"My beats rock all night with no curfew" - The 45 King

DJ Mark the 45 King. A name that shouldn't dwell in obscurity, but somehow does. Next to Marley Marl, he is the most prolific producer in hip-hop history, yet he is known by few outside rap's inner circles. The 45 King (real name: Mark James) started DJing locally in New Jersey in the mid-80's. His ability to make beats from obscure 45 rpm records was the basis for his nickname as "The 45 King." Mark gained notoriety with his breakbeat track "The 900 Number" in 1987. Looping a tenor sax solo from Marva Whitney's "Unwind Yourself," Mark made a party anthem that would rock many parties from that year on. The 45 King was signed to Tuff City Records that year and given a production deal. Using his newfound clout, the 45 King was able to "put on" members of his crew, dubbed "The Flavor Unit." The first album came in 1988 with Lakim Shabazz's "Pure Righteousness." The album scored a minor hit with "Black is Back," but Tuff City's small budget and limited distribution kept the album from blowing up. The 45 King's second big break came when Flavor Unit member Queen Latifah was signed to hip-hop mega-label Tommy Boy, home of De La Soul and Stetsasonic. With a much larger budget for guest rappers and distribution, the 45 King dropped some of his greatest beats on this LP, called "All Hail the Queen." While KRS-One, Daddy-O, and Prince Paul produced a track each, the 45 King showed the world that "The 900 Number" was no fluke. Hits like "Wrath of My Madness," "Ladies First," and "Inside Out" established his name as a premier beat-maker. Later that year, the 45 King produced Flavor Unit member Chill Rob G's debut album, "Ride the Rhythm." His label, Wild Pitch, was between Tuff City and Tommy Boy in terms of distribution. Chill Rob G got the exposure, but his big hit, the remix of "Let the Words Flow" called "The Power," was outright stolen by the dance group Snap, and Chill Rob never was able to break through. This album was as solid as "All Hail the Queen" however, and the hip-hop world noticed. After 1990, things started slowing down for the 45 King. Lakim Shabazz released his 45 King-produced sophomore album that year, but "The Lost Tribe of Shabazz" was largely ignored. Queen Latifah was dropped by Tommy Boy and signed by Motown. Sadly, the 45 King started smoking angel dust, and his drug addiction cause him to lose not only a production contract with Warner Brothers, but the respect of his peers. Having become an outcast in the hip-hop world, DJ Mark was stuck. With most of his Flavor Unit dropped from their recording contracts, 45 King produced an amazing string of breakbeat albums, one right after the other. Starting in 1990, Mark dropped beat after beat. The Lost Breakbeat series, the Breakapalooza series, etc. Mark produced a few tracks for other rappers, but stayed mainly with his breakbeat franchise. Mark's return to stardom started in 1996. "The 900 Number" was still a popular underground breakbeat track. But Washington, D.C.-based DJ Kool scored a big hit with "Let Me Clear My Throat." It was simply call-and-response vocals over the "900 Number" beat, but it blew up nationwide. Best of all, DJ Kool didn't simply steal the track. He acknowledged the 45 King's as the song's originator, and the King even remixed the track for Kool. The 45 King blew up in an even bigger way in 1998. Hooking up with Jay-Z, the 45 King produced what was to be the biggest rap song of the summer: "It's a Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)." From every radion station to MTV and BET, this song was inescapable. With its looped chorus from the Broadway Musical "Annie" and simple boom-bap beat, the 45 King vaulted back into the spotlight. In 2000, he produced the platinum track "Stan" for Eminem, solidifying his reputation as a top-notch beatmaker. Currently, the 45 King is supposedly working on a solo project, a compilation of rappers over his beats. If there's any justice in the world, the album will blow up and give the 45 King the respect and notoriety he rightly deserves.