Prince Markie Dee, founding member of the 80s hip-hop rap group The Fat Boys died on Thursday, February 18, 2021, a day before his 53rd birthday.
Louis Gregory, manager of The Fat Boys, announced his death on Twitter.
Forever in my Heart. Prince Markie Dee was more than a rapper; he was one of my very best and closest friends. My heart breaks today because I lost a brother. I’ll always love you Mark and I’ll cherish everything you taught me. Tomorrow is your birthday, swing my way big bro. pic.twitter.com/XcIsHixOoc
— Louis “Uncle Louie” Gregory (@UncleLouie) February 18, 2021
Rapper Eminem paid tribute to Prince Markie Dee on Twitter by saying:
“So sad 2 hear of the legendary @PrinceMarkieDee of the Fat Boys’ passing. One of my childhood idols & favorite mc’s of all time. Left us way 2 soon. He will truly be missed.”
Though no official cause of death has been released, Gregory revealed that Dee was told he needed a stent procedure to alleviate a blocked artery.
It is unclear when that diagnosis was given, but Gregory said that Dee had been suffering from swollen hands and feet prior to seeking medical attention.
AllHipHop is reporting the cause of death was congestive heart failure.
TMZ reports that Gregory spoke to Dee five days before his death via FaceTime.
The two normally shared cigars while catching up, and Dee chose not to do that during their last chat.
Prince Markie Dee whose birth name was Mark Anthony Morales spent most of his life in music.
He was one of the first successful Latin hip hop stars.
Here are three things to know about him.
1. The Fat Boys Were Popular In The 1980s.
What started out as Disco 3, a group of teenage boys touring Europe, evolved into The Fat Boys.
In addition to Morales, the group consisted of Darren Robinson (The Human Beat Box) and Damon Wimbley (Kool Rock Ski).
The name change from Disco 3 to The Fat Boys was a result of the members’ eating habits.
The Fat Boys hit their groove in the mid to late 1980s.
They released a self-titled album in 1984 containing hits “Jail House Rap” and “Can You Feel It?”
The single “All You Can Eat” followed in 1985.
They were one of the original groups to incorporate beatboxing into their sound.
Four of their albums went gold.
The Fat Boys appeared in movies including Krush Groove in 1985 and Disorderlies in 1987.
Though they broke up in the 90s, Prince Markie Dee did have a number one solo hit called “Typical Reasons (Swing My Way)” from his album entited Free in 1992.
2. He Worked Behind The Scenes With Famous Artists.
Prince Markie Dee co-founded a production company called Soul Conventions which began his second act in music.
He produced Mary J. Blige’s hit “Real Love” in 1992.
Besides Blige, he worked with Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, and Marc Anthony.
In addition to producing, he wrote music.
3. Prince Markie Dee Had Been Working As A Radio DJ.
He found his footing in radio in the 2000s.
Prince Markie Dee had his own show on LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells Radio on SiriusXM.
He co-hosted with Just Jheanelle, and the show attracted influential personalities in the music industry.
Prince Markie Dee interviewed Jermaine Dupri, Chris Bosh, and CeeLo Green among others on the show.
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