Brother Marquis, the influential rapper from 2 Live Crew, has passed away at the age of 58. The Miami-based group shared the sad news on Monday (June 3) through their social media channels, saying, “Mark Ross AKA Brother Marquis of the 2 Live Crew has passed away.” Details surrounding his death have not been disclosed.
Tributes poured in from across the hip-hop community, most notably from Uncle Luke, his fellow 2 Live Crew member. Luke expressed his deep sorrow on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “My Condolence goes out to the Family of Brother Marquis and so many of his Fans from around the World after learning his passing. We took on so many fights for the culture made Great music together something I would never forget.” He added that they had recently reunited to recover their stolen catalog and that they would continue this fight in Marquis’ name.
Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav also shared a heartfelt tribute by posting a picture with Brother Marquis, captioned: “rest in peace bro. Marquise And china man of 2Live Crew.” Rob Base also commented on 2 Live Crew’s Instagram post, expressing his condolences and sharing his sadness over the loss.
Born in Rochester, New York, Brother Marquis became a significant figure in the late 1980s as a member of 2 Live Crew. Known for their controversial and explicit lyrics, the group’s album ‘As Nasty As They Wanna Be’ grabbed headlines when it was declared obscene by a Florida court and banned in the U.S., a decision that was later overturned. Marquis and the group faced misdemeanor obscenity charges for performing songs from the album but were found not guilty. They became the first music group to have a parental advisory sticker on an album with their 1990 release, ‘Banned in the USA.’
Marquis left 2 Live Crew in 1994 but made a return a year later. He is also remembered for coining the phrase, ‘I got 99 problems and a bitch ain’t one,’ from the group’s song ‘Table Dance,’ a line later used by Ice-T and famously by JAY-Z. Ice-T recalled a conversation with Marquis about the phrase in a 2023 interview with Big Boy, highlighting how it was inspired by their experiences at Magic City, a notable Atlanta nightclub.
Brother Marquis will be remembered not only for his music but also for his role in challenging and pushing the boundaries of free speech in hip-hop. His passing marks the end of an era for 2 Live Crew fans and the larger hip-hop community.
Brother Marquis’ legacy in the hip-hop world is one of groundbreaking music and cultural influence. He will be deeply missed by fans and fellow artists alike.
