Craig Mack

Craig Jamieson Mack (May 10, 1970 – March 12, 2018) was an American rapper and record producer. He helped build the foundation for Bad Boy Records, one of hip hop’s most influential labels.

Craig Mack
Born	Craig Jamieson Mack (1970-05-10)May 10, 1970 The Bronx, New York City, U.S.[1]
Died	March 12, 2018(2018-03-12) (aged 47) Walterboro, South Carolina, U.S.[2]
Occupation	Rapper
Years active	1988–2006 2012–2018
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Hip hop Hardcore hip hop East Coast hip hop
Labels	Mack World Bad Boy Scotti Brothers Street Life Def Squad Arista
Associated acts	Sean Combs The Notorious B.I.G. Easy Mo Bee DJ Scratch EPMD

He began rapping as a teenager under the name MC EZ and released one single in 1988, "Just Rhymin'" backed with “Get Retarded,” as part of MC EZ & Troup. Mack then became friends with the hip hop duo EPMD and eventually went on tour with them, doing jobs as a roadie. He helped DJ Scratch assemble and disassemble his turntables at shows. After a few years without forward movement in his recording career, Mack took advantage of an opportunity to rap for Sean Combs, and secured a record deal with Combs’s label, Bad Boy. Mack is best known for his 1994 hit, "Flava in Ya Ear".

Career

His first single "Get Retarded/Just Rhymin'" was released under the name MC EZ in 1988 on Fresh Records. Mack is best known for his 1994 hit single "Flava In Ya Ear", which was released under his real name. The remix of the single was the breakout appearance of The Notorious B.I.G., as well as one of the first solo appearances by Busta Rhymes. The success of The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album, Ready to Die, overshadowed Mack's early success on the Bad Boy label.

Although Sean Combs mentioned in a 1994 interview on MTV's Yo! MTV Raps that he was working with Mack on his second album, which was to be released sometime in January the following year, this proved to not be the case. Present at that interview (which also included The Notorious B.I.G.), Mack himself appeared puzzled by the statement.[3] Mack did release a second album in 1997, but none of the singles charted and Mack was unable to repeat his success.{[citation needed}} In an interview, The Notorious B.I.G. says he appeared on the remix of "Flava In Ya Ear" for political reasons for Combs.[4] In 2002, Mack would appear in the music video for Puffy's single "I Need a Girl (Part One)".

After a few attempts to return to success in the early-2000s, it was said that Mack was working on his third studio album in 2002, which was set to be released in 2007. The single "Mack Tonight" was released for the album in 2006. Mack then disappeared from the hip hop industry until in 2012, when a video was leaked on YouTube saying he had joined a Christian ministry, surprising family members and fans. From 2012 until his death, Mack resided in the Overcomer Ministry located in Walterboro, South Carolina.[5] The Overcomer Ministry's YouTube channel released a video titled "Craig Mack Testimony" on May 22, 2016,[6] in which Mack appears in the middle of the church to rap about Christianity through a remix of "When God Comes".[7] The last part of the video entails a full version of the song with better production quality and a beat. The song expresses his personal beliefs. Mack planned to stay in the ministry and said that he had no intentions to come back to mainstream rap. The song also mentions that he "moved [his] family to South Carolina", which did not align with other reports expressing the family's concerns for his choices.[8] According to the video, Mack felt he was doing "wickedness" in New York, and "righteousness" in South Carolina.[9]

On November 26, 2012, Beazylife Distribution released a new Craig Mack mixtape, Operation Why2K? – Hosted by B-Eazy, through DatPiff.com. In 2017, The Mack World Sessions was released, containing 18 tracks recorded between 2000 and 2006. Dutch record label, MECSMI, released the 'That's My Word' mixtape, hosted by DJ Tape Deck King, via DatPiff and YouTube on August 20, 2018. On November 25, 2018, 'That's My Word' posthumously won Mixtape of the Year at Bout Dat Online's Audio Dope Awards. This marked the first time Mack had won an award since "Flava In Ya Ear" won Single of the Year at the 1995 Source Awards.[10]

Death

Mack died on March 12, 2018 from heart failure at a hospital near his home at Walterboro, South Carolina.[11][12] According to DJ Scratch, he was ill for some time before his death and was prepared for a grim outcome. Mack was apparently suffering from heart failure, having developed shortness of breath from around six months before his death when, according to rapper Erick Sermon, he called his friends to bid farewell.[13] Following Mack's death, Sermon wrote on Twitter that he was finishing work on Craig Mack's new album. Mack is survived by his wife and two adult children.[14]

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions		Certifications (sales threshold)
		US [15]	US R&B [16]
Project: Funk da World	Release date: September 20, 1994 Label: Bad Boy Records Formats: CD, cassette	21	6	RIAA: Gold[17]
Operation: Get Down	Release date: June 24, 1997 Label: Street Life Records/Scotti Brothers Formats: CD, cassette	46	17
The Mack World Sessions	Release date: September 1, 2017 Label: Mack World Formats: Digital download	—	—

Singles

Years	Single	Peak chart positions				Certifications (sales threshold)	Album
		US [18]	US R&B [19]	US Rap [20]	UK [21]
1994	"Flava in Ya Ear"	9	4	1	57	RIAA: Platinum[17]	Project: Funk Da World
	"Get Down"	38	17	2	54	RIAA: Gold[17]
1997	"What I Need"	103	55	16	—		Operation: Get Down
1998	"Jockin My Style"	—	—	—	—
1999	"Wooden Horse" (featuring Frank Sinatra)	—	—	—	—		What's the Worst That Could Happen? & The Mack World Sessions
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year	Video	Director
1994	"Flava in Ya Ear"	Craig Henry

References

1. "Craig Mack, 'Flava in Ya Ear' Rapper, Dead at 47". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
2. "Craig Mack Has Died Of Heart Failure At 47". XXL Magazine. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
3. "Diddy/Puff Daddy CAUGHT Lying to Craig Mack about 2nd album!!!". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
4. "Notorious BIG With Lil Cease Interview (Throwback Footage)". YouTube.
5. Nicola Menzie, "Rapper Craig Mack, Now a Christian, Testifies of Leaving 'Wickedness' for 'Righteousness' in Church Video," The Christian Post, August 8, 2013.
6. The Overcomer Ministry (2016-05-22), Craig Mack Testimony, retrieved 2016-06-10
7. BoomBap4Life (2011-04-10), 10 – When God Comes – Craig Mack, retrieved 2016-06-10
8. "MTO WORLD EXCLUSIVE!!! Former Bad Boy Artist Craig Mack JOINS A CULT!! (He's Living In A COMPOUND . . . Run By A Man Who Calls Himself THE MESSIAH) – MediaTakeOut.com™". MediaTakeOut.com™. 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
9. tlink79 (2012-05-22), Craig Mack and His NEW RAP – The Video – See it LIVE!, retrieved 2016-06-10
10. "Bout Dat Online's Audio Dope Awards 2018 (hosted by United Elementz Media) – WINNERS!". Bout Dat Online. 2018-11-25. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
11. "90s Hip hop star Craig Mack dead at 46". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
12. "Craig Mack, New York rapper on Diddy's Bad Boy label, dead at 46". NY Daily News. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
13. "Craig Mack Died of Congestive Heart Failure, Says Erick Sermon". TMZ. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
14. "Craig Mack Dead at 47". Complex. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
15. "Craig Mack Album & Song Chart History – Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
16. "Craig Mack Album & Song Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2011..He know resides in Baldwin Hills, Ca
17. "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Retrieved 2012-04-09.
18. "Craig Mack Album & Song Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
19. "Craig Mack Album & Song Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
20. "Craig Mack : Allmusic : Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
21. "Chart Log UK: M – My Vitriol". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 27, 2011.