Biz Never Sleeps
The clown prince of hip-hop, Biz Markie disappeared into obscurity just a couple of years after this album was released, in large part owing to a legal battle. Hip-hop has lacked for Biz's absence (except for his occasional appearance on a Beastie Boys or De La Soul track), and this album is the reason. Biz had some serious skills (listen to the rap he busts out with on the hilarious "Mudd Foot"), but he usually shelved them for a deliberate, toned-down delivery punctuated by an affected stutter. His lyrics tend toward high-school-level humor, and his production may often be minimal, but Biz's best work--including the bulk of this CD--communicates a joy that hip-hop often lacks.--Randy Silver