Craig Mack, also known as MC EZ, achieved rapid and fleeting success in the Hip-Hop world during the 1990s. Mack began his career in the Bronx, where he struck up a friendship with the New York hip-hop crew EPMD. Mack worked as a roadie for the crew, eventually being introduced to Sean Combs (P. Diddy) by producer Alvin Tony. Through his connections, Tony was able to secure Mack an opportunity to freestyle for the rap mogul, which ultimately led to both a record deal and a spot on Diddy’s Label, Bad Boy Records. Mack later released his most notable album, Project Funk Da World, in 1994.
The album featured tracks such as “Get Down” and Mack’s most mainstream success, “Flava in Ya Ear.” The tracks flaunt an ambiance reminiscent of a mission control room, with layers of EQ’d vocals that mumble over track interludes, much like an intercom. The ambiance sets the scene for Mack’s intergalactic rhyme style, which was often hailed as eccentric in the world of ’90s Hip-Hop, with Diddy even saying that, “Craig is hip-hop’s George Clinton, because his stuff is really off the wall.”
Despite his eccentric rhythm, Mack was able to gain support for his first album, with his single “Flava in Ya Ear” reaching “Gold RIAA status.” However, his short-lived stardom would soon come to an end, with many attributing his fall to the release of The Notorious B.I.G.’s first single, “Juicy,” which went gold, followed by “Big Poppa,” which went platinum. Mack was quickly overshadowed by Biggie, and as New York Times writer John Carimanica notes, “The long shadow of the Notorious B.I.G. proved difficult to escape.” However, there is nuance to the situation, as equating Mack’s ‘bad luck’ to favoritism by the label is not entirely accurate. DJs such as DJ Four Five and DJ Diamond comment on Mack’s resistance to change, noting that “Craig Mack refused the advice and instruction of Bad Boy’s founder and CEO.”
Like all good things, Craig Mack’s career came to an end. With the lackluster release of his second studio album, Operation Get Down, his popularity would never reach the same heights. Despite all this, Mack’s legacy is still felt to this day, whether through his ‘one-hit-wonder’ status or long-standing Legacy with EPMD, Craig Mack is still spittin’ “Flava in Ya Ear”.
