All Up in the Biz

2023

1 hr. 40 min.

Documentary

Music

Biography

List

100%

6 Reviews

Tomatometer

100%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

Celebrity interviews and rare archival footage provide insight into the life and legacy of hip-hop icon Biz Markie.

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Kevin P. S

Love the Biz. Loved the doc. I met him briefly selling his own merch at a show he did with De La in Anaheim. He was funny, charismatic and down to earth. The film really captures that essence very well. Though we get a Hurricane cameo, I found it odd that there wasn't any mention of the Beastie Boys. It's hard to think of certain eras of the BBoys without Biz. In fact, I'd dare say for many because of the Beastie Boys, Biz became a more fleshed out character as he played a big part in that Grand Royal era universe. This film focuses on his early years and later years leading to his passing. I feel the fruitful output of the 90s kinda gets zipped through in this doc, and fast forwards from the early years straight into his early 2000s "third act" if you will. Yes, we get flashes of De La Soul which are golden, and a healthy serving of the legendary Prince Paul. But much of this timeline was absent otherwise. Because of that the doc feels incomplete to me, almost like whiplash as we skip over aspects of this era of his career, which if I'm to be honest, was the stuff I was most looking forward to seeing here. That was my Biz. All the video clips. Goofing off. The cameos. Impromptu features. The Grand Royal flexi disc that came with the first edition of that flagship magazine. I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary. The artists who do appear are no less important to tell his story. All due respect, I'd have rather seen some more of the mid-90s peers who were heavily involved with Biz over Masta Ace who appears here for not working with Biz. I understand why it's an interesting story to include. But I can't help but feel as though there was a lot more story to tell, and I find it odd that it was not told in a film about this influential artist who touched so many. Minor grievances aside, it's a highly worthwhile documentary about a legendary artist and ambassador who adapted and rolled with every hip hop tide that he lived through. Biz Markie will be missed.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/23/24

Full Review

G M

"ALL UP IN THE BIZ" delivers an insightful exploration of hip-hop pioneer Biz Markie's life and influence, featuring celebrity interviews and rare archival footage. A must-see for fans of early hip hop, the documentary's 1 hour and 40-minute runtime surprisingly never feels slow, keeping viewers engaged throughout. Despite Biz Markie's most famous hit being "Just a Friend," the film delves beyond his mainstream success, ensuring audiences remain captivated by his enduring legacy and contributions to the genre.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/24

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Mista J

Enjoyed it. It was nice seeing Biz's story on the TV screen for the world to see. He was definitely a Legend in the Hip Hop game. #RIPBIZ #MyBigBrotha4Eva #StrongIsland

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/20/23

Full Review

Charles D

Funny, thoughtful, and well done. I was lucky enough to see it at a Tribeca Film Festival screening and watched it again on Showtime this morning. It was amazing to see how he created opportunities for so many Hip Hop Legends. It's a necessary course in Hip Hop education.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/23

Full Review

Henry M

An Enlightening celebration of one of hip hops most original and creative pioneers. I learned a lot about the one and only Biz Markie. A man that had my generation trying to make music with our mouth!!...Awesome documentary!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/23

Full Review

Daman G

Such a huge fan of Biz Markie! I had the honor of working with him on several events and he use to come to my lounge often in Baltimore. Whoever put this film together did a great job and his wife is definitely doing a phenomenal job keeping his legacy alive.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/23

Full Review

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Sacha Jenkins

Director

Biz Markie

Self

Tara Hall

Self

Nick Cannon

Self

Tracy Morgan

Self

Big Daddy Kane

Self

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Noel Murray

Los Angeles Times

The Biz Markie story is not framed as a tragedy here. It’s a celebration of a lovable weirdo who made people happy.

Aug 18, 2023

Full Review

Glenn Kenny

New York Times

A cogent, affectionate and largely apt tribute to Markie, the D.J. and rapper who was known as a gifted beatboxer.

Aug 10, 2023

Full Review

Nora Lee Mandel

Maven's Nest

Director Sacha Jenkins’ informative, time-shifting biography of humorous rapper/beatboxer/DJ Biz Markie edits together animation, puppets, archival audio, footage, photographs, and interviews, then circles back to the last year of his life in a hospital.

Rated: 7/10

Sep 6, 2023

Full Review

Sabrina McFarland

Common Sense Media

All Up in the Biz: The Life and Rhymes of Biz Markie concisely shares the story of the gifted singer and DJ. Biz was awkward in behavior and had a goofy look that not everyone appreciated, but he kept going on.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 5, 2023

Full Review

Stephen Silver

Living Life Fearless

Fleshes out the rapper’s place in the New York City hip-hop scene, as well as his various brushes with movies and other mainstream pop culture.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 13, 2023

Full Review

Kristen Maldonado

Pop Culture Planet

Director Sacha Jenkins takes the unique, although sometimes hit or miss, approach to telling Biz’s story. The documentary shines when it explores the hip-hop community on Long Island and shows off Biz’s goofy and charismatic personality.

Jun 23, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

Celebrity interviews and rare archival footage provide insight into the life and legacy of hip-hop icon Biz Markie.

Director: Sacha Jenkins
Screenwriter: Sacha Jenkins, Andre Wilkins
Distributor: Showtime
Production Co: Mass Appeal
Genre: Documentary, Music, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 11, 2023

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