Biz Markie’s got what the Pelicans need for inaugural ‘Old School Hip Hop Night’

Biz Markie’s got what the Myrtle Beach Pelicans need.

The Pelicans’ front office had been looking for a way to incorporate an ‘Old School Hip Hop Night’ for the past few years, and hip hop recording artist like Markie has made those hopes a reality.

Biz Markie – best known for 1989 Billboard Hot 100 top-10 hit “Just a Friend” – will highlight Myrtle Beach’s first-ever ‘Old School Hip Hop Night’ Aug. 6 at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark.

“We finally decided this year to give it a shot but we felt like to really put it over the top we needed to attract a hip hop artist,” Pelicans general manager and president Andy Milovich said. “Jamal Dokes represents different talent and is the business manager of Jerome Bettis – who’s part of our ownership group – and he reached out to Biz Markie to see if he would be available. We were able to put it all together to get him to participate in the activities and add an official old school hip hop element to what we’re doing.”

Biz Markie, who is known for his unique style of hip hop in which he incorporates both beatboxing and comedy, is expected to take pictures with fans, sign autographs and sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning of the game. That night, the Pelicans will also have a postgame fireworks show, courtesy of East Coast Pyrotechnics and Biz Markie, is set to host a postgame party in which he will DJ.

“That should be a lot of fun for everyone that sticks around after a Thursday night game and enjoy the show,” Milovich said.

Biz Markie – whose full name is Marcel Theo Hall – has most recently added a kid-friendly approach to his career, appearing in 43 episodes of the children’s show “Yo Gabba Gabba!” from 2007-2013, where he gained notoriety for his popular “Biz’s Beat of the Day.” He also voiced a character in the popular cartoon “Spongebob Squarepants.”

“He’s obviously is a really well-known hip hop guy,” Milovich said of Biz Markie. “Not only does he appeal to fans of old school hip hop but he’s appealing to kids who are growing up now with that show, which is why we went in that direction.”

Milovich, who graduated high school in 1987, is looking forward to being taken aback.

“Old school hip hop is kind of what I grew up with so for me personally, it’s a fun day,” Milovich said. “I’m familiar with ‘Just a Friend,’ ‘Vapors’ and some of the other stuff that he’s done. I’m looking forward to it personally and I think professionally it’s going to be a lot fun for the fans that are here that night.”

Hip hop music from the 1980s and 1990s will play throughout the ballpark for the event, and Pelicans staff members will dress in typical 1980s and early 1990s fashions from the era. There will also be a group of break dancers performing on the main concourse, while the group Studio 8 will perform a pregame hip hop dance routine on the field. When players are introduced on the video board at TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark, their head shots will resemble album covers from that era, as well.

It could be the first of many “Old School Hip Hop Nights,” Milovich said.

“I think we’ll see how it goes, if it resonates. We try to find ideas and promotions that really resonate with parents and kids and this one fit right in that wheelhouse,” Milovich said. “This seemed like something that was worth a shot and if it works, we’ll definitely bring it back.”

This story was originally published July 28, 2015 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Biz Markie’s got what the Pelicans need for inaugural ‘Old School Hip Hop Night’."