MC 900 Ft. Jesus

MC 900 Ft. Jesus
Birth name Mark Griffin
Born 1957 (age 58–59)
Kentucky, U.S.
Genres Hip hop, jazz, experimental
Occupation(s) Musician
Years active 1989–1995
Labels I.R.S. Records
American Recordings
Nettwerk
Associated acts The Telefones
Lithium X-Mas

Mark Griffin (born 1957), better known as MC 900 Ft. Jesus, is an American classically trained musician[1] turned rapper and experimental musician.[2] The son of an army officer,[2] Griffin moved around quite a bit before settling in Dallas, Texas in 1979.[3] Griffin studied the trumpet and has a BA in Music from Morehead State University as well as an advanced degree in music from North Texas State University.[2] Before becoming MC 900 Ft. Jesus, Griffin played in local Dallas bands The Telefones and Lithium X-Mas.

MC 900 Ft. Jesus' music is influenced by hip hop, incorporating many sound samples. His first album, Hell With the Lid Off included the single "Truth is Out of Style" which gained a cult following. His subsequent single, "The City Sleeps", explored the mind of a serial arsonist.[2]

He released his last album, One Step Ahead of the Spider, in 1994; it contained the single "If I Only Had a Brain", which became his best-known song. The song gained increased exposure from the music video directed for it by Spike Jonze,[4] as well as exposure on MTV's Beavis and Butt-Head cartoon show.[5]

Name

Griffin's stage name came from a sermon by Oral Roberts, in which the televangelist claimed that he had received a vision of a 900-foot-tall (270 m) Jesus, who commanded him to build a hospital on the campus of Oral Roberts University.[2][3]

Career

Griffin's first album, Hell with the Lid Off (1989) was released under the name "MC 900 Ft. Jesus With DJ Zero",[3][6] but the MC has sole billing on Welcome to My Dream (1991) and One Step Ahead of the Spider (1994). DJ Zero appears on Welcome to My Dream under his real name, Patrick Rollins, because of uncertainty about whether he would have been able to tour in support of the album. Rollins/Zero appears on One Step Ahead of The Spider but is not listed in the credits.[7]

Griffin eventually became disillusioned with the music industry, and following unproductive sessions for his fourth album, felt he had taken his style of music as far as he wanted to go. Record label interest waned.[1][5]

After retirement from music industry

Needing a new direction, he gained his commercial pilot's license, hoping to become a flight instructor, but eventually took a job at a large bookstore.[5]

As of 2007, he began DJing weekly at a Dallas music venue, Lee Harvey's, located in the Cedars neighborhood next to downtown.[5]

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

  1. 1 2 Chamy, Michael (October 18, 2001). "Spider Webs: Mark Griffin resurrects MC 900 Ft. Jesus". Dallas Observer. Dallas, Texas: Voice Media Group. Retrieved 2014-11-13.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Brennan, Carol. "MC 900 Ft. Jesus Biography". Musicianguide.com. Retrieved 2014-11-13.
  3. 1 2 3 Heim, Chris (April 13, 1990). "An Encounter With Mc 900 Ft Jesus". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2014-11-13.
  4. ↑ Vognar, Chris (January 7, 2014). "Spike Jonze dishes on his classic music videos (and Dallas'MC 900 Ft. Jesus)". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2014-11-13.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Hughey, Jesse. "MC 900 Ft. Jesus Lives". Dallas Observer. Dallas, Texas: Voice Media Group. Retrieved 2014-11-13.
  6. ↑ Migaldi, Renaldo (April 12, 1990). "MC 900 Ft. Jesus with DJ Zero". Chicago Reader. Sun-Times Media Group. Retrieved 2014-11-13.
  7. ↑ Popson, Tom (November 8, 1991). "Mc 900 Ft Jesus: A Fascination With Aberration". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2014-11-13.
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