Mark Howard James (October 16, 1961 – October 19, 2023), professionally known as The 45 King and also known as DJ Mark the 45 King,[3] was an American
hip hop producer and DJ from
The Bronx, New York. He began DJing in the mid-1980s. His pseudonym, the 45 King, came from his ability to make beats using obscure
45 RPM records.
Life and career
In November 1989, the re-release of "The King is Here" / "The 900 Number" peaked at #60 in the
UK Singles Chart, his only appearance in a
UKchart.[4]
In 1996, Washington, D.C.-based
go-go artist
DJ Kool had a hit with the song "
Let Me Clear My Throat". It was call-and-response vocals over a chopped half of the "900 Number" beat. DJ Kool did not just sample the track: he also acknowledged James as the song's originator.[7]
In 1998, James produced "
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" for
Jay-Z. The song was a hit and featured a looped chorus from the original cast album of the Broadway musical Annie. In an interview, Jay-Z spoke on James' importance to hip hop and called him a true pioneer of the business.[8]
Following the success of Hard Knock Life, James heard the
Dido song "
Thank You" in the 1998 film Sliding Doors. He looped the sample and added a bassline, then sent the result to
Interscope Records. The recording was later used for the
Eminem song "
Stan", as the rapper interpreted Dido's lyrics as being about stalking.[9]
James died on October 19, 2023, at the age of 62.[10]
Selected production credits
Chill Rob G – F.U. (Rockin Wit The Best) (featuring Double J, God Lakim, The 45 King) – SpitSLAM Record Label Group, 2022[11]
Mark Howard James (October 16, 1961 – October 19, 2023), professionally known as The 45 King and also known as DJ Mark the 45 King,[3] was an American
hip hop producer and DJ from
The Bronx, New York. He began DJing in the mid-1980s. His pseudonym, the 45 King, came from his ability to make beats using obscure
45 RPM records.
Life and career
In November 1989, the re-release of "The King is Here" / "The 900 Number" peaked at #60 in the
UK Singles Chart, his only appearance in a
UKchart.[4]
In 1996, Washington, D.C.-based
go-go artist
DJ Kool had a hit with the song "
Let Me Clear My Throat". It was call-and-response vocals over a chopped half of the "900 Number" beat. DJ Kool did not just sample the track: he also acknowledged James as the song's originator.[7]
In 1998, James produced "
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" for
Jay-Z. The song was a hit and featured a looped chorus from the original cast album of the Broadway musical Annie. In an interview, Jay-Z spoke on James' importance to hip hop and called him a true pioneer of the business.[8]
Following the success of Hard Knock Life, James heard the
Dido song "
Thank You" in the 1998 film Sliding Doors. He looped the sample and added a bassline, then sent the result to
Interscope Records. The recording was later used for the
Eminem song "
Stan", as the rapper interpreted Dido's lyrics as being about stalking.[9]
James died on October 19, 2023, at the age of 62.[10]
Selected production credits
Chill Rob G – F.U. (Rockin Wit The Best) (featuring Double J, God Lakim, The 45 King) – SpitSLAM Record Label Group, 2022[11]