Pancaked between Public Enemy's black-power ideology and NWA's gangster chic, Biz Markie's lyrical court-jestering—such ham-handedness as "Toilet Stool Rap," with its chorus, "Sitting on the toilet, waiting for my bowels to move, I gotta doo-doo, I gotta doo-doo"; campy classics like "Just a Friend" and "Vapors;" beat-box ditties such as "Make the Music with Your Mouth, Biz;" and generous use of samples (his loss in a landmark sampling case inspired 1993's All Samples Cleared)—diversified late-'80s hip hop and made Marcel Hall a platinum-selling rapper.
So of course, he gave it all up to become a DJ.
Biz is back with a new album, Weekend Warrior, featuring P. Diddy, Jazzy Jeff and Erick Sermon, and talks about making a living behind the turntable (he's spun at Grammy, Oscar and Super Bowl parties), what he misses about old-school rap, and why he'd vote for a monkey over Bush.
You came along at a time when hip hop was stratified. You were called the clown prince of hip hop. Was being funny your intention?
It wasn't intentional. It was a straight-up reflection of my personality. I've always been a class clown, so I just did it on record.
Why'd you come out with "Pickin' Boogers"? ("Now what I'm emceein' might not seem kosher to you, but it's still somethin' we all have to do, so go up your nose with a finger or two, and pull out one or a crusty crew.")
I wanted to make a different type of record. It was just a straight rhyme at first. I wanted to see if I could make a record of it. That's what I did back then; I used to test records on the crowd first, and if the crowd liked it, I made a record of it. The crowd liked it.
Who is hip hop's current Biz Markie?
Busta [Rhymes] has his own style … he has that old-school funk. I really can't say who's like me. I had my own style. I learned to be different.
Do you consider yourself the father of beat-boxing, the predecesor to people like Rahzel, formerly of The Roots?
A lot of us came out at the same time. Me and Dougie Fresh and Buffy [of the Fat Boys]; I think we're the fathers. It's not like any of us sound the same. Everybody can argue and say this one did it first or that one did it, but there were a lot of people doing the beat box. I saw Rahzel doing it back in '85, '86.
Why did you make the move from rapper to DJ?
I made that move back in '90, '91 because I was bored with rap. It wasn't really competitive no more. I guess the more the money came into play, the more the hunger wasn't in it for me. Everything got political. I had a hunger to be a DJ. Deejaying was the most fascinating thing to me because they were doing something I couldn't do … Music changes all the time, and since it does, it's more of a competition to keep up. There are a million DJs. I know there are a million emcees, but not that many diverse emcees. You have to work hard to be a diverse DJ.
Must've been a huge learning curve.
Yeah, man, I bit from everybody. I had to bite to learn in order to get my own style. Me and [Kid] Kapri used to be down. I learned a lot from him and from a lot of other DJs. Since I was an emcee, I combined both of them [experience behind the mike and turntables] and knew exactly what to bring out.
Have you ever failed to move the crowd?
I always move the crowd.
The best turntablist of all time?
I looked up to all DJs, the Grandmaster Flashes, Dr. Rock Master Don, DSTs, Jazzy J, Kid Capri, DJ Hollywood, Star Child, Jazzy Jeff.
I didn't hear Eric B, of Eric B & Rakim.
Hmm … One of my greatest influences has to be Grandmaster Flash. He was so far ahead of his time with the tricks. He's the reason we're here.
What's the more demanding career, rapper or emcee?
I do get enjoyment out of both. But you don't have to go through the blackmail and politics [as a DJ]. You control your own destiny. You're your own one-man band, your own one-man show. But it's more demanding regarding the fans. They want you to be the person you are, to feel you.
So you can make as much money as a rapper?
Not something I want to talk about.
What do you make of MTV's Making the Band reality show?
I understand why Puffy was doing it. These kids think it's that easy getting into the business. They think they can make a record and live happily ever after. It ain't like that. He's showing them you need more discipline than anything.
What do you most miss about old-school hip hop?
I miss everything. I miss the pureness, the fun. Even when KRS-One was battling Shan, everyone was still friends. There might have been fights, but everybody stayed friends. These days, you got ni--ers out here killing each other. There are no friends.
So, who won the battle, Nas or Jay-Z?
No answer on that. They're both my boys.
What do you like the most about the new school?
The only thing I like is they got control over everything they're doing. Anybody can do anything they want. I made "Pickin' Boogers" and they wouldn't play it on the radio. "The Toilet Stool Rap," MTV wouldn't play it. These days, you can say anything.
Increasingly, rappers are jumping into other businesses. Do you have any side ventures?
I got a lot of business stuff but I don't really talk about it. Once you start talking, your boys will come up and say, "I didn't know you had that. Can I borrow some money or get a free pair of sneakers?"
Your favorite city to spin in?
I like every place. I try to feel it each place. It's just like going on tour; you adjust to the city. I'm like a chameleon.
How's the love in Vegas?
It's beautiful, plus I got a cult following. Last time, J. Lo, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, all of them were at the party I spun at.
Who's got your vote for president?
Kerry, 'cause I'm a Democrat. We need a change. Even if he wasn't and there was a monkey man on the ballot, I'd vote for him. We can't have four more years of Bush.
What's the next order of biz?
I might try to do a TV show. I've done everything else.
What will it be about?
I wouldn't tell anyone my good ideas.