4 Facts About The Biz Markie And Big Daddy Kane Friendship
Hip hop and the world of music lost a titan when Biz Markie passed earlier this year.
The New York rapper transcended through the ranks of the underground as a member of the Juice Crew and established himself as one of the most innovative and unique talents in hip hop history. His beat-boxing, annimated persona and off-key-singing brought an element to the genre that opened the doors for many after.
And for that, the BET Hip Hop awards was sure to give the "Just A Friend" icon his flowers in his own special segment.
You cannot tell the story of Biz, however, without also mentioning his tie to fellow New Yorker, Big Daddy Kane.
The hip hop titan's passing this year was a big hit for hip hop but especially for Big Daddy Kane, as they came up together. Kane, who has hits like "Ain't No Half-Steppin” ranked on Rolling Stone's 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time and is set to go up against KRS-1 in an upcoming Verzuz on OCt 17., had a special bond with Biz and probably knows his story better than any.
In memory of Biz, here all the ways the two were connected and why they were brothers beyond music.
Started off as Rivals
To truly understand what Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie meant to each other and the bond between their careers, you have to go back to the inception of their relationship.
Battle rap was huge in the 80s and at the time, Big Daddy Kane made a name for himself traveling from school to school throughout the city looking for rappers to face. Unable to find a formidable opponent, Kane’s interests gravitated towards an upstart 20-year-old MC from Long Island his cousin, Nicole, would rave about.
They’d go on to battle it out at Albee Square Mall, a major shopping center in downtown Brooklyn that served as the focal point for New York City’s hip hop community in the 1980s, attracting a crowd so large, mall security was forced to evacuate the premises.
Although Big Daddy Kane would win, the mutual respect they gained for each other proves to be a lifetime.
“I don’t know what it was about the funny rhymes, but it was something that he just gravitated to and was like, ‘I want you down with me,’” Kane said in a Rock The Bells interview.
Biz’s Ghostwriter
Kane would spend a lot of time with Biz Markie following the battle, allowing the young up-and-coming MC, who was still in high school at the time, to learn the ropes of being in the industry.
And while not officially a part of the Juice Crew, he’d benefit from the Biz’s relationship with Mr. Magic and Marley Marl, which led to the opportunity of co-writing “Vapors,” “Nobody Beats the Biz,” “Biz Is Goin’ Off,” “Pickin’ Boogers,” and “Albee Square Mall.”
“The first [record I wrote for members of the Juice Crew] was some of ‘Nobody Beats The Biz.’ Biz [Markie] came to me, he was like, ‘Yo, I got this [reworking of The Wiz advertisement with a unique flow].’ He was like, ‘Flow like [I am imitating], just put something together.’ So that was the first record,” Kane said on an episode of Drink Champs.
“Just Rhymin With Biz”
Speaking of ghostwriting, one of Kane’s biggest songs, “Just Rhymin with Biz” was mistaken for a Markie record.
Although both MC’s released their debut albums — Long Live Kane and Goin’ Off —in 1988, Biz had more notoriety as a member of the Juice Crew and the underground hits "Nobody Beats The Biz", "Vapors", and "Pickin' Boogers” ringing off at the time.
So, despite strong popularity on both New York City rap radio stations, booking agents mistook the two, leading to Biz Markie getting show offers instead of Kane.
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Was There For Biz When Ill
The connection between Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie also forgoes music.
In early 2021, Biz Markie’s health first started declining to the knowledge of the public.
While Biz Markie’s representatives would eventually issue a statement to dispel the claims that the rapper was in a coma, it was his partner in crime, Kane, who made sure he showed face to ensure his buddy was not disparaged.
“For those concerned, Biz Markie is still alive,” he began. “Please keep my brother in your prayers. Yes, he has some serious health issues, but he’s still alive. And his wife would like y’all to respect his privacy. And remember, it’s better for you to get the news correct than get the news first. Check your facts, people. And Wikipedia, do better. Keep my brother Biz in your prayers.”
