DJ Mark The 45 King also know as The 45 King, an iconic hip-hop producer from New York City who collaborated with Jay-Z, Eminem, and Queen Latifah, passed away on Thursday. He was 62.
Born Mark Howard James, he took the moniker The 45 King because of his fondness for sampling old, obscure records. His death was announced on social media Thursday afternoon by a fellow hip-hop producer, DJ Premier.
Information on the cause or place of death were not immediately available. An inquiry sent to James’s manager was not immediately returned.
“His sound was unlike any other from his heavy drums and his horns were so distinct on every production,” DJ Premier wrote, referring to James as DJ Mark The 45 King.
The 45 King is the man who produced arguably the greatest storytelling hip-hop song in history, Eminem’s “Stan” from his 2000 classic album, The Marshall Mathers LP.
Slim Shady took to X to honor the legendary producer by sharing a video of The 45 King talking about producing “Stan.” In the caption, Em wrote: “Legends are never over. #RIP Mark Howard James aka The 45 King … I’m 4ever grateful!!!”
Check the tweet below:
Legends are never over. #RIP Mark Howard James aka The 45 King … I’m 4ever grateful!!! https://t.co/s4ywAw6r03
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) October 19, 2023