“Just a Friend” by Biz Markie (f/ Reese Roper)

“Just a Friend” by Biz Markie (f/ Reese Roper)

From One Hit Thunder by Geekscape

June 3, 2026 · 1h 10m · Episode 318

About this episode

The episode explores the life and career of Biz Markie, featuring guest Reese Roper.

Oh SNAP! This week, we’re joined by Five Iron Frenzy vocalist Reese Roper to explore the life and times of Biz Markie, otherwise known as the Clown Prince of Hip Hop. The unforgettable chorus of “Just a Friend,” which was an interpolation of a 1968 Freddie Scott song, became instantly iconic, and Biz’s less-than-perfect performance gave the song endless charm and personality. Whether Biz was inevitably bound for one hit wonderdom is up for debate, but a landmark court case against a sample on his next album may have been what cemented it. Regardless, he had a long and interesting career, all the way up to his untimely passing in 2021. Is there more in Biz Markie’s catalog worth diving into if you only know the hit? This week, we’ll see if he really IS a hundred proof. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Our listeners get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/onehitthunder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook…

People in this episode

Host: One Hit Thunder

Guest: Reese Roper

Topics covered

  • Biz Markie
  • One Hit Wonders
  • Hip Hop
  • Music History
  • Interviews
  • Comedy

Keywords

  • Just a Friend
  • Biz Markie
  • Reese Roper
  • One Hit Wonder
  • Hip Hop
  • Music
  • DistroKid

Sponsors

DistroKid

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