Despite rumors spreading across social media that Biz Markie had died, a rep for the groundbreaking beatboxer and rapper says he is alive.
Reports surfaced on Wednesday claiming Biz Markie, real name Marcel Hall, had passed away after spending time in hospice care.
But a spokesperson for the performer denied those claims in a statement to Rolling Stone late Wednesday night. “The news of Biz Markie’s passing is not true,” the rep said. “Biz is still under medical care, surrounded by professionals who are working hard to provide the best healthcare possible.”
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Markie, 57, is best known for the classic hits “Just A Friend” and “Vapors.”
In December, the website HipHopDX reported he suffered a stroke while in the hospital recovering from a diabetic episode.
“Short story is Biz is diabetic, he had slipped into a diabetic coma, but that has happened to him in the past and it would only last a little while. He would go to the hospital, get discharged and get his meds under control. This particular time, he had a stroke while he was in the middle of the coma,” a source told the website.
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As previously reported in July 2020, Biz Markie was hospitalized for weeks as he battled an undisclosed illness triggered by his Type 2 diabetes.
Markie was born in Harlem in 1964. He grew up on Long Island, and began his career in New York City nightclubs. The rapper and DJ gained regional recognition by performing on college campuses. His career blew up when his 1989 single “Just a Friend” became a global hit.
