Steve 'Flash' JuonIt doesn’t feel real to me that Biz Markie is gone. I know it factually, and if I stop to think about it long enough, I feel the ache in my heart that just won’t go away. That doesn’t stop it from seeming any less astounding that on July 15th of last year the rap legend was alive and one day later he was gone. When it’s your time it’s your time and nothing can be done about it, but at least our memories of Biz Markie live on through his effusive smile, larger than life performances and incredible catalogue of songs.
Not too many rappers living or otherwise are deserving of TWO “Greatest Hits” albums, but Biz Markie certainly is. Long before he was so honored in 2002, Cold Chillin’ Records cashed in on his fame with a compilation called “Biz’s Baddest Beats” in 1994. The problem here is fairly evident though — if you have either one you probably don’t need the other. Just to make it perfectly clear why I’ve compiled a list of songs from “Biz’s Baddest Beats” that also appeared on the Landspeed Records version in 2002. They are:
- “Make the Music With Your Mouth, Biz”
- “Biz Dance, Pt. 1”
- “Nobody Beats the Biz”
- “Just Rhymin’ with Biz”
- “Pickin’ Boogers”
- “Biz Is Goin’ Off”
- “Vapors”
- “Just a Friend”
- “Spring Again”
- “What Comes Around Goes Around”
- “Young Girl Bluez”
That’s a total of 11 tracks duplicated between the two albums. Are the unique ones on “Biz’s Baddest Beats” worth buying it for? Maybe! “One Two” isn’t on any other Biz Markie album I own, and it’s a very nice showcase of him doing his human beatbox, creating the music with his mouth and imitating popular songs heard on the radio back in the day. It cuts off at 2:18 right after he does “I Can’t Wait” by Nu Shooz and I can only imagine it’s because some FOOL didn’t leave the tape running! I wanted to hear what other songs Biz could/would do while he was freestyling.
“This Is Something For the Radio” has always been one of my favorite Biz tracks, and its lack of inclusion on “Greatest Hits” is still a mystery to me. As much affection as I have for his off-key warbling on “Let Me Turn You On,” I can at least understand why it was left off Landspeed’s take in favor of an obscure Biz single like “Studda Step.” Other than that “The Doo Doo” seems to be exclusive to “Biz’s Baddest Beats” too. I’ve not found it elsewhere.
It’s possible Biz recorded both exclusives just to help market this compilation. It’s equally possible that Cold Chillin’ just had a pile of tapes from the recording sessions Biz did and threw in some bonuses just to make people who already owned his albums fork out the cash again for those exclusives, whether or not Mr. Hall ever intended them to be released. Well, it worked. If you’re a hardcore Biz Markie fan you’re going to want to own “Biz’s Baddest Beats” too, but if you’re not that into the late great certified king of disco or you already own his other “Greatest Hits” release I’ll understand if you take a pass on this one. Rest In Power Marcel.