Marquiss - Robin Hood Theory (Produced by Chrizo)
Marquiss and I met through Hotnixx's 21st birthday celebration at his house in LP. Nixx has already told me about this cat who sounded like and idolized Nas and ILL-J. We get introduced and I see a very shy dude. We would exchange glances and thats about it. Nixx turned it up, made Mark bust a few rhymes in front of me. I was impressed. Certain people are just equipped with the right bravado at the right time. I didn't have any artists to work with at that time that it made me feel like I wanted to part of they growth. Since having Ryan and Arkane was automatic, Nimbus wasn't in the picture yet and Nixx was already Hotnixx. So I told him I would want him in my team, no expectations. And this dude out right showed me that he plays for a team. Thats when I decided to put his then group into Turbulence.
Mark would showcase a big deficit as far as rhymes and subject matter from his groupmate that we toyed with the idea of doing solo songs. I would always tell my artists to do songs they wanna do. Cause there are things you can't show or talk about once the group decides to go another route. This was freeing Marquiss of a burden and actually carve his growth into his own identity. Mark has always impressed me. The first solo song we recorded "The Blackhole" (this came out on the First Heard CD) debuted and ended up being number 7 on the daily countdown of Barangay Fliphop at Power 108. We voted like a motherfucker up in there just to be heard! Turbulence was even called SouthBreeze Productions at that time! Marquiss was even given the chance to guest on the El Latino "Naku Buhay" ALBUM on the posse cut "Vatos Gettin Down". I would always give him beats to take home and after a week and a half he would kill every beat. Marquiss even has a song entitled "Masterpiece" featuring Bunnygyal of the reggae band Hemp Republic. Marquiss is also integral in forming AMPON as you guys might not know, he is part of the pioneering batch of this hiphop supergroup.
2005, I was working on a beat for the supposedly "SOUL IMPRESSIONS" CD I was trying to develop. I gave Mark a beat that ended up being "Wishing On A Star" -- if y'all don't know that song, y'all aren't following Marquiss right! Hehehe. That song got the attention of older cats who would see us and ask who he is, where he is, is he from the States, when is he performing? That same year, ILL-J put him in his "Journey" CD via two tracks, "Embrace The God" and "Sick Wid It".
College got in the way, and I started taking my production game to another level. Me and Marquiss would stay intouch. I would have concepts and beats I would throw for him, sometimes its a marriage sometimes it just wasn't clicking. "The More Things Change" has gotta be my favorite Marquiss track, he was always ahead of his time but this time he nailed it just where it was. Maybe where he was too. This song speaks in volumes, even Mike Swift would break down almost in tears on the 2nd verse, look for it around. I was getting too busy, and I wasn't looking or he wasn't showing me the assertiveness that I wanted that made me make decisions for him at times. Clearly, this was the mistake -- and this was the best mistake -- as I saw Mark assert himself to do G.R.A.E. This allowed me more time to focus on other things, as Chrizo and Marquiss got to work. I didn't wanna taint the concept of that album and offered little as far as production. And you know what, the album is dope 5 times over than I would expect. Marquiss would show the class and craftmanship of a veteran on that album. I heard it only when it was 80% done. Helped them hear things they didn't and fine tune certain things. Over all, THEY DID IT. The Greatest Rap Album Ever.
Marquiss is his own man at the end of the day. You will hear his verses and say "yeah, that makes sense -- why didn't I think of that" This dude isn't out there all the time with us grinding but surely it isn't questioned when his pen hits the ink! Even rebels sometimes get lost, but when they find their way back -- you better know they come to crash the party. Who else has a single that features Mastaplann, a song with Hasan Salam, not to mention Loonie, Verse One, Quest, Labo, Abby Assistio, Forensic Science and the likes.
Happy birthday bro! Our story is greater that the one I put up here. You and I have been through alot these years. I'm proud to see you walk through the life that you chose. The best is yet to come! I learned alot from you last 2008. Stay on the grind! Pencils down! Aquarians are tough for the Sags!
Mark would showcase a big deficit as far as rhymes and subject matter from his groupmate that we toyed with the idea of doing solo songs. I would always tell my artists to do songs they wanna do. Cause there are things you can't show or talk about once the group decides to go another route. This was freeing Marquiss of a burden and actually carve his growth into his own identity. Mark has always impressed me. The first solo song we recorded "The Blackhole" (this came out on the First Heard CD) debuted and ended up being number 7 on the daily countdown of Barangay Fliphop at Power 108. We voted like a motherfucker up in there just to be heard! Turbulence was even called SouthBreeze Productions at that time! Marquiss was even given the chance to guest on the El Latino "Naku Buhay" ALBUM on the posse cut "Vatos Gettin Down". I would always give him beats to take home and after a week and a half he would kill every beat. Marquiss even has a song entitled "Masterpiece" featuring Bunnygyal of the reggae band Hemp Republic. Marquiss is also integral in forming AMPON as you guys might not know, he is part of the pioneering batch of this hiphop supergroup.
2005, I was working on a beat for the supposedly "SOUL IMPRESSIONS" CD I was trying to develop. I gave Mark a beat that ended up being "Wishing On A Star" -- if y'all don't know that song, y'all aren't following Marquiss right! Hehehe. That song got the attention of older cats who would see us and ask who he is, where he is, is he from the States, when is he performing? That same year, ILL-J put him in his "Journey" CD via two tracks, "Embrace The God" and "Sick Wid It".
College got in the way, and I started taking my production game to another level. Me and Marquiss would stay intouch. I would have concepts and beats I would throw for him, sometimes its a marriage sometimes it just wasn't clicking. "The More Things Change" has gotta be my favorite Marquiss track, he was always ahead of his time but this time he nailed it just where it was. Maybe where he was too. This song speaks in volumes, even Mike Swift would break down almost in tears on the 2nd verse, look for it around. I was getting too busy, and I wasn't looking or he wasn't showing me the assertiveness that I wanted that made me make decisions for him at times. Clearly, this was the mistake -- and this was the best mistake -- as I saw Mark assert himself to do G.R.A.E. This allowed me more time to focus on other things, as Chrizo and Marquiss got to work. I didn't wanna taint the concept of that album and offered little as far as production. And you know what, the album is dope 5 times over than I would expect. Marquiss would show the class and craftmanship of a veteran on that album. I heard it only when it was 80% done. Helped them hear things they didn't and fine tune certain things. Over all, THEY DID IT. The Greatest Rap Album Ever.
Marquiss is his own man at the end of the day. You will hear his verses and say "yeah, that makes sense -- why didn't I think of that" This dude isn't out there all the time with us grinding but surely it isn't questioned when his pen hits the ink! Even rebels sometimes get lost, but when they find their way back -- you better know they come to crash the party. Who else has a single that features Mastaplann, a song with Hasan Salam, not to mention Loonie, Verse One, Quest, Labo, Abby Assistio, Forensic Science and the likes.
Happy birthday bro! Our story is greater that the one I put up here. You and I have been through alot these years. I'm proud to see you walk through the life that you chose. The best is yet to come! I learned alot from you last 2008. Stay on the grind! Pencils down! Aquarians are tough for the Sags!
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