DJ Mark the 45 King
Encyclopedia
DJ Mark the 45 King also known as the 45 King, started DJing in New Jersey
in the mid-1980s. The nickname "the 45 King" comes from his ability to make beats using obscure 45 RPM records.
track "The 900 Number" in 1987. The song featured a looping baritone sax solo from Marva Whitney
's "Unwind Yourself." The 45 King signed with Tuff City Records
that year and given a production deal. "The 900 Number" remains his signature work, having been resampled by many artists. He was also featured on the 1989-Hustlers Convention album on the UK label Music of Life, which is considered by many to be hip-hop's first-ever live album.
Using his popularity from the previous release, the 45 King was able to help the other members of his crew, dubbed the Flavor Unit
, which included many well-known hip-hop acts including Chill Rob G
, Lakim Shabazz
, Apache
, and Queen Latifah
. The 45 King's big break came when Queen Latifah signed with Tommy Boy Records
in 1989 and released the album All Hail the Queen
. The 45 King did extensive production on this album, and it is considered by critics to be among his best production work. Over the next few years, many other Flavor Unit members also were signed to Tommy Boy, and the 45 King frequently contributed to their albums with his productions. In November 1989, the re-release of "The King is Here" / "The 900 Number" peaked at #60 in the UK Singles Chart
; his only appearance in a UK
chart
.
In the early 1990s, drug addiction took its toll on the 45 King's career, which caused him to lose a production deal that he signed with Warner Bros. Records
. Around this time the 45 King released multiple series of breakbeat records (the Lost Breakbeat series, the Breakapalooza series, etc.) and remixed Madonna's Top-10 single "Keep It Together," but he stayed mainly with his breakbeat record franchises.
In July 1990, Manchester-born DJ Chad Jackson
sampled "The 900 Number" on his single "Hear the Drummer (Get Wicked)
," which reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart
. A rexed version was also a minor UK hit in 2007. Jackson was apparently unaware that the song had itself been sampled from the original "Unwind Yourself", as he creditted himself, and King, as co-writers of the song.
In 1996, Washington, D.C.
-based go-go artist DJ DJ Kool
had a hit with the song "Let Me Clear My Throat
." It was a call-and-response vocals over a chopped half of the "900 Number" beat. DJ Kool did not just sample the track: he also acknowledged the 45 King's as the song's originator, and the 45 King remixed the track for Kool.
In 1998, the 45 King produced "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
" for Jay-Z
. The song was a hit that featured a looped chorus from the Broadway musical, Annie
. In 2000, he produced the platinum track "Stan
" for Eminem
.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in the mid-1980s. The nickname "the 45 King" comes from his ability to make beats using obscure 45 RPM records.
Career
The 45 King first gained fame with his breakbeatBreakbeat
In 1992, a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out,...
track "The 900 Number" in 1987. The song featured a looping baritone sax solo from Marva Whitney
Marva Whitney
Marva Whitney is an African American funk singer. She is considered by many funk enthusiasts to be one of the "rawest" and "brassiest" music divas....
's "Unwind Yourself." The 45 King signed with Tuff City Records
Tuff City Records
Tuff City Records is a New York-based record label founded by journalist Aaron Fuchs in 1981. Initially concentrating on hip hop music, the label's roster expanded to include doo-wop, dancehall, and hip hop-jazz fusion, and releases included reissues of music from as far back as the 1940s.Fuchs was...
that year and given a production deal. "The 900 Number" remains his signature work, having been resampled by many artists. He was also featured on the 1989-Hustlers Convention album on the UK label Music of Life, which is considered by many to be hip-hop's first-ever live album.
Using his popularity from the previous release, the 45 King was able to help the other members of his crew, dubbed the Flavor Unit
Flavor Unit
The Flavor Unit is a crew of emcees and DJs from New York City and Northern New Jersey. It is now known as the Unit. The original version of the crew centered around producer DJ Mark the 45 King. It was Mark's connections to Radio personalities DJ Red Alert and DJ Chuck Chillout, who gave the crew...
, which included many well-known hip-hop acts including Chill Rob G
Chill Rob G
Chill Rob G on May 15th, is a hip hop artist from Jersey City, New Jersey.-Career:Chill's first hip hop collaboration was being part of the original version of the Flavor Unit collective, which included Lakim Shabazz, DJ Mark the 45 King, and Queen Latifah, among others...
, Lakim Shabazz
Lakim Shabazz
Lakim Shabazz is a former hip-hop emcee who was one of the founding members of the original version of the Flavor Unit crew. His birth name is Larry Welsh. His stage name refers to the so-called Lost Tribe of Shabazz, which is based on the teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad...
, Apache
Apache (rapper)
Anthony Peaks , better known as Apache, was an American rapper.Apache emerged from New Jersey in the late 1980s as a front man for the Flavor Unit, a hip-hop group. He first appeared on the Flavor Unit album, The 45 King Presents The Flavor Unit, in 1990...
, and Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
. The 45 King's big break came when Queen Latifah signed with Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Records
Tommy Boy Entertainment is an independent record label started in 1981 by Tom Silverman.-History:...
in 1989 and released the album All Hail the Queen
All Hail the Queen
All Hail the Queen is the debut album by hip hop artist Queen Latifah, released on November 7, 1989 on Tommy Boy Records. The album was unusually successful for a hip hop record at the time, buoyed by the single "Wrath of My Madness"...
. The 45 King did extensive production on this album, and it is considered by critics to be among his best production work. Over the next few years, many other Flavor Unit members also were signed to Tommy Boy, and the 45 King frequently contributed to their albums with his productions. In November 1989, the re-release of "The King is Here" / "The 900 Number" peaked at #60 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
; his only appearance in a UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
.
In the early 1990s, drug addiction took its toll on the 45 King's career, which caused him to lose a production deal that he signed with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. Around this time the 45 King released multiple series of breakbeat records (the Lost Breakbeat series, the Breakapalooza series, etc.) and remixed Madonna's Top-10 single "Keep It Together," but he stayed mainly with his breakbeat record franchises.
In July 1990, Manchester-born DJ Chad Jackson
Chad Jackson (DJ)
Mark Chadwick, better known by his stage name, Chad Jackson, is an English DJ, remixer and record producer. He is best known for his hit single "Hear the Drummer ", but he also created member only mixes for the Disco Mix Club . Jackson was born in Manchester, England.-Music career:He won the DMC...
sampled "The 900 Number" on his single "Hear the Drummer (Get Wicked)
Hear the Drummer (Get Wicked)
"Hear the Drummer " is a song by English DJ Chad Jackson, released in 1990. It consisted of samples, and peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart.The song was co-produced by Steve Mac.-Samples used:...
," which reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. A rexed version was also a minor UK hit in 2007. Jackson was apparently unaware that the song had itself been sampled from the original "Unwind Yourself", as he creditted himself, and King, as co-writers of the song.
In 1996, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-based go-go artist DJ DJ Kool
DJ Kool
John W. Bowman, Jr., better known by his stage name DJ Kool is a rapper who, in the late 1990s, produced several popular rap singles. Born in 1959 in Washington, D.C., his influence from his years of working the go-go and rap circuits became apparent in his music...
had a hit with the song "Let Me Clear My Throat
Let Me Clear My Throat
"Let Me Clear My Throat" is a 1996 song by hip-hop artist DJ Kool from his album of the same name Let Me Clear My Throat. It was recorded live at the Bahama Bay club in Philadelphia.-Track listing:...
." It was a call-and-response vocals over a chopped half of the "900 Number" beat. DJ Kool did not just sample the track: he also acknowledged the 45 King's as the song's originator, and the 45 King remixed the track for Kool.
In 1998, the 45 King produced "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
"Hard Knock Life " is a single from rapper Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It samples the song "It's the Hard Knock Life" from the Broadway musical Annie. The song was produced by The 45 King and at the time of its release, was the most commercially successful Jay-Z single. The RIAA...
" for Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
. The song was a hit that featured a looped chorus from the Broadway musical, Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
. In 2000, he produced the platinum track "Stan
Stan (song)
"Stan" is the third single from The Marshall Mathers LP, by rapper Eminem featuring Dido. It peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is also included on Curtain Call: The Hits, performed with Eminem and Dido as well track 17 on Curtain Call: The Hits as a live Performance from...
" for Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
.
Partial discography
- 1984: "Funky Beats '84" - The 45 King's first release, a 7-inch single with a live drum break.
- 1987: "The 900 Number EP" (Tuff City) The 45 King's breakthrough single, it had "The 900 Number" with raps by Lakim ShabazzLakim ShabazzLakim Shabazz is a former hip-hop emcee who was one of the founding members of the original version of the Flavor Unit crew. His birth name is Larry Welsh. His stage name refers to the so-called Lost Tribe of Shabazz, which is based on the teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad...
, a 45 King remix, and Ced GeeCed GeeCedric "Ced-Gee" Miller is a hip hop producer, songwriter and performer from the Bronx, New York, best known as a member of the Ultramagnetic MCs. He worked in an uncredited capacity as a producer of Boogie Down Productions' Criminal Minded, and he produced Tim Dog's "Fuck Compton". He has also...
(of Ultramagnetic MC's fame) remixes. - 1989: Master of the Game (Tuff City)
- 1989: "The King is Here" (12" Single) (Tuff City) - Had rhymes by Markey Fresh. This has a different version of "The King is Here" than appeared on the Master of the Game album.
- 1989: "Red, Black, and Green" (12" Single) (Tuff City) - Featured rhymes by Lakim ShabazzLakim ShabazzLakim Shabazz is a former hip-hop emcee who was one of the founding members of the original version of the Flavor Unit crew. His birth name is Larry Welsh. His stage name refers to the so-called Lost Tribe of Shabazz, which is based on the teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad...
. - 1989: "When a Wise Man Speaks" / "Catching a 'Tude" / "Rocking With Tony H" (12" Single) (Tuff City)
- 1990 45 Kingdom (Tuff City) - This was a partial best of, consisting of material from his first two albums along with "The 900 Number" and "When A Wise Man Speaks."
- 1990: Rhythmical Madness (Tuff City) - The 45 King collaborated with DJ Louie Louie to make this breakbeat album. Emcees Lakim Shabazz and Ron Delite also appeared on the LP.
- 1990: The 45 King presents The Flavor Unit (Tuff City)
- 1990: Lakim ShabazzLakim ShabazzLakim Shabazz is a former hip-hop emcee who was one of the founding members of the original version of the Flavor Unit crew. His birth name is Larry Welsh. His stage name refers to the so-called Lost Tribe of Shabazz, which is based on the teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad...
: Pure Righteousness (Tuff City) - 1990: The 45 King: The Lost Breakbeats: The White Album (Tuff City)
- 1990: The 45 King: The Lost Breakbeats: The Orange Album (Tuff City)
- 1992: The 45 King: The 900 Number EP (Tuff City)
- 1995: The 45 King: Killer Beets (Music Station)
- 1996: The 45 King: Grooves for a Quiet Storm (Tuff City)