The Latest Updates on Biz Markie’s Health

Marcel Theo Hall, popularly known as Biz Markie, was crowned the “Clown Prince of Hip Hop” despite being a one-hit-wonder after releasing “Just a Friend” in 1981. His love for hip hop and beatboxing put him on the musical path as a beatboxer on various songs such as “Def Fresh Crew.” He then made up his mind to pursue humorous hip hop because he has always wanted to be different from everyone else. Lately, it is not his music and deejaying skills hitting the headlines; he has been in and out of hospital for the last year. Fans have gone from speculating that he had coronavirus around June 2020 to calling him mentally retarded because his communication skills have become poor in that short period. We have researched for you, and here is all you need to know about Biz Markie’s health.

Suffering from Type 2 Diabetes

Markie was born with diabetes, but it seemed that the rapper was not ready to adopt a healthy lifestyle just yet. Despite knowing the risks that come with weight gain, Markie continued enjoying junk food. According to Weight and Skin, he would eat an entire Entenmann’s cake on his own and drink half a gallon of milk. The bad eating habits caused him to gain so much weight that Will Smith was constantly telling the rapper how important it was to shed extra pounds. Since Markie did not heed the warning, Smith went ahead to motivate him, betting Markie on the set of “Men in Black 2” to coax him to lose weight. Markie said that it was good to have friends who cared about him, but it was a much better feeling to lose weight. Therefore, in 2012 after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, it was time to make drastic changes, and top on the list was losing weight. Without losing weight, the chances of the condition worsening were high. Doctors didn’t mince their words and warned Markie that he would lose his feet and other body parts if he didn’t take action. Thus, the rapper joined a fitness center and started intensive workouts. He even changed his eating habits to include more organic foods. Markie had to switch from regular sodas to Zevia, which has zero calories, because he was set on living a fulfilling life despite the condition.

Slipping into a Diabetic Coma

By September 2014, the results of his hard work could be seen. According to ABC News, the rapper had lost 140 pounds by going from 385 pounds to 244 pounds. He said it was not only about cutting sugar but sticking to an overall diet and cleansing his body. His trick was, therefore, to include more water in his diet, cleanse and exercise. The changes had resulted in him feeling much more energized, and he aimed to lose another 10 pounds at the beginning of 2015. The musician added that he had stopped eating like a pig. So, when they went on the “Yo Gabba Gabba!” Tour, he stuck to eating organic food. Markie only enjoyed some turkey, bacon and eggs once in a while. Unfortunately, even with the lifestyle changes that Markie had developed over the years, type 2 diabetes would not let him off the hook that easily. According to NME, speculations were that Markie had contracted coronavirus since the musician was hospitalized after the pandemic began. However, the rumors were put to rest after Markie’s representatives clarified that he had been hospitalized following complications triggered by type 2 diabetes.They reassured the rapper’s fans that he was receiving the best medical care despite the status of his condition remaining unclear. It was reported that he had been keeping his condition private, but it had steadily gotten worse, leading to him being hospitalized for weeks. A few months ago, the rapper slipped into a diabetic coma, but it did not worry his friends and family because it was not the first time for such an incident. He would slip into a diabetic coma, be admitted, get discharged and take his medication which got diabetes under control.

Situation Worsened to Having a Stroke

Big Daddy Kane had an interview with “The Breakfast Club” where he revealed Markie’s health status update. As published by Hip Hop DX, Kane said that while in hospital due to the diabetic coma, Markie suffered a stroke. As a result, the health condition was not looking optimistic initially, but he had improved significantly. According to Kane, the rapper has been getting better with time and has been staying in touch with friends and family through Facetime. However, due to the stroke, communication has become difficult, but his sense of humor has not changed. Kane disclosed that the last time he had talked with Markie, he had a light voice and even stuck up his middle finger, which to Kane was a good sign. Unfortunately, some people have been so rude with their speculation claiming that Markie had become mentally retarded and had speech impairment, not realizing the hell that the rapper has been through over the last few months.

What Could Have Caused the Type 2 Diabetes to Worsen?

It is unfortunate that even after Markie decided to change his eating habits and adopt a healthy lifestyle, the condition still worsened. The musician has all the risk factors that promote the development of type 2 diabetes. First of all, he is African-American and was overweight. He also is above 45 years old and had not been physically active for a while. Although various sources cite different ways of preventing type 2 diabetes, including losing weight, eating fewer calories, and being physically active, they have not worked for the musician. Still, things are looking up for Markie, especially concerning the stroke; he has already been enrolled in rehabilitation and is getting stronger with each passing day.