R.I.P. MC EZ aka Craig Mack

Kick that old robotic, futuristic, George Jetson, crazy joint!

Yet another Hip Hop entertainer has left us at a young age (46), I first saw a post on Instagram from the legendary Biz Markie that another great one has gone, RIP Craig Mack, the odd part is that there was a photo of Biz himself and he wasn't replying to any comments, it wasn't until DJ Scratch left a post on Instagram and it was confirmed that MC EZ aka Craig Mack had sadly passed away.

No one knew how or why he had passed but it eventually surfaced that Craig Mack died from heart failure and had been ill for some time, the saddest part is that the legendary Easy Mo Bee stated that he had finally convinced Mack to make new music but even Mo Bee was left in the dark about Mack's health.



Mack first made his way into Hip Hop recording "Get Retarded" (probably best known for it's zoom zoom zoom vocal refrain) b/w "Just Rhymin" for the Fresh records label in 1988 under the MC EZ alias, it made a little noise but enough to sustain a career so Mack became a roadie for DJ Scratch and often joined EPMD on their tours, where legend has it that him and Redman would battle anyone and anybody in Hotel lobbies.



It wasn't until 1993 when he appeared on Mary J Blige's remix of "You Don't Have To Worry" (sampled brilliantly by NYC crew Sourface in 1994 and also known as the joint that they didn't understand Mack on lol) that I went back to that MC EZ and Troup 12" and released that it was the same MC, see these were times way before Google and smart phones and there was never anything said that Craig Mack was in fact MC EZ that I could recall.

"Flava In Ya Ear" (produced by the legendary Easy Mo Bee) was immensely well received in clubs, bars, gigs, parties etc and on radio and still is to this day and set the precedent for Bad Boy Recordings, the All Star posse remix was huge and there were a couple of other remixes for the track as well and the 12" also contained the ill B-Side "Shinika" which didn't make the LP, this can also be found on the Non LP Cuts compilation.

His dope debut LP Project: Funk Da World was also released the same year (and it's no secret that snake Diddy (known as Puff Daddy back then) dropped Mack like a bad habit after the album only went Gold, I enjoyed his second album as well and the slew of singles he released over the years, I could be wrong but I think his last appearance was on Erick Sermon's "Come Thru" track) there was also The Mack World Sessions released in 2017.

There was a documentary being made about Mack's career and religious Life after his Rap career but it is not known if it was finished or will be finished yet, it is also not known when his unreleased music will be see the light of day but hopefully it will soon. 

Thanks for the great memories Craig Mack.

Get Down (Q-Tip Remix)

Flava In Ya Ear (Nashmack Club Mix)

Flava In Ya Ear (Easy Mo Mix)

Mack Come Thru (Produced by Easy Mo Bee)

Wooden Horse (Produced by The 45 King)

R.I.P. Craig Jamieson Mack

May 10, 1971 - March 12, 2018

The Funk A Liscious Fat Funk Flav Boyeeeee

Most would think that Long Island's Craig Mack's 1994 debut on Bad Boy records (when Puff had some credibility) was the first thing he ever did, but they would indeed be wrong...

Mack was actually there in the greatest year ever of rap music, 1988 on a record as MC EZ along with Troup with "Just Rhymin"/"Get Retarded"on Fresh records and after that single he became a roadie for EPMD and during a tour he met Puffy, who asked him to appear on the remix of Mary J Blige's You Don't Have to Worry (1992), kids were paying attention to this amusing ugly dude with the woozy flow.

1993 came around and Puffy created Bad Boy records and Mack was the first to sign on the dotted line,Mack hooked up with the great Easy Mo Bee and recorded the classic 94 anthem Flava In Ya Ear, which only become ever more massive when a posse cut version was recorded and featured,The Notorious B.I.G. (RIP) LL Cool, J, Busta Rhymes & Rampage with a host of other rap acts cameoing in the video.

The album Project: Funk Da World was released in late September 1994 and reached gold status, Q-Tip remixed and appeared on the Get Down remix.

Mack came back with another album, Operation Get Down in 1997 but it didn't have the same feel or sound that his debut album did (and I don't think rocking a suit with his mouth wide open helped matters either lol), he had also severed ties with Puff as well, probably due to being another of Puff's many artists that he has dicked over for his own gain.(see Shyne, Black Rob, Easy Mo Bee, G Dep, Biggie etc...)


He has a new scheduled for release this year but there has been no further information, in my opinion he will always be remembered for this album and that's a good thing.

Here is the album and a few remixes...enjoy



http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T94MKR0P

1. Project: Funk Da World
2. Get Down
3. Making Moves With Puff
4. That Y'all
5. Flava In Ya Ear (Easy Mo Mix)
6. Funk Wit Da Style
7. Judgement Day
8. Real Raw
9. Mainline
10.When God Comes
11.Welcome To 1994
12-Shinika (b-side)
13-Flava In Ya Ear (ft Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Rampage, (Easy Mo Bee Remix)
14-Get Down (feat. Q-Tip) - (Remix)
15-Flava In Ya Ear (Original Version)

MC EZ & Troup-Get Retarded (1988)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/8q3k8k