MC Shan
Encyclopedia
MC Shan is an American
rapper. He is perhaps best known for collaborating with Snow
in "Informer
", an international number one hit single.
, New York City
, Shan is the cousin of old school
hip hop
producer Marley Marl
. In 1985, Shan started in MCA Records
with his first & only major single Feed The World. Despite the success, he was dismissed from MCA because "the rhymes you wrote was wack", according to KRS-One
from his song South Bronx
. Not long after, Shan moved to Cold Chillin' Records
due to his relationship with Marl, and joined Marl's Juice Crew
All-Stars. After a few singles were released , MC Shan's debut album Down By Law
came out in 1987.
Shan also found himself to be a key player in the noted hip hop rivalry the Bridge Wars
between the Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions
. The feud was started when Shan and Marl released a song called "The Bridge" as a B-side to "Beat Biter," itself an answer record directed at L.L. Cool J. KRS-One
responded with "South Bronx," and the Juice Crew replied with "Kill That Noise." Slate
magazine described it as follows: "In 1986, it was a beef that launched the star of KRS-One, when his withering attacks on MC Shan effectively ended his rival's career." Boogie Down Productions then released "The Bridge is Over
," widely celebrated among hip hop fans as the paramount diss track
. Years later, MC Shan remade "The Bridge" into "Da Bridge 2001," and strongly denied the bridge "was over", saying:
Shan's second album, Born To Be Wild
, followed in 1988 and revealed the b-boy persona of Shan, with production once again by Marley Marl. 1990's Play it Again, Shan
displayed a more mature style, but it proved to be his last album. When Cold Chillin's sub label Livin' Large was active, he was listed as one of its artists but never released any material. Despite the fact that he focused more on his production career (like Snow's 12 Inches of Snow
, which featured "Informer
", on which Shan appeared) he recorded "Da Bridge 2001" for Nas's 2000 compilation called QB's Finest, which also featured Mobb Deep
, Cormega
, and Nature.
Shan also had a brief stint in film, playing a bit role in Steve Martin
's L.A. Story
feature film as Rappin' Waiter. He is also the older brother of female rapper and radio personality Princess Ivori. Shan is credited as the guest rapper on the Sum 41
song "Dave's Possessed Hair/It's What We're All About
" from the album Half Hour Of Power
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper. He is perhaps best known for collaborating with Snow
Snow (musician)
Darrin O'Brien , better known by his stage name Snow, is a Juno Award-winning Canadian rap and reggae musician. He is best known for his 1992 single "Informer", which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.-Life and work:...
in "Informer
Informer (song)
"Informer" is a 1992 single by Canadian reggae musician Snow. It features and is produced by Queensbridge-bred rapper MC Shan, and is from Snow's debut album 12 Inches of Snow. The single was released shortly before Snow was imprisoned for a year on an assault charge...
", an international number one hit single.
Biography
Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects located in Long Island City a section in QueensQueens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Shan is the cousin of old school
Old school hip hop
Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...
hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
producer Marley Marl
Marley Marl
Marlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is an American DJ and record producer, who is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
. In 1985, Shan started in MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
with his first & only major single Feed The World. Despite the success, he was dismissed from MCA because "the rhymes you wrote was wack", according to KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
from his song South Bronx
South Bronx
The South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
. Not long after, Shan moved to Cold Chillin' Records
Cold Chillin' Records
Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released some important music in the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. A producer-and-crew label founded by manager Tyrone Williams and run by Len Fichtelberg Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released some...
due to his relationship with Marl, and joined Marl's Juice Crew
Juice Crew
The Juice Crew was a hip hop collective of largely Queensbridge-based artists in the mid- to late-1980s. Founded by producer Marley Marl and radio DJ Mr. Magic and housed by Tyrone William's Cold Chillin' Records, the Juice Crew would introduce New School artists Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie,...
All-Stars. After a few singles were released , MC Shan's debut album Down By Law
Down by Law (MC Shan album)
Down by Law is the debut album by East Coast hip hop artist MC Shan. Released at the height of the Bridge Wars, a feud between artists from Queensbridge and South Bronx , the album contains various diss tracks...
came out in 1987.
Shan also found himself to be a key player in the noted hip hop rivalry the Bridge Wars
The Bridge Wars
The Bridge Wars was a hip hop rivalry during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, that arose from a dispute over the true birthplace of hip hop music and retaliation over the rejecting of a record for airplay. The Bridge Wars originally involved The South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, led by...
between the Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
. The feud was started when Shan and Marl released a song called "The Bridge" as a B-side to "Beat Biter," itself an answer record directed at L.L. Cool J. KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
responded with "South Bronx," and the Juice Crew replied with "Kill That Noise." Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
magazine described it as follows: "In 1986, it was a beef that launched the star of KRS-One, when his withering attacks on MC Shan effectively ended his rival's career." Boogie Down Productions then released "The Bridge is Over
The Bridge Is Over
"The Bridge Is Over" is a 1987 song by Boogie Down Productions from their debut album Criminal Minded, performed by rapper KRS-One and produced by DJ Scott LaRock and KRS-One.-History:...
," widely celebrated among hip hop fans as the paramount diss track
Diss track
A diss track or diss song is a song primarily intended to disparage or insult another person or group. While musical parodies and attacks have always existed, the trend became increasingly common in the hip hop genre as part of the hip hop rivalry phenomenon...
. Years later, MC Shan remade "The Bridge" into "Da Bridge 2001," and strongly denied the bridge "was over", saying:
- The Bridge was never over
- We left our mark
- The jam is dedicated to you and your boys
- I brought my Queensbridge thugs to kill that noise
Shan's second album, Born To Be Wild
Born to Be Wild (album)
Born to Be Wild is the second album released by Juice Crew member and East Coast rapper MC Shan. After his debut album Down by Law, MC Shan's second album Born to Be Wild became another one of his master works. With the production work of Marley Marl, MC Shan directly attacked Boogie Down...
, followed in 1988 and revealed the b-boy persona of Shan, with production once again by Marley Marl. 1990's Play it Again, Shan
Play it Again, Shan
Play it Again Shan is the third and final album by Cold Chillin' Records artist and Juice Crew member MC Shan. The album was released during 1990 on Cold Chillin’/Warner Bros. Records.-Tracklisting:#Ain't It Good To You Play it Again Shan is the third and final album by Cold Chillin' Records artist...
displayed a more mature style, but it proved to be his last album. When Cold Chillin's sub label Livin' Large was active, he was listed as one of its artists but never released any material. Despite the fact that he focused more on his production career (like Snow's 12 Inches of Snow
12 Inches of Snow
12 Inches of Snow is the debut album by Canadian reggae musician Snow, released in 1993. Edmond Leary and MC Shan produced the entire album, apart from one track which was produced by John Ficarrotta. The album was produced shortly before Snow was imprisoned for a year on an assault charge. Upon...
, which featured "Informer
Informer (song)
"Informer" is a 1992 single by Canadian reggae musician Snow. It features and is produced by Queensbridge-bred rapper MC Shan, and is from Snow's debut album 12 Inches of Snow. The single was released shortly before Snow was imprisoned for a year on an assault charge...
", on which Shan appeared) he recorded "Da Bridge 2001" for Nas's 2000 compilation called QB's Finest, which also featured Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones...
, Cormega
Cormega
Cory Mckay , better known as Cormega, is an American emcee best known for his vivid and poignant narratives about inner-city life.- Early life :...
, and Nature.
Shan also had a brief stint in film, playing a bit role in Steve Martin
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
's L.A. Story
L.A. Story
L.A. Story is a 1991 American romantic comedy film, written by and starring Steve Martin. Set in Los Angeles, California, it relates a series of episodes in the romantic life of an L.A. TV weatherman. It includes surreal sequences in which he is offered romantic advice flashed to him by a freeway...
feature film as Rappin' Waiter. He is also the older brother of female rapper and radio personality Princess Ivori. Shan is credited as the guest rapper on the Sum 41
Sum 41
Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of members Deryck Whibley , Tom Thacker , Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz .In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records...
song "Dave's Possessed Hair/It's What We're All About
What We're All About
"What We're All About" is the title of a song recorded by Canadian punk band Sum 41. It was released in June 2002 as a single and taken from the Spider-Man movie soundtrack. Kerry King of the thrash metal band Slayer is featured in the music video and performs the guitar solo in the song...
" from the album Half Hour Of Power
Half Hour Of Power
Half Hour of Power is Sum 41's debut EP. It was released June 27, 2000, on Big Rig Records, a subsidiary of Island Records , and Aquarius Records...
.
Albums
- 1987: Down By LawDown by Law (MC Shan album)Down by Law is the debut album by East Coast hip hop artist MC Shan. Released at the height of the Bridge Wars, a feud between artists from Queensbridge and South Bronx , the album contains various diss tracks...
- 1988: Born to be WildBorn to Be Wild (album)Born to Be Wild is the second album released by Juice Crew member and East Coast rapper MC Shan. After his debut album Down by Law, MC Shan's second album Born to Be Wild became another one of his master works. With the production work of Marley Marl, MC Shan directly attacked Boogie Down...
- 1990: Play it Again, ShanPlay it Again, ShanPlay it Again Shan is the third and final album by Cold Chillin' Records artist and Juice Crew member MC Shan. The album was released during 1990 on Cold Chillin’/Warner Bros. Records.-Tracklisting:#Ain't It Good To You Play it Again Shan is the third and final album by Cold Chillin' Records artist...
Singles
- 1985: Feed The World
- 1986: The Bridge/Beat Biter
- 1986: Jane, Stop This Crazy Thing
- 1987: Left Me Lonely
- 1988: A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
- 1988: I Pioneered This
- 1989: Juice Crew Law / They Used To Do It In The Park
- 1990: Kill That Noise / I Ran The Game
- 1990: It Don't Mean A Thing
- 1991: Time For Us To Defend Ourselves
- 1991: Ain't It Good To You
- 1993: Hip Hop Roughneck
- 1993: Pee-Nile Reunion / Don't Call It A Comeback
- 1998: The Bridge 2000
External list
- [ MC Shan] at Allmusic