The Pop Corporation

We’ve lost The 45 King, and we couldn’t let his passing go without paying tribute. Real name Mark James, The 45 King is a supremely influential producer and mover and shaker in hip hop and club music, even if he wasn’t a household name broadly. Influence and fame aren’t the same thing.

James has produced for a number of your favourites and influenced loads of hits – the most notable being Eminem’s ‘Stan’, Jay Z’s ‘Hard Knock Life’, and there’s been bangers and remixes for Queen Latifah, Gang Starr, Eric B & Rakim, Digital Underground, Salt N Pepa, Madonna, Lisa Stansfield, MC Lyte, and of course, classics under his own monicker.

Grown in New York City, he established his name in New Jersey in the ’80s with the Flavor Unit, he’d have hits with Queen Latifah and under his own name with ‘The 900 Number’.

That ‘Unwind Yourself’ sax break from Marva Whitney that’s been used a million times? You’ve got The 45 King to thank for that. ‘Hear The Drummer Get Wicked’ and ‘Let Me Clear My Throat’ were hits chopped from The 45 King’s work.

Tributes have poured in.

Queen Latifah said, “It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved Mentor DJ Mark the 45 King! He believed in me before anyone else. He touched every life he encountered. I’ve never met someone like him; he wanted everyone around him to win. His spirit was magic and will certainly live forever.”

Jay-Z said: “Thank you Mark. Your instrumentals, namely The 900 Number, were more memorable than our whole albums. You gave me a canvas to have a conversation with the whole world! You changed my life.“

DJ Premier wrote at length on Instagram. He included: “Mark is responsible for so many classics… his sound was unlike any other from his heavy drums and his horns were so distinct on every production.”

As a DJ, he’d chop segments from 45s, which went directly into his production style, and before his death, he said: “I like to be liked for my personality and my sense of humor, in honesty, instead of my beats – but people just like you for your art sometimes when it’s hot. I never said that my music was good. I’m just so glad enough people like my art where I can pay the bills.”

Get to know his back catalogue. RIP.