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Funeral Service For Biz Markie Set For Monday, With Rev. Al Sharpton To Deliver Eulogy
By
David Cruz
Published Jul 31, 2021
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AP/Shutterstock
By
David Cruz
Published Jul 31, 2021
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Rev. Al Sharpton will eulogize iconic hip hop artist Biz Markie at a funeral service on Long Island on Monday, which will be attended by hip hop royalty.
Sharpton's organization, the National Action Network, announced details of the funeral on Friday. It will take place Monday at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts. Hip hop artists Fat Joe, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, and other contemporaries are expected to attend.
In a tweet posted Friday, Sharpton said Markie "touched the world with his infectious smile, amazing energy, and Hip-Hop hits."
Sharpton's tweet was accompanied with a photo of him and Markie speaking together at the ESSENCE Festival several years ago.
According to TMZ, Markie will have an open-casket and will be dressed in "a custom outfit designed by Harlem fashion icon Dapper Dan."
Markie, who was born Marcel Theo Hall, died on July 16th. Though the cause of death was not publicly disclosed, Markie reportedly suffered from Type 2 diabetes.
Born in Harlem and raised on Long Island, Markie was a known beatboxer playing at Manhattan nightclubs. He rose to stardom following the release of his song "Just a Friend," which debuted in 1989 on his second album, "The Biz Never Sleeps." The song established Markie as a fun-loving, musically disjointed singer who was later dubbed The Clown Prince of Hip Hop. It also put the song in the Top 40 List, playing all over the world.
Following the success of his song, Markie would be a staple in the hip hop industry. On top of the Grammys and Oscars, Markie was known to have booked 175 shows a year. He was also a regular on the kids television show "Yo Gabba Gabba!" on Nick Jr. and "Spongebob Squarepants".
According to TMZ, a private family viewing runs from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., which will then be followed by the funeral service from 1:30-3:30 p.m. TMZ and BET are expected to live stream the event at 2 p.m.
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David Cruz
David is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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