The Witzard

Marcel Theo Hall, better know as Biz Markie and oftentimes, affectionately referred to as The Biz, The Clown Prince of Hip-Hop, The Inhuman Orchestra, The Diabolical Biz Markie, and The Emizah-Emizah, was highly revered as one of the most genuine emcees to ever do it. Biz passed away on Friday, July 16, 2021 at the tender age of 57, likely due to complications from Type 2 Diabetes, although, no official Cause of Death has been revealed just yet. Biz Markie is most well-known for his infectious 1989 break-out single, "Just A Friend," but he was a truly multi-talented artist, as well. Biz Mark's lesser-known talents included beat-boxing, dancing, producing, DJ'ing, acting, singing, and song-writing. It was proven time and time again that "Nobody Beats The Biz," but he surely didn't mind collaborating with just about anyone; racking up genre-defying features with everyone from the Beastie Boys to Spin Doctors. Biz's film and television appearances...

For the latest installment of The Witzard's Punk/Hardcore On Wax , we're covering an upcoming split album from Richmond, Virginia-based Hardcore/Punk band Bleach Everything and Belgium/US-based Metallic Hardcore Punk band Integrity . Said release is entitled SDK x RFTCC , which stands for Septic Death Karaoke x Rocket from The Crypt Covers with a side each from both Integrity & Bleach Everything . SDK x RFTCC is, actually, based around a 1992 Japan-only 2x7-inch split from Septic Death & Rocket from The Crypt fittingly titled Two Seven Halves , which was limited to somewhere between 85-100 Pushead Fan Club-only copies. Integrity have previously covered a number of Septic Death originals on a handful of 7-inches and CD's including Integrity, Change, Taste of Every Sin, and Walpurgisnacht. INTEGRITY "SDK" x BLEACH EVERYTHING "RFTCC" by Integrity " Dwid [Hellion] & I first got to know each other many moons ago over sharing storie...

INTRODUCTION: Maybe, it's in the gray hairs that I've started finding in my thinning hair. Maybe, it's that dreaded third decade of life that seems to have been rearing it's ugly face around every corner. Maybe, it's a quarter life crisis, but something has been keeping me up at night. I sometimes, stay awake into the early hours of the morning spinning records and fumbling with CD jackets from high school, grasping hold of my youth for dear life. I search out elusive first presses of albums I'd somehow, lost to time, hoping that they'll somehow, tighten the thread leading from middle school to adulthood. To be clear, I'm not fishing my torn band T-shirts or "bondage" pants from the depths of my closet, but as I make the transition into my 30's, shedding roommates and getting oil changes at regularly scheduled intervals, I can't help ruminating on where these albums came from and how they've shaped me. I can't help begging th...

Biz Markie has gotta be one of the most awkward rappers male vocalists in the history of music. But with that said, "Just a Friend" quite easily ranks within my [imaginary] Top 50 favourite songs OF ALL TIME list! Markie recently logged a few recording sessions with fellow Psych-Rock weird-o, Wayne Coyne . Together, Biz & Wayne managed to conjure up "2012 (You Must Be Upgraded)" along with Ke$ha , which was the lead-off track from The Flaming Lips' semi-recent Record Store Day comp, Heady Fwends . Now, they've teamed up with skate clothing brand, Volcom to create a child-like Yo Gabba Gabba! -inspired T-shirt line for adults ha. Volcom then commissioned Markie & Coyne to self-design a bunch of signature T-shirts along with Dave Grohl , Jack Black, "Napoleon Dynamite," Mark Mothersbaugh , and their forward-thinking kids. "I Can't Believe It's Really Happening" is the second track to materialize from Biz Ma...

[First Four EP's] makes me want to rip my arm off and beat myself in the head with it. It makes me want to destroy my teeth and replace them with live sharks. Keith Morris (Black Flag- Circle Jerks ) on vocals, Dimitri Coats (Burning Brides) on guitar and Goldilocks -gone-wrong hair, Steve McDonald (Redd Kross!!! wow) on bass with super awesome style, and Mario Rubalcaba (Rocket from The Crypt) on drums - He beats the shit out of them elegantly) ... This is a band from LA and they are on their own trip. Fast, furious, no bullshit Hardcore . As much as I loved the Circle Jerks this is the brass ring. It's Keith at his best and as a band they literally make me want to get the fuck up and go. Listen - these songs are tiny nuclear bombs for your brains. They take less than a minute and half each to destroy your humility. If you ever get a chance to see them live you will either restore your faith in the power of Rock "N" Roll or convert you to some form of evange...