NEW YORK • American rapper, DJ and producer Biz Markie (left), who shot to fame with the 1989 hit Just A Friend, died last Friday aged 57, his representatives said.
He died with his wife by his side, said Ms Jenni Izumi of Biz Markie Inc, who is also his manager, in a statement.
"Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years," it read.
No cause of death was given for the rapper, whose real name was Marcel Hall, but he had experienced health issues in recent years related to Type 2 diabetes, media reports said.
Known for songs often featuring amusing lyrics - including Pickin' Boogers from his 1988 debut album Goin' Off; Let Go My Eggo and Chinese Food - the New York-born Biz Markie earned the nickname the "Clown Prince of Hip-Hop".
Just A Friend, with its catchy off-key chorus, hit No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later was added to VH1's list of the 100 greatest hip-hop songs.
His death triggered an outpouring of tributes.
Fellow rapper Q-Tip, whose former group A Tribe Called Quest was at the vanguard of art-house hip-hop in the 1980s and 1990s, tweeted: "This one hurts bad... I'm gonna miss u so so many memories."
New York mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted his condolences, saying: "Biz Markie turned hip-hop on its head and brought that New York sense of humour to audiences across the world. We're mourning a true son of Harlem tonight."
Having started out as a beatboxer in his teens, according to reports, Biz Markie later showed off his prodigious and pioneering skill in a memorable cameo as a beatboxing alien in the film Men In Black II (2002) starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones.
He also appeared on the small screen in recent years, as himself on popular television shows Black-ish (2014 to present) and Empire (2015 to 2020).
He also lent his voice to the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants (1999 to present).
More recently, he was known for his DJing, posting about appearances regularly on Twitter - including with several new rap stars such as Cordae.
His posts dropped off in the middle of last year, when he was reportedly hospitalised.
His fame extended beyond the United States - where he once DJed the White House Correspondents' Dinner - taking him to renowned venues around the world, including the Bataclan in Paris.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
