Marley Marl
Marley Marl |
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Marlon Williams (born September 30 1962 in Queens, New York City), better known as Marley Marl, is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the History of hip hop. Pete Rock as well as DJ Premier cite him as their main influence.
Marley Marl was the house producer of the Juice Crew, known for The Bridge Wars, a feud with Boogie Down Productions seen as the first hip hop beef. The Juice Crew included Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shanté, Kool G Rap, MC Shan (his cousin) and Masta Ace, and produced songs for outside artists including King Tee and LL Cool J. He was also an important figure in the careers of Eric B. & Rakim, producing their first hits "My Melody" and "Eric B Is President", mixing James Brown samples and synthetic beats in a fashion previously unheard of. Marley Marl was one of the pioneers of sampling in hip hop. He debuted as an electro producer, but his records became more sample heavy, as can be seen by comparing the MC Shan LPs Down By Law (1987) and Born to be Wild (1988). The rhythms became less electronic, with drum machines becoming more prominent. Marl started his career working for Tuff City records. He debuted with his own track called "DJ Cuttin" in 1985, released under the pseudonym NYC Cutter. In 1994 Marley Marl was referenced on Biggie Smalls' track "Juicy" as being one of his early influences. He still works today and his music has had influences on RZA, DJ Premier as well as Pete Rock, who is also a longtime friend.
He and KRS-One released Hip-Hop Lives in May 2007 with Marley Marl as the executive producer. "It all happened with one phone call," Marley Marl told AllHipHop.com during a March 2006 interview. "They called me and he jumped on the phone and told me it would be spectacular for Hip Hop...My reason for doing this is to show these kids that Hip Hop beefs are not that serious."
On June 5, 2007, Marley Marl suffered a heart attack. He was released from the hospital a few days later on the 8th. According to an interview in The Source, he blamed the heart attack on stress brought on by his worries about being a good father.
In 2008, Craig G and he will release a collaborative album.
Discography
Albums
- In Control Volume 1 (1988)
- In Control Volume II - for your steering pleasure (1991)
- Hip Hop Dictionary (2000)
- Re-entry (2001)
- Hip-Hop Lives (2007) (with KRS-One)
- Operation: Take Back Hip-Hop (2008) (with Craig G)
Compilations
- House of Hits (1995)
- Best of Cold Chillin' (2001)
- Marley Marl's House of Hits (released 2007)
Production credits
- 3rd Bass - "Product Of The Environment (Remix)"
- A.D.O.R. - "One For The Trouble"
- Aaron Hall - "Curiosity (Remix)" with Redman
- Big Daddy Kane - "Ain't No Half Steppin"
- Big Daddy Kane - "Rap Summary (Lean On Me)"
- Big Daddy Kane - "Set It Off"
- Biz Markie - "Biz In Harmony"
- Biz Markie - "Nobody Beats The Biz"
- Biz Markie - "Vapors"
- Bobby Brown - "Feelin Inside (Remix)"
- Busta Rhymes - "New York Shit (Remix)" with Swizz Beatz & KRS-One
- Capone-N-Noreaga - "LA, LA" with Mobb Deep & Tragedy Khadafi
- Craig G - "Let's Get Up"
- Da Youngsta's - "No More Hard Times"
- Dimples D. - "Sucker DJ's (I Will Survive)"
- Dred Scott - "Nuttin' Ta Lose (Remix)"
- En Vogue - "Hold On (Remix)"
- Eric B. & Rakim - "Eric B. Is President (Remix)"
- Eric B. & Rakim - "My Melody (Remix)"
- Fat Boys - "Crushin"
- Fat Joe - "Find Out" with Armageddon
- Paula Abdul - "Straight Up (Remix)"
- Pop Da Brown Hornet - "Follow Me Up (Remix)" with Down Low Recka
- Harlem 6 - "The General And The Lieutenant"
- Heavy D - "Overweight Lover's In The House"
- Keith Sweat - "Why Me (Remix)" with LL Cool J
- King Tee - "At Your Own Risk (Remix)"
- Kool G Rap - "It's A Demo"
- Kool G Rap - "Rikers Island"
- Kool G Rap - "Road To Riches"
- LL Cool J - "Around The Way Girl"
- LL Cool J - "How I'm Comin"
- LL Cool J - "Mama Said Knock You Out"
- LL Cool J - "The Boomin System"
- Lords of the Underground - "Check It (remix)"
- Lords of the Underground - "Flow On (New Symphony)" with Kid Deleon & Sah-B
- Lords of the Underground - "Keep It Underground"
- Lords of the Underground - "Psycho"
- Masta Ace - "Me And The Biz" with Biz Markie]
- Masta Ace - "Take A Look Around"
- MC Lyte - "Cappucino"
- MC Shan - "Down By Law"
- MC Shan - "The Bridge"
- Monie Love - "Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Remix)"
- Monie Love - "There's A Better Way"
- N.O.R.E. - "40 Island" with Kool G Rap & Musolini
- Nas - "On The Real"
- Rahzel - "Make The Music 2000" with TJ Swan
- Real Live - "All I Ask Of You (Commin Thru)"
- Sauce Money - "Whats That, Fuck That"
- Shai - "I Don't Wanna Be Alone" with Jay-Z
- Screwball - "On The Real" with Cormega & Havoc
- Sister Sledge - "We Are Family (Remix)"
- Rick James - "Loosey's Rap (Remix)" with Big Daddy Kane & Roxanne Shante
- Roxanne Shante - "Live On Stage"
- Roxanne Shante - "Roxanne's Revenge"
- Roxanne Shante - "Thin Line"
- Termanology - "50 Bodies"
- TLC - "Das Da Way We Like Em"
- Tragedy Khadafi - "At Large"
- Tragedy Khadafi - "Pump The Funk"
- UGK - "Next Up" with Big Daddy Kane & Kool G Rap
External links
- Marley Marl bio The 411 on super-producer, Marley Marl [authored by Balance: 411@hiphop.sh]
- All Music Guide biography
- Globaldarkness biography