Biz Markie, the 'Clown Prince of Hip Hop', dies at 57

Biz Markie, the ‘Clown Prince of Hip Hop’, has died in Baltimore on Friday, July 16th, aged just 57, it’s been announced.

The rapper, singer, and actor passed away after suffering a series of complications from diabetes that he’s been battling for over a year, TMZ learned. Rumours had been circulating for months that he had fallen into a coma

“It is with profound sadness that we announce, this evening, with his wife Tara by his side, hip hop pioneer Biz Markie peacefully passed away,” Jenni Izumi, his rep, said in a statement.

“We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support that we have received during this difficult time. Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years. He leaves behind a wife, many family members and close friends who will miss his vibrant personality, constant jokes and frequent banter. We respectfully request privacy for his family as they mourn their loved one.”

Markie is best known for his 1989 hit ‘Just a Friend’, taken from his second album The Biz Never Sleeps. Interpolating the classic piano line from Freddie Scott’s ‘You Got What I Need’, the rapper’s rhymes of romantic woes and the friend zone struck a chord with listeners. The music video also became famous for its humorous tone. The song reached number nine on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1990. In 2008, VHS included ‘Just a Friend’ in its list of the 100 greatest hip hop songs of all time.

In later decades, Markie turned to acting, appearing as a rapping alien in 2002’s Men in Black II, appearing in episodes of Empire and Black-ish as himself, as well as having voice roles in SpongeBob SquarePants and Adventure Time.

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