Biz Markie
Biz Markie's inclination toward juvenile humor and his fondness for goofy, tuneless, half-sung choruses camouflaged his true talents as a freestyle rhymer. The Biz may not have been able to translate his wild rhyming talents to tape, but what he did record was worthwhile in its own way. With his silly humor and inventive, sample-laden productions, he proved that hip-hop could be funny and melodic, without sacrificing its street credibility. His distinctive style made his second album, The Biz Never Sleeps, a gold hit and its single, "Just a Friend," into a Top Ten pop single. While its success made Markie a semistar, it also cursed him. Not only was he consigned as a novelty act, but it brought enough attention that Gilbert O'Sullivan sued him over the unauthorized sample of "Alone Again (Naturally)" on Biz's 1991 album I Need a Haircut. The lawsuit severely cut into Markie's career, and 1993's All Samples Cleared! was the last record he released during the '90s. However, his reputation was restored somewhat in the mid-'90s as the Beastie Boys championed him and other alternative rap groups showed some debt to his wild, careening music. A native of New York, Biz (born Marcel Hall) first came to prominence in the early '80s, when he began rapping at Manhattan nightclubs like the Funhouse and the Roxy. Biz met producer Marley Marl in 1985, and began working as a human beatbox for Marl-connected acts MC Shan and, later, Roxanne Shanté. He also recorded his first set of demos, and by 1988, had signed with Cold Chillin'. Later that year, he released his debut, Goin' Off, which became a word-of-mouth hit based on the underground hit singles "Vapors," "Pickin' Boogers," and "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz." A year later, he broke into the mainstream when "Just a Friend," a single featuring rapped verses and out-of-tune sang choruses, reached the pop Top Ten, and its accompanying album, The Biz Never Sleeps, went gold. The Biz Never Sleeps put him near the top of the hip-hop world, but he fell from grace as quickly as he achieved it. Biz's third album, I Need a Haircut, was already shaping up to be a considerable sales disappointment when he was served a lawsuit from Gilbert O'Sullivan, who claimed that the album's "Alone Again" featured an unauthorized sample of his hit "Alone Again (Naturally)." O'Sullivan won the case in a ruling that drastically changed the rules of hip-hop. According to 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 fully before releasing a hip-hop record. Biz countered with his 1993 album, All Samples Cleared!, but his career had already been hurt by the lawsuit, and the record bombed. For the remainder of the decade, he kept a low profile, occasionally guesting on records by the Beastie Boys and filming a freestyle television commercial for MTV2 in 1996. The alliance with the Beasties raised his profile considerably, but Biz began DJing instead of continuing to record. Finally, in 2003, he released Weekend Warrior for Tommy Boy.
The Urban Dictionary Mug
I bought this mug for my daughter for Valentine’s Day. She saw the different descriptions of her name on your site, and read every one of them!! She then found a mug with everything written about her name on it. So, I am surprising her with it. The mug looks great. Quick delivery!
I live in a Hillbilly Condo & love my flamingo pink mug.
Annie from the customer service team helped me out tremendously with some adjustments that I wanted done after my order was placed. I really appreciate her willingness to go above and beyond for my request. The product was received exactly how I wanted it! One happy customer over here. Thanks!
I love the item I ordered but found the website a little difficult to navigate.
Now this has been my favourite mug by far. I put the word of scrunkly on it just as i had envisioned. Now to know why i picked a scrunkly mug, we need to go back all the way to the year of 2016. It was a day like no other, the birds were tweeting. We were all laughing while playing in the playground. Then came that fateful moment. A cackle was heard screeching throughout the lands. I turned my head in complete and utter fear. Two seagulls stood there. One was cackling while a red liquid dropped from its mouth. The head of the seagull next to it was missing. The seagull had consumed its friend's head! A betrayal, no... a parley even! To this day I still hear the words which left that evil beast's beak. It said, "Awww, the scrunkly". It then flew off into the sunset, leaving nothing but chaos and carnage behind. Anyways 10/10 for the mug. Would buy again.
Came in like ordered, solid mug
The mug arrived as shown and expected. But, it is an average mug and the cost is quite high. It's funny and good as a one time gift. If we needed several, the cost would be prohibited. Again, funny product and as expected.
Love it. I can't wait to give it as a gift yo
This is lafayetti yummi yum yum Oui oui mon ami je m'appelle lafayette The lancelot of the revolutionary set I came from afar just to say "Bonsoir" Tell the king "Casse toi" Who's the best C'est moi
Awesome purchase, I can't wait to show off my "Progressively Straight" mug at Starbucks.
Mug was delivered undamaged just as ordered.
My order came quickly. Packaged well. Great job.
IT WAS MUG! CAME QUICK & SAID THING. HAVE NOT TASTED YET. NOT SMELL BAD, BUT DISHWASHER NONETHE LESS....
Henceforth, I am unable to leave a negative review for this amazing cup.
Good quality, just as pictured. Very pleased with it!
Having my first cup of coffee in the new cup. Good idea to add new terms through individual contributions.
10/10 Looks exactly like the preview. Shipping was fast.
This is for my granddaughter whom I used to call cutie patootie until she found out another meaning for patootie. Then she didn’t like the name so much! This will be a perfect gift for her! She is 16.
Love the cups :) It reminds us of our sweet momma. I thought everyone knew the word "mommicked" but evidently it is an Eastern North Carolina thing...My sisters and I all married Northerner/ Yankees and they had never heard of the word. Thank you for a tender memory.
Cup came in one piece and looks as nice as it does in the picture! Only note is just be mindful of any typos in the description of the definition, they will show up on the cup too! Other than that, no complaints!
Review Details
Pro Customization
Create unique products with your own words and definitions
Live Preview
Personalize Your Design
Debug: Product Metadata
| Key | Value (click to copy) |
|---|---|
Copied! |
Return Policy
Made Just For You
Each product is custom-printed with your unique text, making it truly one-of-a-kind.
Defect-Free Guarantee
If your product arrives with printing defects, damage, or quality issues, we'll send you a free replacement.
Custom Orders
Due to the personalized nature of your order, we don't accept returns for change of mind or sizing issues.
Questions about your order? Contact our support team for assistance.