Eminem and JAY-Z honors late DJ Mark The 45 King James.
Mark Howard James, professionally known as DJ Mark the 45 King reportedly passed away at the age of 62. The legendary producer is known for some of the classic work, and he also produced Eminem’s iconic “Stan” track. Following the news, the Detroit rapper also took to his social media to share tribute.
“Legends are never over. #RIP Mark Howard James aka The 45 King … I’m 4ever grateful!!!,” he wrote, with a clip of Mark James talking about working on Stan.
Legends are never over. #RIP Mark Howard James aka The 45 King … I’m 4ever grateful!!! https://t.co/s4ywAw6r03
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) October 19, 2023
JAY-Z, for whom The 45 King produced “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)”, also posted a tribute through Young Guru’s social media. “Thank you, Mark. Your instrumentals, namely ‘The 900 Number,’ were more memorable than our whole albums,” he wrote. “You gave me a canvas to have a conversation with the world!! You changed my life. Even when the life is short, the art is long!!”
Jay-Z releases statement in response to DJ Mark the 45 King’s passing. pic.twitter.com/DJnDZ18Azt
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) October 19, 2023
Just the other day, DJ Premier also posted a long tribute on his social media. “R.I.P. DJ Mark The 45 King who passed this morning. An ICON. His 62nd Birthday was Monday,” he wrote. “I never heard of Gang Starr until I heard DJ Red Alert play their 2nd single Produced by Mark on 98.7 Kiss in NYC while shopping my demos looking to get a record deal.”
“Red Alert was playing “Bust A Move Boy” cutting it up crazy and I heard Guru’s voice wondering who the f–k is Gang Starr? I immediately went and bought the 12inch single to discover the label Wild Pitch Records,” he continued. “From there my friend Carlos Garza in Houston, TX. told Stu Fine who owned Wild Pitch about me and I connected with them in 1988 when Guru was looking for a new DJ and a permanent Producer.”
To the ICON DJ MARK 45 KING
R.I.P. @TheReal45King We Salute your greatness! pic.twitter.com/cRH7THzxmb— DJ Premier (@REALDJPREMIER) October 19, 2023
