Exposure of marl from the Matmor Formation (Jurassic) of southern Israel.

Scala dei Turchi coastal marl formation, southern Sicily.

Marl or marlstone is a calcium carbonate or lime-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and silt. The dominant carbonate mineral in most marls is calcite, but other carbonate minerals such as aragonite, dolomite, and siderite may be present. Marl was originally an old term loosely applied to a variety of materials, most of which occur as loose, earthy deposits consisting chiefly of an intimate mixture of clay and calcium carbonate, formed under freshwater conditions; specifically an earthy substance containing 35-65% clay and 65-35% carbonate.^[1] It also describes a habit of coralline red alga.^[2] The term is today often used to describe indurated marine deposits and lacustrine (lake) sediments which more accurately should be named marlstone. Marlstone is an indurated rock of about the same composition as marl, more correctly called an earthy or impure argillaceous limestone. It has a blocky subconchoidal fracture, and is less fissile than shale. The term marl is widely used in English-language geology, while the terms Mergel and Seekreide (German for "lake chalk") are used in European references.

Scheme of the transitional lithotypes from mud (or mudstone) to lime (or limestone), illustrating the definition of marl (marlstone) as a mix of calcium carbonate and clay.

The lower stratigraphic units of the chalk cliffs of Dover consist of a sequence of glauconitic marls followed by rhythmically-banded limestone and marl layers. Upper Cretaceous cyclic sequences in Germany and marl–opal-rich Tortonian-Messinian strata in the Sorbas basin related to multiple sea drawdown have been correlated with Milankovitch orbital forcing.^[3]

Marl as lacustrine sediment is common in post-glacial lake bed sediments, often found underlying peat bogs. It has been utilized as a soil conditioner and acid soil neutralizing agent.

See also[link]

Look up marl in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Agricultural lime
• Keuper marl
• Loam - which is sand and clay rather than lime and clay.

References[link]

• Schurrenberger, D., Russell, J. and Kerry Kelts. 2003. Classification of lacustrine sediments based on sedimentary components. Journal of Paleolimnology 29: 141-154.
• Chalk of Kent by C. S. Harris Accessed 11/06/2005
• Geochemistry and time-series analyses of orbitally forced Upper Cretaceous marl–limestone rhythmites, abstract Accessed 11/06/2005
• Palaeoenvironmental Interpretation of the Early Postglacial Sedimentary Record of a Marl Lake Accessed 11/06/2005

Marley Marl
Background information
Birth name	Marlon Williams
Born	(1962-09-30) September 30, 1962 (age 49) New York City, New York, United States
Origin	Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	CEO, DJ, record producer, rapper
Years active	1983–present
Labels	Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Juice Crew, Kool G. Rap, Rakim, King Tee, LL Cool J, KRS-One, Masta Ace

Marlon Williams (born September 30, 1962), 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[link]

In Hip-Hop's Golden Age, Marley Marl was the house producer of the Juice Crew, known for The Bridge Wars, a feud with Boogie Down Productions seen as one of the earliest and most influential hip hop beefs. The Juice Crew included Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shanté, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, Craig G, MC Shan and Masta Ace, and produced many songs for outside artists including King Tee, LL Cool J, and Lords of the Underground. He was also an important figure in the careers of Eric B. & Rakim, producing their first hits "My Melody" and "Eric B Is President".

Marl was the first to sample a breakbeat and reprogram it, which he did with The Honey Drippers' "Impeach the President" breakbeat on the MC Shan single "The Bridge" from 1985. This was an extremely important feat as it completely changed the way hip hop beats were made, as well as other sample based genres. In his early records, Marl mixed James Brown samples and synthetic beats in a fashion previously unheard of, for the most part.

Marl started his career working for Tuff City Records. He debuted as an electro producer and began with hip-hop hits like electronic based "The God-Father" by Spoonie Gee making his debut with his unique sampling techniques. He was also affiliated with Andre Harrell's Uptown Records as he was featured on the label posse cut "Uptown is Kickin' it" as well as producing for Uptown Artist and friend Heavy-D and the Boyz The next year, Marl also recorded a diss response to "Roxanne Roxanne" by UTFO, with female emcee Roxanne Shanté. In 1985 released his first track, "DJ's Cuttin" under the pseudonym "NYC Cutter". Soon however, Marl's records became more sample heavy, as can be seen by comparing the MC Shan LPs Down By Law (1987) and Born to be Wild (1988); the rhythms less electronic, with drum samples and patterns becoming more prominent.

One of hip-hop's first superproducers, Marley Marl was an early innovator in the art of sampling, developing new techniques that resulted in some of the sharpest beats and hooks in rap's Golden Age. His trademark raw sound became from triggering short samples loaded in 3 Korg SDD-2000 sampling-delay units through the trigger out of the Roland TR-808. As the founder of Cold Chillin' Records, Marl assembled a roster filled with some of the most prominent hip hop talent then working in New York: MC Shan, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shanté, Craig G, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, and Masta Ace. His production work for those and many other artists generally boasted a bright, booming, and robust sound that—along with his ear for a catchy sample—helped move street-level hip-hop's sonic blueprint into more accessible territory. Most important, though, were his skills as a beatmaker; Marl was among the first to mine James Brown records for grooves and also learned how to craft his own drum loops through sampling, which decreased hip-hop's reliance on tinny-sounding drum machines and gave his '80s productions a fresh, modern flavor.

The end of the '80s is often referred to as hip-hop's Golden Era, a time when the form's creativity was expanding by leaps and bounds. Marl's Juice Crew was an important force in ushering in this era thanks to its advances in lyrical technique and the distinctive personalities of emerging stars like Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane. With business at Cold Chillin' booming, Marl put out the first full-length release under his own name in 1988 (he'd previously recorded the single "DJ Cuttin'" in 1985 with the alias NYC Cutter). In Control, Vol. 1 was mostly a showcase for various Juice Crew affiliates to strut their stuff, notably on the larger-than-life posse cut "The Symphony." Marl scored his greatest crossover success in 1990 by helming LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out; bolstered by Marl's state-of-the-art production, the album restored LL's street cred while becoming his biggest seller ever, making Marl an in-demand remixer. 1991 brought the release of In Control, Vol. 2, which unfortunately displayed signs that the Cold Chillin' talent pool was being depleted.

After working with TLC on their 1992 debut, Marl remained mostly quiet for a few years; 1995 brought the release of House of Hits, a retrospective of his best productions over the years. Splitting off from Cold Chillin', Marl spent several years in a legal battle over money and ownership rights that, in 1998, finally resulted in his being awarded control of all the songs he'd produced for the label. In the '90s, Marl's status as a high-profile producer was restored thanks to his work with artists like Rakim, Lords Of The Underground, Queensbridge's own Capone-N-Noreaga, Da Youngtas and Fat Joe. In 2001, Marl put together another compilation of original productions with guest rappers for the British BBE label, titled Re-Entry.^[1] In 1994, Marley Marl was referenced on Biggie Smalls' track "Juicy" as being one of his early influences.

In September 2007, Marley Marl received an award from the Berklee College of Music for his contribution to music. Marley Marl has also been a legend as a radio deejay along side Mr. Magic in the 80's on a show called Rap Attack on WBLS New York. Marley took the torch to start his own radio show called Private Radio, later with Pete Rock and K-Def. The radio show was called Future Flavas that was an online station and radio show that bounced around from New York radio stations like Hot 97, Power 105.1. Now Marley is currently back where it all started, WBLS, with his radio show called Golden Era Radio. Marley is still touring the world deejaying, playing his brand of funk for fans of Golden Era hip hop. He is also in the works of producing a film called The Vapors. The film will be based on Marl and the Juice Crew in the late 80's the golden era of Hip Hop.

He and KRS-One released Hip-Hop Lives in May 2007 with Marley Marl as the executive producer.^[1]

On June 5, 2007, Marley Marl suffered a heart attack. He was released from the hospital a few days later on the 8th. According to an interview in The Source, he blamed the heart attack on stress brought on by his worries about being a good father.

In 2008, Craig G and he released a collaborative album titled Operation: Take Back Hip-Hop.^[1]

Marl's music has had influences on RZA, DJ Premier, as well as Pete Rock, who is also a longtime friend.^[1] Marley Marl is also a legendary DJ member of the worldwide DJ organization, The Core DJ's.

Discography[link]

Marley Marl's production discography

Albums[link]

• In Control, Volume 1 (1988)
• In Control, Volume 2: For Your Steering Pleasure (1991)
• Hip Hop Dictionary (2000)
• Re-entry (2001)
• Hip-Hop Lives (2007) (with KRS-One)
• Operation: Take Back Hip-Hop (2008) (with Craig G)

Compilations[link]

• House of Hits (1995)
• Best of Cold Chillin' (2001)
• Marley Marl's House of Hits (released 2007)
• Hip Hop's Hero w/ Nikal Fieldz (released 2010)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Marley Marl bio The 411 on super-producer, Marley Marl [authored by Balance: 411@hiphop.sh]
• Allmusic biography
• Globaldarkness biography
• DJ Marley Marl - beatbuggy.com
• Facebook page

LL Cool J
LL Cool J in 2010.
Background information
Birth name	James Todd Smith
Also known as	L.L. Cool J, Ladies Love Cool James, Luv, Cool J, LL, The G.O.A.T., Jack the Ripper, Mr. Smith, Uncle LL
Born	(1968-01-14) January 14, 1968 (age 44) Bay Shore, New York, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Rapper, Actor
Instruments	Vocals, turntables
Years active	1984–present
Labels	Def Jam, Violator
Associated acts	Z-Trip, Dr. Dre, L.A. Posse, Keith Murray, Timbaland, G-Unit, D12, Young MC, DMX, 50 Cent, Method Man
Website	llcoolj.defjam.com

James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), better known as LL Cool J (an abbreviation for Ladies Love Cool James^[1]), is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor from Bay Shore, New York. He is known for romantic ballads such as "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover" as well as pioneering hip-hop such as "I Can't Live Without My Radio", "I'm Bad", "The Boomin' System", and "Mama Said Knock You Out". He has released thirteen studio albums and two greatest hits compilations, including 2008's Exit 13, the last for his record deal with Def Jam Recordings. He has also appeared in numerous films, and currently stars as NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna on the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles.

As he grew older, Smith found a way to escape the effects of his abuse, and his bullying attitude: hip-hop music. He fell in love with it at the age of nine, and by 11 he was writing lyrics and making his own songs with some DJ equipment his grandmother gave him to stop him riding motorcycles or doing karate.^[2] Before too long, LL was an established member of the Hip-Hop community in his area. He gained notoriety through his many rap battles against well-established MCs, including the battle against Chicken and Porn that rocketed him to fame.^[3]

Influenced by Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, funk legend Rick James, Kurtis Blow, and pioneers Run-DMC, LL started to create his own rap style.

Music career[link]

[edit] Radio (1985)

Radio was released to critical acclaim, both for production innovation and LL's powerful rap.^[4] "I Can't Live Without My Radio" and "Rock the Bells" were singles that helped the album go platinum with 1,500,000 sales.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Bigger and Deffer (1987)

In 1987, he released Bigger and Deffer which included "I Need Love". Also featured on the album was "Go Cut Creator Go", which pays homage to the DJ. The album sold about 2,300,000 copies.^{[citation needed]} In 1998, The Source Magazine named it as one of the top 100 albums ever.^[5] "I Need Love" was the second single from LL Cool J's second album, Bigger and Deffer. The song, released in the fall of 1987, reached No. 1 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts, No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart. The single won a Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap – Single in 1987.^[2] "I Need Love" was ranked No. 13 on the 100 Greatest Rap Songs.^[3]

[edit] Walking with a Panther (1989)

LL Cool J's third album was 1989's Walking with a Panther. The album featured the singles "Going Back to Cali", "I'm That Type of Guy", "Jingling Baby", and "Big Ole Butt" and went platinum with 1,100,000 sales.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)

As an answer to people saying that his music had become too soft due to the inclusion of several ballads on his previous album, LL Cool J released Mama Said Knock You Out. The album was fully produced by Juice Crew producer Marley Marl, one of the premier producers in the hip-hop industry at the time. Mama Said Knock You Out contained three singles, "The Boomin' System", "Around the Way Girl", and the title track, which he performed during an episode of MTV Unplugged. It was also featured in the film The Hard Way. The album went on to sell over 2,700,000 copies.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 14 Shots to the Dome (1993)

After acting in The Hard Way and Toys, LL Cool J released 14 Shots to the Dome. The album had three singles ("How I'm Comin'", "Back Seat" and the strangely titled "Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings") and guest-featured labelmates Lords of the Underground on "NFA-No Frontin' Allowed". The album went gold.

[edit] Mr. Smith (1995)

LL Cool J starred in In the House, an NBC sitcom, before releasing Mr. Smith (1995), which went on to sell over two million copies. Its singles included "Doin' It" (that samples "My Jamaican Guy" by Grace Jones) and "Loungin" (that samples "Who Do You Love?" by Bernard Wright). Another of the album's singles, "Hey Lover", featured Boyz II Men sampling Michael Jackson's "The Lady in My Life," which eventually became one of the first hip hop music videos to air on VH1^{[citation needed]}. The song also earned him a Grammy Award. Yet another single from the album, "I Shot Ya Remix", included vocal work by Foxy Brown.

[edit] Phenomenon (1997)

In 1997, he released the album Phenomenon. The singles included "Phenomenon" and "Father". The official second single from Phenomenon was "4, 3, 2, 1," which featured Method Man, Redman & Master P and introduced DMX and Canibus.

[edit] G.O.A.T. (2000)

In 2000, LL Cool J released the album G.O.A.T., which stood for the "greatest of all time." It debuted at number one on the Billboard album charts,^[6] and went platinum. LL Cool J thanked Canibus in the liner notes of the album, "for the inspiration".

[edit] 10 (2002)

LL Cool J's next album 10 from 2002, was his 9th studio (10th overall including his greatest hits compilation All World), and included the singles "Paradise" (featuring Amerie), "Luv U Better", produced by The Neptunes and the 2003 Jennifer Lopez duet, "All I Have". The album reached platinum status.

[edit] The DEFinition (2004)

LL Cool J's 10th album The DEFinition was released on August 31, 2004. The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard charts. Production came from Timbaland, 7 Aurelius, R. Kelly, and others. The lead single was the Timbaland-produced "Headsprung," which peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single was the 7 Aurelius – produced, "Hush," which peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 10.

[edit] Todd Smith (2006)

LL Cool J's 11th album, Todd Smith, was released on April 11, 2006. It includes collaborations with 112, Ginuwine, Juelz Santana, Teairra Mari and Freeway. The first single was the Jermaine Dupri produced "Control Myself" featuring Jennifer Lopez. They shot the video for "Control Myself" on January 2, 2006 at Sony Studios, New York. The second video, directed by Hype Williams, was "Freeze" featuring Lyfe Jennings.

[edit] Exit 13 (2008)

LL Cool J performing in Wilmington, Delaware in August 2008.

LL Cool J in concert at the Arizona State Fair in Phoenix, Arizona.

In July 2006, LL Cool J announced details about his final album with Def Jam recordings, the only label he has ever been signed to. The album is titled Exit 13. The album was originally scheduled to be executively produced by fellow Queens rapper 50 Cent.^[7] Exit 13 was originally slated for a fall 2006 release, however, after a 2 year delay, it was released September 9, 2008 without 50 Cent as the executive producer. Tracks that the two worked on were leaked to the Internet and some of the tracks produced with 50 made it to Exit 13.

LL Cool J partnered with DJ Kay Slay to release a mixtape called "The Return of the G.O.A.T.". It was the first mixtape of his 24 year career and includes freestyling by LL Cool J in addition to other rappers giving their rendition of his songs. A track entitled "Hi Haterz" was leaked onto the internet on June 1, 2008. The song contains LL Cool J rapping over the instrumental to Maino's "Hi Hater". He toured with Janet Jackson on her Rock Witchu tour, only playing in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Kansas City.

[edit] NCIS: No Crew Is Superior (2009)

In September 2009, LL Cool J released a song about the NCIS TV series. It is a single and is available on iTunes. The new track is based on his experiences playing special agent Sam Hanna. "This song is the musical interpretation of what I felt after meeting with NCIS agents, experienced Marines and Navy SEALs," LL Cool J said. "It represents the collective energy in the room. I was so inspired I wrote the song on set."^[8]

[edit] Touring and Collaborations (present)

In March 2011 at South by Southwest, LL Cool J was revealed to be Z-Trip's special guest at the Red Bull Thre3Style showcase. This marked the beginning of a creative collaboration between the rap and DJ superstars. The two took part in an interview with Carson Daly where they discussed their partnership^[9]. Both artists have promised future collaborations down the road, with LL Cool J calling the duo "organic"^[10] One early track to feature LL's talents was Z-Trip's remix of British rock act Kasabian's single "Days Are Forgotten", which was named by influential DJ Zane Lowe as his "Hottest Record In The World"^[11] and received a favorable reception in both Belgium and the United Kingdom. In January 2012, the pair released the track "Super Baller" as a free download to celebrate the New York Giants Super Bowl victory. The two have been touring together since 2011, with future dates planned through 2012 and beyond.

Acting career[link]

While LL Cool J first appeared as a rapper in the movie Krush Groove (performing "I Can't Live Without My Radio"), his first acting part was a small role in a high school football movie called Wildcats. He continued to pursue acting, landing the role of Captain Patrick Zevo in the 1992 film Toys.^[12] In 1995, when he landed his own television sitcom, In the House. He starred as an ex-Oakland Raiders running back who finds himself in financial difficulties and is forced to rent part of his home out to a single mother and her two children.

In 1998 he had a role in the film Halloween H20. In 1999's Deep Blue Sea, he played the wise-cracking cook on a top-secret sea base besieged by genetically enhanced sharks. He received rave review for his role as Dwayne Gittens, an underworld boss, nicknamed "God" in In Too Deep. Later that year, he had a starring role in Any Given Sunday, in which he played Julian Washington, the talented but selfish running back on the dysfunctional Miami Sharks. Since then, LL Cool J has appeared in a variety of films, such as the 2002 remake of Rollerball, Deliver Us from Eva, Mindhunters, and S.W.A.T..

Stuttgart/Germany 2001

In 2005, he returned to television in a guest starring role on the Fox medical drama House as a death row inmate felled by an unknown disease.

LL Cool J also appeared as Queen Latifah's love interest in the 2006 movie Last Holiday.

He also guest starred on 30 Rock in the 2007 episode "The Source Awards" as the hip hop producer Ridiculous, who Tracy Jordan fears is going to kill him.

LL Cool J appeared in Sesame Street's 39th season where he introduced the word of the day, "Unanimous", in episode 4169 (Sept. 22, 2008) and performing "The Addition Expedition" in episode 4172 (Sept. 30, 2008).

LL Cool J is currently a series regular on the CBS police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles, a spin-off of NCIS (which itself is a spin-off of the naval legal drama JAG). He portrays NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna, an ex–Navy SEAL who is fluent in Arabic and an expert on West Asian culture. The series debuted in autumn of 2009, but the characters were introduced in an April 2009 crossover episode on the parent show.

LL Cool J appeared in a cameo role, where he is credited with being the product lead of Google's Gmail Tap, an April Fool's Day joke launched by the Gmail team, purporting to bring a Morse code keyboard to the platform.

Other works and venture[link]

Fashion[link]

LL Cool J worked behind the scenes with the mid-eighties Hip-Hop sportswear line TROOP.^[13] In the mid 90's, he also helped to launch the clothing line FUBU.

LL Cool J launched a clothing line (called "Todd Smith").^[14] The brand produces popular urban apparel. Designs include influences from LL's lyrics and tattoos, as well as from other icons in the hip-hop community.^[15]

Books[link]

LL Cool J has written four books, including 1998's I Make My Own Rules, an autobiography co-written with Karen Hunter. His second book was the children-oriented book called And The Winner Is... published in 2002. In 2006, LL Cool J and his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig wrote a fitness book, The Platinum Workout. His fourth book LL Cool J (Hip-Hop Stars) was co-written in 2007 with hip-hop historian Dustin Shekell and Public Enemy's Chuck D.

Businessman and entrepreneur[link]

LL Cool J at MyCokeFest at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

LL Cool J started his own businesses in the music industry such as the music label in 1993 called P.O.G. (Power Of God) and formed the company Rock The Bells to produce music. With the Rock The Bells label, he had artists such as Amyth,^{[16][unreliable source?]} Smokeman, Natice, Chantel Jones and Simone Starks. Rock the Bells Records was also responsible for the Deep Blue Sea soundtrack for the 1999 movie of the same name. Rufus "Scola" Waller was also signed to the label, but was released when the label folded.^[17]

LL Cool J appears in the music video "Mrs. Right" by Mindless Behavior.

Stuttgart/Germany 2001

LL Cool J founded and launched Boomdizzle.com, a record label / social networking site launched in September 2008. The website accepts music uploads from aspiring artists, primarily from the hip hop genre, and the site's users rate songs through contests, voting, and other community events.^[18]

Personal life[link]

LL Cool J was born in Bay Shore, New York, the son of Ondrea and James Smith.^[19] He married Simone I. Johnson, on August 9, 1995 at his home in Long Island, New York. The couple have four children: son Najee Laurent Todd Eugene Smith (born September 18, 1989) and daughters Italia Anita Maria Smith (born January 1, 1991), Samaria Leah Wisdom Smith (born September 15, 1995) and Nina Simone Smith (born 2001). In 2002, he threw his support behind sitting Republican Governor of NY George Pataki's bid for a 3rd term.^[20] In 2003, LL Cool J appeared before a senate committee hearing on P2P file-sharing, voicing his support alongside the RIAA, expressing that he just wished "music could be downloaded legitimately."^[21] In 2004, LL Cool J was seen leaving the Republican National Convention.^[22] He has also voiced his support for New York State Senator Malcolm Smith, a Democrat, during an appearance on the senator's local television show^[23] and has worked with Smith in putting on the annual Jump and Ball Tournament (since 2003) in the rapper's childhood neighborhood of St. Alban's, Queens.^[24]

Discography[link]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

Grammy Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

• 1991 – MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video, for "Mama Said Knock You Out"
• 1997 – MTV Video Music Vanguard Award, for "career achievement"

NAACP Image Awards

• 1996 – Best Rap Artist, for "Mr. Smith"
• 1997 – Best Rap Artist, for "Mr. Smith"
• 2001 – Outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Artist, for "G.O.A.T."
• 2003 – Outstanding Male Artist

Soul Train Music Awards

• 1987 – Soul Train Music Award for Best Rap - Single for "I Need Love"
• 2003 – Quincy Jones Award, for "outstanding career achievements in the field of entertainment"

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

• 2000 – "Favorite Supporting Actor – Action" from Deep Blue Sea

The New York Music Awards

• 15 New York Music Awards

Soul Train Awards

• 10 Soul Train Awards

Billboard Awards

• 1 Billboard Award

Rock The Vote Award

• 1997 – "Patrick Lippert Award"'

Source Awards

• 2003 – Source Foundation Image Award, for "his community work"

Long Island Music Hall of Fame

• 2007 – Inducted as part of the Inaugural Class of Inductees for his contribution to Long Island's rich musical heritage

BET Hip Hop Awards

• 2011 – Honored with the I Am Hip Hop Award for his contributions to hip-hop culture

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: LL Cool J

• Official website
• LL Cool J at the Internet Movie Database

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2009)

MC Shan (born as Shawn Moltke September 6, 1965) is an American rapper from Queens, NYC. He is perhaps best known for collaborating with Snow in "Informer", an international number one hit single.

Biography[link]

Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects located in Long Island City a section in Queens, New York City, Shan is the cousin of old school hip hop producer Marley Marl. In 1985, Shan started in MCA Records with his first & only major single Feed The World. Despite the success, he was dismissed from MCA because "the rhymes you wrote was wack", according to KRS-One from his song South Bronx. Not long after, Shan moved to Cold Chillin' Records due to his relationship with Marl, and joined Marl's Juice Crew All-Stars. After a few singles were released, MC Shan's debut album Down By Law came out in 1987.

Shan also found himself to be a key player in the noted hip hop rivalry the Bridge Wars between the Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions. The feud was started when Shan and Marl released a song called "The Bridge" as a B-side to "Beat Biter," itself an answer record directed at L.L. Cool J. KRS-One responded with "South Bronx," and the Juice Crew replied with "Kill That Noise." Slate magazine described it as follows: "In 1986, it was a beef that launched the star of KRS-One, when his withering attacks on MC Shan effectively ended his rival's career."^[1] Boogie Down Productions then released "The Bridge is Over," widely celebrated among hip hop fans as the paramount diss track.^{[citation needed]} Years later, MC Shan remade "The Bridge" into "Da Bridge 2001," and strongly denied the bridge "was over", saying:

The Bridge was never over

We left our mark

The jam is dedicated to you and your boys

I brought my Queensbridge thugs to kill that noise

Shan's second album, Born To Be Wild, followed in 1988 and revealed the b-boy persona of Shan, with production once again by Marley Marl. 1990's Play it Again, Shan displayed a more mature style, but it proved to be his last album. When Cold Chillin's sub label Livin' Large was active, he was listed as one of its artists but never released any material. Despite the fact that he focused more on his production career (like Snow's 12 Inches of Snow, which featured "Informer", on which Shan appeared) he recorded "Da Bridge 2001" for Nas's 2000 compilation called QB's Finest, which also featured Mobb Deep, Cormega, and Nature.

Shan also had a brief stint in film, playing a bit role in Steve Martin's L.A. Story feature film as Rappin' Waiter. He is also the older brother of female rapper and radio personality Princess Ivori. Shan is credited as the guest rapper on the Sum 41 song "Dave's Possessed Hair/It's What We're All About" from the album Half Hour Of Power.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• 1987: Down By Law
• 1988: Born to be Wild
• 1990: Play it Again, Shan

Singles[link]

• 1985: Feed The World
• 1986: The Bridge/Beat Biter
• 1986: Jane, Stop This Crazy Thing
• 1987: Left Me Lonely
• 1988: A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
• 1988: I Pioneered This
• 1989: Juice Crew Law / They Used To Do It In The Park
• 1990: Kill That Noise / I Ran The Game
• 1990: It Don't Mean A Thing
• 1991: Time For Us To Defend Ourselves
• 1991: Ain't It Good To You
• 1993: Hip Hop Roughneck
• 1993: Pee-Nile Reunion / Don't Call It A Comeback
• 1998: The Bridge 2000

References[link]

External list[link]

• MC Shan at Allmusic

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2009)

Biz Markie
Background information
Birth name	Marcel Theo Hall
Also known as	The Diabolical Biz Markie, The Markie Kidd
Born	(1964-04-08) April 8, 1964 (age 48) Harlem, New York
Origin	Long Island, New York
Genres	Hip hop, comedy music
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actor, producer
Years active	1983–present
Labels	Cold Chillin'/Warner Bros., Tommy Boy Entertainment
Associated acts	Juice Crew, Beastie Boys, Digital Underground
Website	www.bizmarkie.com

Marcel Theo Hall (born April 8, 1964,^[1] Harlem, New York) 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."^[2][3]

Life and career[link]

Biz Markie's career began on Long Island, New York ^[4] 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".^[5]

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.,^[6] 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 contestant Damian "Foosball" Franklin in the recurring game show sketch "The Dirty Dozens" 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 1999 he appeared on Len's song Beautiful Day on their album You Can't Stop the Bum Rush.

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".^[7] 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".^[8] That same year saw his debut with Andy Milonakis in television commercials for the commercial Internet service, Tune Up.^[9]

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.^[10]

Biz Markie also appeared in the Adventure Time season two episode Slow Love,^[11] which aired on November 15, 2010.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• 1988: Goin' Off
• 1989: The Biz Never Sleeps
• 1991: I Need a Haircut
• 1993: All Samples Cleared!
• 2003: Weekend Warrior

Compilations[link]

• 1994: Biz's Baddest Beats
• 1996: Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks
• 1998: On the Turntable
• 2000: On the Turntable 2
• 2002: Greatest Hits
• 2006: Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz
• 2009: Ultimate Diabolical^[12]
• 2009: "Yo Gabba Gabba Music is Awesome!"
• 2010: The Aquabats Radio Down!

Singles[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Biz Markie

• Biz Markie Official Website
• In-depth Biz Markie Interview
• VH-1 Biography
• Biz Markie at the Internet Movie Database