Mark Ross, a renowned rapper who captured hearts under his stage moniker Brother Marquis, and a pivotal member of the controversial yet influential Miami hip-hop collective 2 Live Crew, has tragically passed away at the age of 58. The news of his demise was solemnly confirmed by the official 2 Live Crew Instagram account on Monday evening, with further verification coming from the group's longtime manager, DJ Debo, in an interview with People Magazine. However, the specific details and the cause of his demise remain undisclosed.
Together with Luke Skyywalker (Luther Campbell), Fresh Kid Ice (Christopher Wong Won), and Mr. Mixx (David Hobbs), Ross formed the most recognized iteration of 2 Live Crew. This formidable quartet burst out of the Floridian rap scene to achieve national fame in the 1980s and 90s, racking up an impressive string of gold albums. Their notoriety was largely due to their provocative and sexually charged tracks like "Me So Horny," "We Want Some Pussy!," "Throw the Dick," and "Pop That Coochie," which caused a stir and garnered both criticism and admiration.
Born on April 4, 1966, in Rochester, New York, Ross embarked on a journey that would lead him to the limelight of the rap world. At the tender age of 14, he relocated to Los Angeles with his family, where he quickly emerged as a rising star in the local rap scene. While the band's legacy is deeply rooted in Miami, 2 Live Crew's genesis actually traced back to Riverside, California, where it was founded in 1984 by DJ Mr. Mixx and original rappers Fresh Kid Ice and Amazing Vee. Ross's friendship with the crew in Riverside eventually led to his induction into the group in 1986, when he was just 19 years old.
With Ross and the group now settled in Miami, 2 Live Crew released their debut album, The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are, in 1986. The album went gold, featuring hits like "We Want Some Pussy" and "Throw the 'D'." The overtly adult themes of their songs often landed the band in controversy, both in Florida and beyond, setting a pattern that would persist throughout their subsequent releases.
Despite the constant scrutiny and obscenity charges they faced due to their sexually explicit lyrics, 2 Live Crew enjoyed a remarkable run of success. Their subsequent four studio albums, all featuring Ross, were met with critical acclaim and commercial success. Move Somethin' (1988) achieved gold status, while As Nasty as They Wanna Be (1989) hit platinum sales. Banned in the U.S.A. (1990) and Sports Weekend (As Nasty as They Wanna Be Part II) (1991) both attained gold status, with Banned in the U.S.A. being noteworthy as one of the first albums to carry the newly implemented RIAA-standard Parental Advisory warning sticker, a testament to the band's unwavering commitment to their art and their unapologetic approach to music-making.
In an interview with the Miami Times, Ross beamed with pride when discussing 2 Live Crew’s unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of free speech and their groundbreaking sexually explicit lyrics. These lyrics, which became increasingly prevalent in hip-hop following the group’s heyday, were a testament to their courage and creativity. “I am deeply grateful and honored to have been a trailblazer in the realm of explicit lyrics, defending First Amendment rights, fighting against censorship, and featuring naked women onstage,” Ross exclaimed. “We were instrumental in securing a significant amount of freedom of speech for everyone.”
After the breakup of the renowned 2 Live Crew lineup in 1992, Ross relocated to Georgia and dabbled in stand-up comedy, exploring a new facet of his artistic persona. He also found moderate success as part of the rap duo 2 Nasty, alongside DJ Toomp. As a solo artist, Ross made a memorable cameo on Ice-T’s highly sexually charged track “99 Problems” released in 1993, a song that later gained further recognition when sampled by Jay-Z.
Over the past two decades, Ross and 2 Live Crew have reunited at various intervals, touring semi-regularly and rekindling their passion for music and performance.
