2 Live Crew's brother Marquis has died aged 58.
2 Living Crew Member Marquis Brother Dies at 58 – Report
On Monday (June 3), TMZ reported that 2 Live Crew's Brother Marquis has died, with no further details available at this time. Sources have reportedly told TMZ that Marquis died of natural causes, with no foul play suspected. An Instagram account linked to the group also posted the sad news, although it's unclear if this is the official 2 Live Crew page.
Brother Marquis, real name Mark Ross, joined 2LC in 1986, around the time the Florida group was gaining buzz with their risqué song “Throw the D.” The Marquis appeared at Crew's 2 Live Crew is who we are and other subsequent albums that followed, including their controversial ones Banned in USA.
Brother Marquis is the second member of the 2 Live Crew to pass. Fresh Kid Ice died in 2017 at the age of 53.
Read more: Def Jam Rapper Boss dead at 54
2 Live Crew Arrested and Creating a Parental Advisory Sticker
Most notably, the 2 Live Crew was instrumental in creating the Parental Advisory sticker that adorns every express album cover today. 2 Live Crew's fourth album, 1990's Banned in the USA, was the first album ever to receive the sticker. It was also deemed criminally offensive at the time by the United States government.
The album was so disgusting, that then US Judge Jose Gonzalez made the album illegal for sale in several Miami counties. Subsequently, several record store owners were arrested as a result of selling the tape, and crew members Chris Won Wong and Uncle Luke were also arrested and charged with “prohibiting certain acts in connection with a lewd, obscene performance”.
Brother Marquis would later go on to found the group 2 Nasty and collaborate with other reliable MCs throughout his career, including Ice-T.
