- Mark Morrison
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For other people named Mark Morrison, see Mark Morrison (disambiguation).
Mark Morrison Also known as Mack Morrison Born 3 May 1972
Hanover, West GermanyOrigin London, United Kingdom Genres R&B, hip hop, rap, Dance Years active 1995–present Labels Mack Life Records Mark Morrison (born 3 May 1972) is a British R&B singer. He was the most successful UK R&B singer of the mid-90s and the first black male solo artist to reach number one in the 90s. His single "Return of the Mack" became a #1 or Top 10 hit in several European countries in 1996. The song peaked at #2 in America the following year.
Contents
Early life
Born in Hanover, West Germany, to Barbadian parentage, Morrison lived in Leicester, before moving to Miami, Florida at a young age, where he discovered his love for music.
Career
Early career
Mark Morrison's first official recording was "Where Is Our Love", pressed on Vynal in 1993, on his own Joe'Mel label.
Main career
Mark Morrison went on to become the most successful British R&B singer of the mid-90s. His breakthrough single, "Return of the Mack" became a Top Ten hit worldwide in 1996, and opened the US market for him the following year. Although he became a commercial success overnight, his career was plagued by run-ins with the law that prevented him from consolidating his position as a superstar.
In mid 1995 he released his debut single "Crazy", which became a Top-20 hit in the UK, and "Let's Get Down", the swing beat summer jam, entering the Top-40. They were followed in the spring of 1996 by the aforementioned "Return of the Mack", which became a smash hit worldwide, spending two weeks at number one in the UK charts. Morrison became the first black male solo artist to reach number one in the 90s.
His debut album, also titled Return of the Mack followed, and became a multiplatinum success. It reached number four in the UK chart, and sold 3 million albums worldwide. It spun off several more hit singles over the next year. "Crazy" (Remix), "Trippin'", "Horny" and "Moan & Groan" would all reach the UK Top-10, making him the first artist in British pop history to have five Top-10s from their debut album.
Although his career was going well, Morrison was constantly in trouble with the law. In 1997 he was imprisoned, the same year (coincidently) he received four Brit nominations, a Mercury Music Prize nomination, an MTV Europe award nomination and 5 MOBO nominations (including winning best R&B), as "Return of the Mack" began to climb its way to number two on the American Billboard charts receiving platinum status en-route. It stayed on the Billboard charts for an incredible 25 weeks.
He also performed at the 1997 Brit Awards. The performance at the Brit's influenced WEA and Morrison to release Only God Can Judge Me, a 9-track EP which contained live performances, interviews, prayers and three full-length songs including "Who's The Mack!" which reached #13 in the UK.
Criminal record
Morrison has been accused of various crimes, in 1997 he was convicted of attempting to bring a fire arm onto an aircraft.[1] He was jailed for three months for the offence in early '97, at the same time Morrison's hit song "Return of the Mack" began to climb its way to #2 in the U.S. Billboard Charts[2]. In 1998 he failed to appear in court on charges of possessing an offensive weapon, flying to Barbados instead; He was arrested on his return to the UK and remanded in custody.[3][4] He was later cleared of the offensive weapon charge.[5]
He was convicted of affray for his part in a brawl in which a man was killed, and sentenced to community service.[2] Morrison later was incarcerated in Wormwood Scrubs for a year for paying a lookalike to perform his court-appointed community service in his stead, while Morrison himself went on tour.[2][6] While in prison, Morrison reportedly converted to Islam and attempted to change his name to Abdul Rahman.[7] Also in 1998, Morrison was banned from driving for six months and fined £1,380 after twice being caught driving without a licence.[8]
In 2002, Morrison was arrested on suspicion of kidnap and car theft.[9] He was released on bail but a policemen was later arrested on suspicion of taking a bribe from Morrison in return for his release.[9] Morrison failed to appear in court to face the charges and a warrant was issued for his arrest.[9]
In 2004, he was arrested and spent a night in police cells, after a fracas that started when his medallion was stolen.[10]
In 2009, Morrison was arrested for an assault in London.[11]
Return to music
Morrison appeared on the 1999 Brit Awards where he presented an award, introduced Whitney Houston and announced his return to music. In September 1999, a single titled "Best Friend" feat. Connor Reeves & Gabrielle became Morrison's ninth Top 40 hit single, reaching #23 on the UK Singles Chart.[12] The following year, it was announced by Billboard that Morrison had signed a five-year worldwide deal with Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight, making him the first, and only British artist to be signed with Death Row Records.[13]
He later signed to footballer Kevin Campbell's 2 Wikid label in 2003. His only release for the label, a single entitled "Just a Man"/"Backstabbers", was a minor UK hit, reaching #48 in the UK Singles Chart in August 2004.[14]
In May 2006, Morrison released a limited edition DVD/CD comeback album Innocent Man in the UK, independently through his own imprint Mack Life Records/Mona Records. A single, also entitled "Innocent Man" feat. DMX was released in March 2006. It was well received, and reached #46 in the UK Singles Chart. The following year, in 2007 he featured on Cassidy's single "Innocent (Misunderstood)" from the B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story album. The track sampled Morrison's vocals from the song, "Innocent Man". It was produced by Swizz Beatz, and charted highly on Billboard's Bubbling Under Singles chart.
In 2008, Morrison announced the release of a 'best of' compilation, King of British R&B: The Best Of.. Mark Morrison, although it remains unreleased.[15]
In 2010, a brand new album was announced, called I Am What I Am, for which a release date has yet to be set. A world-wide tour is to accompany the album release.
Discography
Main article: Mark Morrison discography- Return of the Mack (1996) (UK)
- Only God Can Judge Me (1997)
- Innocent Man (2006)
- I Am What I Am (2012)
References
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen. "Mark Morrison Biography". Allmusic. Yahoo! Music. http://music.yahoo.com/ar-258461-bio--Mark-Morrison. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
- ^ a b c Lister, David (1998) "In the news: Mark Morrison - Pop star takes the ultimate rap for a life of living dangerously", The Independent, 25 March 1998, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ "Mark Morrison Back In Custody After Jumping Bail", MTV, 18 March 1998, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ "SLAMMERTIME! MARK MORRISON IN WORMWOOD SCRUBS", NME, 23 February 1998, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ "Mark Morrison Not Guilty Of Offensive Weapon Charge", MTV, 27 March 1998, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ Heawood, Sophie (2006) "'I'm the most reallest black artist in England'", The Guardian, 8 March 2006, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ "Mark Morrison Changing Name", MTV, October 28, 1998, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ "MORRISON'S TROUBLES CONTINUE", NME, 24 February 1998, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ a b c "MARK MORRISON DRAMA - POLICEMAN ARRESTED", NME, 18 July 2002, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ Youngs, Ian (2004) "R&B star Mark Morrison arrested", BBC, 2 August 2004, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ "MORRISON FACING ASSAULT CHARGE AFTER ARREST", Daily Express, 12 June 2009, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ [http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=27363 Chart Stats
- ^ [http://www.billboard.com/news/death-row-heads-to-u-k-1078037.story#/news/death-row-heads-to-u-k-1078037.story Death Row Heads To U.K.
- ^ Just a Man/Backstabbers, Chart Stats, retrieved 2010-05-31
- ^ "Mark Morrison To Release 'Best Of' Album/European Tour", HipHop-Elements.com, 10 March 2008, retrieved 2010-05-31
External links
Categories:- 1972 births
- Living people
- Military brats
- People from Leicester
- English male singers
- Death Row Records artists
- Black British musicians
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