Marcel Theo Hall (April 8, 1964 - July 16, 2021), known professionally as Biz Markie, was an American rapper, record producer, beatboxer, DJ and comedian. He was best known for his single "Just a Friend" which was an American Top 10 hit in 1989. Hall was known as "the Clown Prince of Hip Hop" for his humorous and lighthearted lyrics.
He began his career as a member of the Juice Crew and helped his friend Big Daddy Kane join the group with him. Kane, in return, wrote the majority of the lyrics on Hall's debut album, Goin' Off, in 1988. Hall's second album, The Biz Never Sleeps, was released the following year and included "Just a Friend".
Hall ran into controversy when his 1991 album I Need a Haircut was released, due to the song "Alone Again", which sampled the song "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan. The case was taken to court after a complaint by O'Sullivan, where it was decided that all future hip hop samples had to be cleared with the original artist before being used. Hall's next album, titled All Samples Cleared!, was released in 1993, but his career had been hurt by the lawsuit and it would be another ten years until he released another album.
For the remainder of the 1990s, Hall occasionally made television appearances and was affiliated with the Beastie Boys. He starred as an alien in Men in Black II in 2002. His final album, Weekend Warrior, was released in 2003. In his later career, Hall made regular appearances on the children's television program Yo Gabba Gabba! and performed DJ sets.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 1988: Goin' Off
- 1989: The Biz Never Sleeps
- 1991: I Need a Haircut
- 1993: All Samples Cleared!
- 2003: Weekend Warrior
Extended plays[]
- 1986: Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz