ttbl, *1964 US, Egg Harbor City, New Jersey
Hip-Hop/Rap
A.k.a. Marcel Theo Hall Marcel Hall
Biz Markie (born Marcel Hall April 8, 1964 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American East Coast hip hop artist best known for humorous singles like "Just a Friend". Markie's career began in the early 1980s as a performer, then a human beatbox for MC Shan and Roxanne Shante, among others. He signed to the Cold Chillin' record label in 1988 and released Goin' Off, an underground hit. "Just a Friend" (from The Biz Never Sleeps) was released the following year, and it became a mainstream hit in the United States. As one of hip hop's biggest stars of the time, Biz had a lot of pressure for his third album, I Need a Haircut. The album was a commercial disaster, exacerbated by a lawsuit from Gilbert O'Sullivan for sampling "Alone Again (Naturally)" in the song "Alone Again". The lawsuit, Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Brothers Records, Inc., changed hip hop forever, as afterwards, all samples were cleared with the original artist before they could be used. Biz continued his career in 1993, releasing All Samples Cleared!, but the record was another commercial disappointment. For the next few years, Biz worked with the Beastie Boys occasionally, began DJing and kept a low profile. Within the last few years, Biz appeared in Men in Black II with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. In 2005, Biz was featured on the VH1 television reality show, "Celebrity Fit Club", where overweight celebrities are shown attempting to lose weight. He has also made a career as a DJ, giving performances where he uses his somewhat voluminous gut to move a record on a turntable and thus scratch.
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
I Can't Believe It's Really Happening | Biz Markie & Wayne Coyne / Rocket From The Crypt | 2012 | Single |
When I Fall In Studda Step | Biz Markie | 2010 | Single |
Make The Music With Your Mouth, Biz / Just Rhymin' With Biz | Biz Markie Featuring TJ Swan / Big Daddy Kane | 2010 | Single |
Diabolical: The Biz's Greatest Hits | Biz Markie | 2009 | Compil. |
Just A Friend EP | Biz Markie | 2009 | Album |
Tribute To Scratch | Biz Markie | 2009 | Album |
Ultimate Diabolical | Biz Markie | 2007 | Compil. |
Legends Volume 6 | Biz Markie | 2007 | Compil. |
Turn Back The Hands Of Time | Biz Markie | 2004 | Album |
Chinese Food / Do Your Thang | Biz Markie | 2004 | Album |
Friends EP | Biz Markie | 2004 | Album |
Glue / Scrape Your Back Out | Mr. Complex Feat. Biz Markie & L-Fudge | 2003 | Album |
Let Me See U Bounce | Biz Markie | 2003 | Single |
Weekend Warrior | Biz Markie | 2003 | Album |
Games / Tear Shit Up | Biz Markie | 2003 | Album |
Weekend Warrior | Biz Markie | 2003 | Album |
Greatest Hits | Biz Markie | 2002 | Compil. |
I'm Hungry / Mudd Foot | Biz Markie | 2002 | Album |
Turn Tha Party Out / Monumental | Biz Markie / Lone Catalysts | 2001 | Album |
It's On / It's Da Biz | MC Lyte / Biz Markie | 2001 | Album |
Turn Tha Party Out | Biz Markie | 2001 | Album |
...And I Rock / Interview | Biz Markie / Sadat X | 2001 | Album |
The Best Of Cold Chillin' (Goin' Off + The Biz Never Sleeps) | Biz Markie | 2001 | Album |
Something For The People | Nigo Featuring Biz Markie | 2000 | Album |
The Best Of Cold Chilin' | Biz Markie | 2000 | Compil. |
Biz Markie On The Turntable 2 | Biz Markie | 2000 | Album |
So Fresh | Will Smith Featuring Biz Markie & Slick Rick | 1999 | Album |
Its Da Bizmarkie | Biz Markie | 1999 | Album |
Diggin' On Blue | Biz Markie | 1999 | Album |
Something For The Radio / The Mudd Foot | Biz Markie | 1998 | Album |
The Game | Def Squad featuring Biz Markie | 1998 | Single |
Biz Markie On The Turntable | Biz Markie | 1998 | Album |
Studda Step / Harlem Kids Get Biz | Biz Markie / Herb McGruff | 1996 | Album |
Studda Step | Biz Markie | 1996 | Album |
A Message From The Biz | Biz Markie | 1995 | Album |
Just Rhymin' With Biz / Let Go My Eggo | Biz Markie | 1995 | Album |
Biz's Baddest Beats | Biz Markie | 1994 | Compil. |
All Samples Cleared! | Biz Markie | 1993 | Album |
Let Me Turn You On | Biz Markie | 1993 | Album |
Young Girl Bluez | Biz Markie | 1993 | Album |
What Comes Around Goes Around | Biz Markie | 1991 | Album |
I Need A Haircut | Biz Markie | 1991 | Album |
Take It From The Top (Instrumental) | Biz Markie | 1991 | Single |
T.S.R. (Toilet Stool Rap) / Busy Doing Nuthin' | Biz Markie | 1991 | Single |
Mini Comp #146 | Biz Markie / Ice-T | 1990 | Single |
Just A Friend | Biz Markie | 1989 | Single |
Just A Friend / Spring Again (Remix) | Biz Markie | 1989 | Single |
The Biz Never Sleeps | Biz Markie | 1989 | Album |
Spring Again | Biz Markie | 1989 | Single |
Vapors / Comin Thru / Off On Your Own (Girl) | Biz Markie, Al B. Sure!, Ice-T, Royalty | 1988 | Album |
This Is Something For The Radio | Biz Markie | 1988 | Album |
Biz Is Goin' Off | Biz Markie | 1988 | Single |
Vapors | Biz Markie | 1988 | Album |
Goin' Off | Biz Markie | 1988 | Album |
Pickin' Boogers | Biz Markie | 1987 | Album |
Nobody Beats The Biz | Biz Markie Featuring TJ Swan | 1987 | Album |
Make The Music With Your Mouth, Biz | Biz Markie Featuring TJ Swan | 1986 | Album |
Vapors (Remix) | Biz Markie | Compil. | |
Untitled | Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie | Compil. | |
Untitled | Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Marley Marl, Salt 'N' Pepa | Compil. | |
It's The Biz Markie / Showdown / The Pussy Medley | Biz Markie / Buckshot, 5 Ft. Accelerator, Evil Dee / DJ Quik | Album | |
Untitled | Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie | Compil. |