DJ Mark The 45 King, known for his collaborations with A List artists like Jay-Z, Queen Latifah , and Eminem, died. He was 62 years old, just 12 years older than Hip Hop the genre he helped to shape and gained fame catalpulping others to stardom, He had just celebrated his birthday a few days prior to his passing according to DJ Premier.DJ Premier posted on Instagram, “R.I.P.DJ Mark The 45 King, who passed this morning. An ICON. His 62nd Birthday was Monday,” the fellow legendary producer wrote.
Back Story
DJ Mark was Born Mark Howard James in 1961 in the New York City borough known as the Bronx. He started out like most DJ’s in the1980s.spinning but he earned his stage name from his use of random 7” singles. Upon gaining “credit,” he signed a production deal with Tuff City Records and usedhis status to advance the careers of his expanded crew.
“I never heardof Gang Starr until I heard DJ Red Alert play their 2nd single Produced by Markon 98.7 Kiss in NYC while shopping my demos looking to get a record deal. RedAlert was playing ‘Bust A Move Boy’ cutting it up crazy and I heard Guru’svoice wondering who the f**k is Gang Starr? I immediately went and bought the12inch single to discover the label Wild Pitch Records. From there my friendCarlos Garza in Houston, TX. told Stu Fine who owned Wild Pitch about me and Iconnected with them in 1988 when Guru was looking for a new DJ and a permanentProducer, “ wrote DJ Premier.
Fact
DJ Mark is responsible for so many classicsand was a member of the paradigmatic Crew FLAVOR UNIT which included QueenLatifah, Latee, Chill Rob G., Lakim Shabazz, Double J, Lord Alibaski, DJ CeeJustice, Apache, Naughty By Nature, Freddie Foxxx, Markey Fresh, Rowdy Rahz,Storm P, Shakim and many His sound was unlike any other from his heavy drumsand his horns were so distinct on every production.
Mark landed a sweet deal with Warner Bros and remixed the Classic Madonnasingle "Keep It Togethe,r" and the raw remix of Eric B. & Rakim"I Know You Got Soul".
Name dropping demands that we mention the "900 Number," a SuperClassic, Queen Latifah's "Wrath Of My Madness", "LadiesFirst" w/ Monie Love, Chill Rob G's "Court Is In Session", and Latee"Cuts Got Flavor." We’d be remiss if we failed to mention the Historical Jay-Z hit "Hard KnockLife" and Eminem's "Stan" to name a few of his catalog chart breakers.
On the record Mark’s his vinylreleases of breakbeats are beats out any DJ of the 80's/90's Era, his breakbeats’footprint is endless.
DJ Mark’s contribution is etched ourculture like names engraved on a head stone capturing some of best expressions ofthe HIP HOP generation.
Cause of death has yet to bereported at the time of this writing.