Mark Howard James, the beat maker greatest often known as the 45 King, has died, James’ supervisor, Paul Martinez, confirmed to Pitchfork. The Bronx native began producing within the mid-Eighties as hip-hop appeared to pour out of each stereo in New York’s 5 boroughs. After breaking out along with his work for Queen Latifah within the late ’80s, James would go on to provide rap classics equivalent to Jay-Z’s “Laborious Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” “Stan” by Eminem, and extra. James died at age 62, days after his birthday on October 16. A reason for dying has not been revealed.

Whereas DJing, James would cull sound bits from obscure 45 singles, which finally knowledgeable his manufacturing fashion, and was in dialog with the encircling tradition of hip-hop sampling that continues to be related right now. His breakout observe “The 900 Quantity” was launched in 1987, and featured a distinguished saxophone snippet from Marva Whitney’s 1968 tune “Unwind Your self.” The tune was additionally launched on James’ 1988 debut Grasp of the Recreation. Within the ensuing years, “The 900 Quantity” has been sampled and remixed by quite a lot of artists, together with DJ Kool, Public Enemy, Breakestra, and Ced Gee.

James’ New York hip-hop crew, often known as the Taste Unit, included up-and-coming artists like Apache, Lakim Shabazz, Chill Rob G, and one Queen Latifah. Driving the success of “The 900 Quantity,” James was recruited to provide Latifah’s 1989 debut All Hail the Queen.

All through the late ’80s and mid-’90s, James produced and reworked cuts by Latifah, Gang Starr, Salt-N-Pepa, Eric B. & Rakim, Digital Underground, Madonna, C&C Music Manufacturing unit, and lots of others. He continued to self-release data all through that interval, together with his Straight Out Da Crate and The Misplaced Breakbeats sequence.

In 1998, James produced Jay-Z’s mega hit “Laborious Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” which launched him to a brand new era of rap lovers. The tune famously samples and loops “It’s the Laborious-Knock Life” from the unique forged recording of the Broadway musical Annie. In 2000, James made one other star activate Eminem’s sophomore file The Marshall Mathers LP, crafting the enduring, Dido-sampling beat for “Stan.”

Because the information of his dying circulates, quite a lot of artists have paid tribute to James, together with Eminem, who wrote on social media: “Legends are by no means over. #RIP Mark Howard James aka the 45 King … I’m 4ever grateful!!!” The Alchemist referred to as James “one of many authentic architects of manufacturing,” whereas DJ Premier wrote “we Salute your greatness!”