Biz Markie

Biz Markie has been called "hardworking," "fun-loving," "the star of the show" and "Mr. Dynamite."  He is all of this and more.  Biz Markie is hot!  His vocal delivery is different and ususual.  His lyrics are enjoyable, funny, and occasionally outrageous.  He loves an audience and will do anything to please them.  This shows in his lyrics, "When it comes to partying, I'm a nymphomaniac."  Known as the "Inhuman Orchestra," Markie is an expert human beat box virtuoso, literally making the music with his mouth.  He has been using his body as an instrument since he was a kid.

Born Marcel Hall in Harlem, April 8, 1964, Biz Markie seems to be the creation of a mad B-movie scientist.  Biz worked the rap circuit for a couple of years, playing the Roxy, the Fun House, and other venues.  But his big break came when he ran into producer Marley Marl in a hallway in the Queensbridge project in 1985.

According to Biz, "Marley and I met up and went into the studio and did some stuff."  This stuff included some of the hippest, freshest rap records to come out in a long time.  With Marley Marl at the production helm, Biz Markie signed with Len Fichtelberg's Prism Records and brought out a number of wonderful recordings that have further established him as something of a cult hero among the hip-hop hardcore.  The success of tunes like "Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz," "Nobody Beats the Biz,"and "Pickin' Boogers" prompted Fichtelberg to go into partnership with Biz's manager, Tyrone Williams, and launch Cold Chillin' Records as an exclusive rap label with Marley Marl as producer.  Future product by Biz Markie on Cold Chillin' promises to build on his reputation as one of the newest and most innovative rap artists on the scene today. 

M.C. Shan

M.C. Shan, Shawn Moltke, is one of the freshest, most intelligent and coolest rap stylists and innovators to "rock the mic viciously" in recent memory.  His professional character is partly one of pure virtuosity, and partly one of exciting showmanship.  His debut album on Cold Chillin' Records, Down by Law, surpassed the 150,000 unit mark last summer with virtually no airplay.  Ever since going out on the road with Roxanne Shante in 1985, without benefit of a record, the word on the street has been that M.C. Shan is a serious performer who can fire up basic human instincts, like humor, romantic sentiment, and a strong desire for something essentially hip and physically intoxicating.  Over the past couple of years, he has unleashed a torrential outpouring of fresh def jams, including "The Marley Scratch," "The Bridge," and the preachy but funny anti-crack rap, "Jane Stop This Crazy Thing," all produced by main homeboy and blood cousin, Marlon "Marley Marl" Williams.  His 12-inch, "The Bridge," a tribute to the Queensbridge project in Queens, New York, was the subject of a hilarious answer record called "The Bridge is Over."  Prior to signing with Cold Chillin', M.C. Shan built a following with releases on Nia, MCA and Bridge Records.  "Jane" came from his Down by Law LP on Cold Chillin'.

His next Cold Chillin' release will be Born to be Wild, produced by, naturally, Marley Marl and featuring more great dance hall rhymes and love raps.  Although W magazine has declared rap "out" for 1988, M.C. Shan is confident that he and cousin Marley will have cooked up some "sure-fire" winners that will appeal to the core street audience, and cross over into the general mainstream market, as well.