Festival Hype: Biz Markie

Posted by Peter Hemminger in Stranger in the Alps

The Rock the Bells festival (coming to Calgary in early August) may have a pretty damned impressive lineup, but they don't have a lock on hip hop in Calgary this summer. When Sled Island announced their full lineup earlier this week, one of the most glee-inducing additions was the clown prince of rap, the one and only Biz Markie.

Though he's probably best known for "Just a Friend," possibly the single best track to sing-shout along to while brown-bagging it on your front porch, Biz has been around since the early '80s, where he established himself as a top-knotch beat boxer. More than anything, it's Biz's affability and sense of fun that makes people fall in love with him — the chance to see him on an outdoor stage in the heart of Calgary is going to be hard to pass up.

Here's his big hit song (no videos on YouTube because of copyright claims, apparently):


Just A Friend - Biz Markie

...and here he is demonstrating his beat boxing skills on the thoroughly rad kids show Yo Gabba Gabba:


more in Music Previews     |     posted Jun 5th, 2009 at 2:21pm     


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