Brother Marquis

Mark D. Ross (born April 4, 1966), better known by his stage name Brother Marquis, is an American rapper and a Miami bass pioneer.

Ross was born in Rochester, New York, in his teens, and with his mother, they moved to Los Angeles, California.

Born on April 4, 1966, Ross explained that he spent his early life in Rochester, New York, with his mother, and in his teens, they moved to Los Angeles, California.

By the early 1980s, Ross started to release music with his group The Cautious Crew, and shortly after he made an impression DJ and producer David Hobbs (Mr. Mixx) due to his battle rap abilities.

At the time, Hobbs was part of a group named 2 Live Crew, who had just created the Miami Bass blueprint, and were successful in Florida.

Eventually a member of the group left, and Ross accepted an invitation to replace him.

Due to his comedic sensibilities, Ross integrated easily into the direction the group was taking.

Alongside Hobbs, Christopher Wong Won (Fresh Kid Ice), and Luther Campbell (Luke Skyywalker), they became the most well-known line up of the group.

In 1983, Ross and fellow rapper Rodney-O, as The Caution Crew, released twelve-inch singles, "Westside Storie" and "Rhythm Rock".

Ross explained that they were created during his time living in California while he was in Junior High.

Ross explained that his rapper's name, Brother Marquis, was coined by his cousin, who, due to his Muslim faith, frequently referred to others as "Brother."

The two would engage in Islamic practices and spend time together in a Grand Marquis car.

Over time, his cousin began calling him Brother Marquis.

"Eventually, he caught the attention of music producer and DJ David Hobbs, also known as Mr. Mixx, who was part of the rap group 2 Live Crew, which had gained popularity in Miami, Florida. Hobbs said "I knew Marquis from parties in Riverside.

He would battle people and beat them senseless.

I met him in the parking lot of a mall and told him if I ever get a chance, I'm going to bring you in."When one of the group members eventually departed, Ross flew to Florida to join 2 Live Crew alongside Hobbs, Christopher Wong Won (Fresh Kid Ice), and Luther Campbell (Luke).

In 1986, they had a breakthrough with their Gold-certified debut album, The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are.

When Ross arrived, they had already completed the 1986 single "Trow The D. And Ghetto Bass".

The song "Trow The D" became the blueprint as to how future Miami bass songs were written and produced.

The group was initially known for their sexually explicit and comical content.

Regarding Ross's comedic talents and adaptation to the group's style, Hobbs noted, "he was always naturally funny. Since the stuff was coming off of comedy records, it went hand in hand with him."

Ross was 19-year when he joined, and his first recording with the group was the song "Word".

In 1986, the 2 Live Crew release their Gold-certified debut album, The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are.

The group success came with controversies due to the explicit nature of their humor, however they continued their rise to fame with their second album, Move Somethin' (1988), which also went gold.

In 1988, 2 Live Crew released their second studio album, Move Somethin' .

The album was also certified Gold.

and featured the singles "Move Somethin'" and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy".

Move Somethin' improved on the charts from the previous album, making into #68 on the Billboard 200 and #20 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.

Their third album As Nasty As They Wanna Be (1989), was certified Platinum.

However, a U.S. district court ruled the album legally obscene.

In the press the group received national scrutiny.

They were prosecuted, and later acquitted.

2 Live Crew's third studio album As Nasty As They Wanna Be (1989), became the group's biggest seller, certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Prior to a group's separation, they made two more albums which went Gold Banned in the U.S.A. (1990) and Sports Weekend: As Nasty as They Wanna Be, Pt. 2, (1991).

In the early 1990s, Ross embarked on various musical endeavors.

He formed the duo 2 Nazty with DJ Toomp and released the album Indecent Exposure in 1993, showcasing his versatility and prowess.

During the same year, Ross was a featured rapper on Ice-T's album "Home Invasion," contributing to the original version of "99 Problems," which later was remade by Jay-Z into a top charting hit.

In 1996, Ross, Wong Won, and Hobbs reunited as 2 Live Crew and released the album Shake a Lil' Somethin', which reached #145 on the Billboard 200 and #33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

In 1998, Ross and Wong Won released The Real One, which peaked at #59 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, marking the final 2 Live Crew album to date.

In 2006, Ross and Wong Won, as 2 Live Crew, reunited, started touring, released singles, and made several album announcements, until Wong Won's death in 2017.