Just a Friend

For the song by Mario, see Just a Friend 2002.
"Just a Friend"
Single by Biz Markie
from the album The Biz Never Sleeps
Released September 21, 1989[1]
Format
Recorded 1988
Genre Comedy hip hop, pop rap
Length 4:00
Label Cold Chillin'
Writer(s) Marcel Hall[2][3]
Producer(s) Marcel Hall[3]
Certification Platinum (RIAA)[4]
Biz Markie singles chronology
  • "This Is Something for the Radio"
  • (1988)
  • "Just a Friend"
  • (1989)
  • "Spring Again"
  • (1990)
The Biz Never Sleeps track listing
"Spring Again"
(4)		 "Just a Friend"
(5)		 "She's Not Just Another Woman (Monique)"
(6)
Music video
"Just a Friend" on YouTube
"Just A Friend"
Biz Markie's "Just A Friend" from The Biz Never Sleeps
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Just a Friend" is a song written,[2][3] produced[3] and performed by American hip hop musician Biz Markie. It was released in September 1989 as the lead single from his album, The Biz Never Sleeps. It is Markie's most successful single, reaching #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990.[5]

The song interpolates the 1968 song "You Got What I Need" recorded by Freddie Scott, whose basic chord and melody provided the base for the song's chorus and made it famous. Due to the widespread popularity of the song and its influence on Pop culture, Biz was classified by VH1 as a one-hit wonder, and "Just A Friend" was ranked 81st on VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders in 2000, and later as number 100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop in 2008.[6] Karma, a staff record producer for Cold Chillin' Records, told Vibe magazine in 2005 that he produced the single, but never received credit.[7]

The single was certified platinum on April 12, 1990.[4]

Music video

The music video, directed by Lionel C. Martin, chronicles the rapper/singer's woman problems.[8][9] At the climax of the video, Biz Markie's character stumbles upon a girl he was trying to date - not his girlfriend - kissing another man she had previously referred to as "just a friend".[10] It also includes a scene of Biz Markie singing the chorus dressed as Mozart in 18th-century clothing with a powdered wig in a candlelit room while playing the piano.

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Charts (1989–1990) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] 66
US Billboard Hot 100[5] 9
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)[5] 37
US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard)[5] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (1995)[12] Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 94

References

  1. ↑ "Amazon.com: Biz Markie: Just a Friend [Vinyl]: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Just a Friend - Biz Markie | Listen, Appearances, Song Review | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Biz Markie - Just A Friend (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Zink Media. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - March 24, 2015". RIAA. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Biz Markie | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  6. ↑ http://stereogum.com/archives/vh1s-100-greatest-hiphop-songs_024391.html
  7. ↑ Kondo, Toshitaka (May 2005). "Karma". Vibe. p. 56.
  8. ↑ http://www.videostatic.com/vs/2006/week19/index.html#entry-10259599
  9. ↑ http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=3237
  10. ↑ http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/biz+markie/just+a+friend_20018799.html
  11. ↑ Canadian dance peak
  12. ↑ Pedro. "Longbored Surfer - 1990". LongboredSurfer.com. Retrieved March 23, 2015.

External links