Bob James On Biz Markie & “Take Me To The Mardi Gras”

A quick warning: Don’t even bother going further unless you have a serious chunk of time to dedicate to viewing. This is going to take a while.

Bob James explains how his thoughts about sampling have changed over the years while offering insight into the making of “Take Me To The Mardi Gras” and refuting Biz Markie’s famous claim of owning a copy of the song that does not contain bells. James also discusses defective master tapes, transferring the original master recordings, and it’s impossible that Biz Markie could have a copy of the original master recordings.

On “Take Me To The Mardi Gras” without bells:

There was no reason in the world that we would have ever made a version of that song without the cowbell in it. We just wouldn’t have done that.

To Biz Markie:

Telling people that you got a hold of my multi-tracks. I don’t think so. Wanna meet face to face and really check it out?

[Thanks Hankyu!]

More after the break!

27 thoughts on “Bob James On Biz Markie & “Take Me To The Mardi Gras””

  1. I just finished the first part. What I realized is that MAYBE Biz is talking about that version of Mardi Gras that’s on the Dusty Fingers collection that has no bells?

  2. I like how crate diggin is so serious biz and quest real collectors and bob James is dope. He’s hip hop and he doesn’t know it.

  3. If Bob says Biz don’t got it, Biz don’t got it….it’s all something to (successfully) gain attention with……GREAT interview by the way!

  4. anyone who knows biz knows that he is a known liar. biz said he produced every track that he did and not marley. among other lies

    • LLS settle down bro…this is an OLD debate, not even that serious…
      I actually heard that this mardi gras version was on the tapan zee lable…??….
      And anybody who knows about biz knows that he didnt write NONE of his rhymes, Kane did…and ANYBODY who knows biz knows hes not a “known liar” LMAO!!
      Fact of the matter is when all the dusty finger and octopuss break joints started popping up ALOT of people were pissed and various well known, well respected record collectors names got thrown around as the culprit….biz being 1 of them…

  5. What does the interviewer mean by putting mari gras in and different audio out? does he mean eq’ing the track or filtering or what?

    and hahhaha love the last video where Bob james shows his mobster side.

  6. Biz is the king of the goose chase, lol. I remember about 20 years ago reading an interview he did in Spin or Rolling Stone. I got all amped because he was dropping names of all these supposedly “crazy” artists that I wasn’t up on…I couldn’t believe he was giving up actual names of joints. (This was before everybody listed their samples in the song credits and the Web was commonly accessible, btw). I ran downtown Philly the next morning with a list of every artist he dropped in that interview and bought a stack of the shittiest records I think I’ve ever dropped money on!

    • LOL!! RIGHT! Its all a big goose chase to keep other diggers off your trail!! typical old school shit!! just like DJs would cover their lables so you couldnt jack what they were spinning!!
      Just like diggers would HIDE RECORDS so other cats couldnt find them….or get to the record spots BEFORE other diggers and get 1st dibs…
      oh it gets serious with diggers…
      well it USED TO…LOL…

  7. I was hoping the interviewer would plant the idea in his head to release some of his multitracks on a data DVD as wav files or something. Even MP3s. I don’t know what his current sales are like, but I think beat makers and music nerds would happily pay for such a thing.

    Also, not that the Biz thing needs further debunking — but in 1974 the 12″ single was still one year away, and I would be surprised if there is even a 12″ single by any artist in CTI’s entire catalog, promotional or not.

  8. I hope NONE of bob james rare shit gets in the hands of the mp3 generation!! go dig that shit up yourself!!
    learn to appreciate your craft….u got everything laid out for you as it is…go do some actual WORK!
    DIG!! And stop looking for someone to do it for you!!
    Find Your 0wn sounds!!
    Find an artist nobody sampled yet!!
    its gives the next digger inspiration believe it or not…
    Thats how you contribute to the shit we do….thats called PERSERVATION…
    This new generation is good for seeking out the blueprint and copying off it until overkill versus creating your own formula from the ground up and working it….
    At least when we sampled back in the day we did the knowledge on the cats we were using…it connected you…
    nowadays you get a file, no pics, nothing to actually ‘feel’ or touch….
    no REAL work or appreciation, just a download…
    thats depressing to me…

    BTW I got that rare bob james easy bake oven 4 sale…holla…

  9. Man, Biz is so full of shit sometimes.
    He has a lot of exclusive shit no doubt.. but he uses that to add a few lies into the mix so people will believe it because he’s ”known” to have other stuff and it makes it look possible.. but straight up, Biz can eat a dick with those lies.

    Bob James called him out and rightfully so because Biz’s lyin ass needs to be exposed. Yeah Biz is a legend and all that blah blah blah but it don’t give him the right to lie his ass off about shit he don’t own.

  10. I hope Bob james never releases his multitracks to anyone. Some things are just better left unreleased because this “sample” generation takes things for granted too much anyway. Enjoy BJ’s music for what it is.. not for it’s sample potential.
    Oh yeah and I agree with realtalk 101 : Biz Markie can eat a big fat dick with mustard sauce. Stop lyin’ about the mardi gras 12 inch without the bells ya fat washed up lazy eyed retarded bastard!!!!

  11. great that Bob James now knows about the history of Hip hop . really great interview . a learning experience for Bob also . love your music Bob . Hip hop turned me onto Bob James in the late 80’s when Run Dmc sampled him for Peter Piper . Bob james 1,2,3 & 4 . must haves .

  12. Me and my most effective friend was just having a conversation on this rather subject and we decided to look it up and discovered your internet site. Rather informative details.

Comments are closed.