Rapper Biz Markie
In a statement to USA TODAY, his manager, Jenni Izumi, confirmed Rapper Biz Markie ‘s death. At the time, he was 57 years old.
Biz Markie was an American rapper, singer, DJ, record producer, actor, comedian, and writer. “Just a Friend,” his best recognized song, reached in the Top 40 in a number of countries in 1989.
Biz Markie cemented his place in hip-hop history with an off-key warble of a few phrases – “You, you have what I need.”
Following his platinum-selling Top 10 song “Just a Friend” in 1989, the rapper-producer-actor became a pop culture mainstay, appearing in TV programs such as “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “Black-ish.”
Jenni Izumi, Markie’s manager, confirmed his death to USA TODAY in a statement. He was 57 years old at the time.
“It is with great regret that we report that Hip Hop pioneer Rapper Biz Markie died away peacefully last evening, with his wife Tara at his side.”
We appreciate the many phone calls and prayers of support we’ve received during this trying time.
Read the statement carefully.
“Rapper Biz Markie created a legacy of artistry that will be remembered by his industry peers and the millions of fans whose lives he touched through music over the course of his 35-year career.
His bright personality, continuous jokes, and regular banter will be missed by his wife, numerous family members, and close friends.”
Rapper Biz Markie performs a song for Lucky Charms cereal.
Between 1991 and 2003, Biz Markie recorded three additional albums, but he never had any musical success beyond “Young Girl Bluez,” which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard rap chart in 1993.
However, a voice-over career (“Kung Faux,” “SpongeBob SquarePants”) and self-deprecating playing roles (“Sharknado 2: The Second”), as well as a self-deprecating acting career (“Sharknado 2: The Second One”) and a weekday program on SiriusXM’s LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells Radio channel in 2020 kept his name in the public eye.
The rapper, who was born in Harlem and suffers from Type 2 diabetes, told ABC in 2014 that doctors told him he may lose his feet.
“They warned me that I may lose bodily parts. Rapper Biz Markie stated, “A lot of things may happen.”
Rapper Biz Markie was admitted to a Maryland hospital for several weeks in July 2020 due to problems from his diabetes.
According to Izumi, Rapper Biz Markie was facing “severe health difficulties” earlier this month when false rumours of his death began to circulate.
Markie, dubbed the “Clown Prince of Hip-Hop” by the music business, began his career in the 1980s on the New York club scene and went on to play at universities around the Mid-Atlantic.
He explains his rap moniker and appeared at campuses around the Mid-Atlantic.
In a 2019 interview with the Washington Post, he revealed that his rap pseudonym was abbreviated from Bizzy B Markie and was an outgrowth of his local nickname, Markie.
“The Biz Never Sleeps,” the album that gave birth to “Just a Friend,” came after Markie’s 1988 debut and modest hit, “Vapors.”
Rapper Biz Markie had several TV and movie appearances, including multiple episodes of the sketch comedy show “In Living Color” and as a beatboxing extraterrestrial in “Men in Black II,” according to IMDB.
His discography concluded with 2003’s “Weekend Warrior.” For his segment “Biz’s Beat of the Day,” he made many appearances on the children’s show “Yo Gabba Gabba.”