Celebrating the Life and Times of Biz Markie
How a beloved New York rapper stole the hearts of many with his jubilancy and charm
The east coast loses a very beloved rapper, Marcel Theo Hall, aka Biz Markie whose breakthrough 1989 hit “Just a Friend” became a staple from rap festivals to karaoke bars. In 2009, Heineken used “Just a Friend” in a singalong commercial that added to its popularity. His legacy of artistry has been sown in the fabric of the music industry and will forever be celebrated by his peers and beloved fans from a career that spanned over thirty-five years.
Biz Markie born Marcel Theo Hall on April 8, 1964, in Harlem, New York was a pivotal figure in early hip-hop, aka, a trailblazer best known for his “Just a Friend” single that yet reverberates in many musical venues. He was raised in Long Island, New York, and gained fame all around New York City’s street party circuit where he was creative with imitating the sound of drum machines and turntables, that he invoked on another breakthrough single, “Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz”, and his debut album, “Goin Off.”
Biz Markie was also known for his playfulness, sense of looseness, self-aware charm, and off-key, enthusiastic musicality sat him apart from other well-known rappers. His niche became his signature as it had pop potential. His talent permitted him to collaborate with the likes of Freddie Scott, Beastie Boys, 50 Cent, Nas, Johnny Paycheck, Beastie Boys, Men In Black II, and Anthrax. Also, his second LP, “The Biz Never Sleeps,” contained the single, “Just a Friend,”, that reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, and thereby became his signature for his entire career.
His personality adored him to many fans as he was labeled an affable and lovable guy who earned the unofficial name, goodwill ambassador of early hip hop. In addition to being a highly adored and recognized rapper, he had a stint as a DJ on the short-live VH! game show, “Hip Hop Squares”, hosted SiriusXM radio, his hip-hop show, and “Yo Gabba Gabba”, a Nickelodeon show.
Biz Markie enjoyed his life and continued to tour in spite of issues stemming from being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2010. Ten years later, in 2020, he was hospitalized due to complications from the disease, as he had lost prior a lot of weight.
April 2021, it was announced on a morning radio show, “The Breakfast Club”, that Biz Markie had recently suffered a stroke and was in rehabilitation, getting better and stronger daily. It is not known directly what attributed to his death at the age of 57.
In conclusion, Biz Markie left a legacy that will be forever cherished and remembered by all his peers and fans that he touched with his bawdy charm and jubilancy as he became one of the most idiosyncratic hip-hop figures ever to break into the top 10 music chart.
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