beats the Biz"- 5:04#"Biz Is Goin' Off"- 4:51#"Vapors"- 4:33#"I Hear Music"- 3:49...
- 2006: Make the Music with Your Mouth, BizMake the Music with Your Mouth, BizMake the Music with Your Mouth, Biz is a compilation album by Biz Markie. It was released in 2006 on Cold Chillin' Records and was produced by Marley Marl.-Track listing:#"Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz"- 5:15#"The Biz Dance"- 3:40...
- 2009: Ultimate Diabolical
- 2009: "Yo Gabba Gabba Music is Awesome!"
- 2010: The AquabatsThe AquabatsThe Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
Radio Down!Radio Down!Radio Down! is an EP single by American band The Aquabats, released on November 9, 2010.-Overview:The Aquabats had announced plans earlier in the year for their next studio album to be released on this date, though a last-minute deal with Fearless Records postponed the album's release to January...
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
U.S. Rap Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single... |
|||
| 1987 | "Make the Music with Your Mouth" | — | 84 | — | Goin' Off |
| 1988 | "Vapors" | — | 37 | — | |
| 1989 | "Just a Friend" | 9 | 22 | 5 | The Biz Never Sleeps |
| 1991 | "What Comes Around Goes Around" | — | 84 | 4 | I Need a Haircut |
| 1993 | "Let Me Turn You On" | — | — | 7 | All Samples Cleared! |
| 1993 | "Young Girl Bluez" | — | — | 4 | |