DJ Mark the 45 King was born Mark Howard James in 1961 in New York City. He started DJing in the 1980s and got his stage name from playing uncommon 7″ singles. He signed a production deal with Tuff City Records, using his newfound status to amplify the careers of his crew, the Flavor Unit. The group included Latifah, Chill Rob G, Apache and others.

Latifah’s debut album, All Hail the Queen, released on Tommy Boy Records in 1989, was a career-high for her and James. The label soon distributed music by other Flavor Unit members, with James producing most of those tracks.

James also found success across the pond, but for his work on the mic. He had a hit single in the U.K., “The 900 Number,” later used as the inspiration for DJ Kool’s 1996 song “Let Me Clear My Throat.”

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