MC Shan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
MC Shan
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MC Shan in 2021
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| Birth name | Shawn Moltke |
| Born | September 6, 1965 Queens, New York City, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1985–present |
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| Associated acts | Marley Marl, Biz Markie, Juice Crew, Snow, Sasha, Allure |
Shawn Moltke (born September 6, 1965), known by his stage name MC Shan, is an American rapper, singer, and music producer from New York City. He is famous for his work on the 1992 hit song "Informer" by Canadian singer Snow. The song was a huge success and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.
MC Shan is also known for his own 1986 single, "The Bridge". This important hip-hop song was produced by the legendary Marley Marl.
Contents
Music Career
MC Shan started his career in 1985 when he signed with MCA Records. He released his first single, "Feed the World," with this label. A record label is a company that helps artists record and sell their music. However, the label wasn't sure how to promote hip-hop music at the time, so they parted ways.
Soon after, Shan joined Cold Chillin' Records and became a member of the famous hip-hop group, the Juice Crew, led by Marley Marl. In 1987, he released his first album, Down by Law. This made him one of the first hip-hop artists to have a major record deal with Warner Bros.
The Bridge Wars
MC Shan became a central figure in a famous hip-hop rivalry called the Bridge Wars. This was a musical battle between his group, the Juice Crew, and another group called Boogie Down Productions, led by KRS-One.
The rivalry started with Shan's 1986 song, "The Bridge." The song was about how his crew started in the Queensbridge Houses, a neighborhood in Queens, New York. But KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions, from a different part of New York City called the South Bronx, took it as a challenge. They thought Shan was claiming that hip-hop started in Queens.
Boogie Down Productions released a "diss track" (a song made to disrespect another artist) called "South Bronx." The Juice Crew replied with their own track, "Kill That Noise." The most famous song from this rivalry was "The Bridge is Over" by Boogie Down Productions. Many hip-hop fans consider it one of the greatest diss tracks ever made.
Years later, MC Shan made a new version of his song called "Da Bridge 2001." In it, he made it clear that he felt his neighborhood's legacy was still strong.
Later Albums and Production Work
In 1988, MC Shan released his second album, Born To Be Wild, which was also produced by Marley Marl. His third album, Play it Again, Shan, came out in 1990 and showed a more grown-up style.
After this album, Shan focused more on producing music for other artists. His biggest success as a producer was the album 12 Inches of Snow for the artist Snow. This album included the worldwide hit "Informer", which MC Shan also rapped on.
He also appeared in the movie L.A. Story and was a guest rapper on the song "Dave's Possessed Hair/It's What We're All About" by the band Sum 41.
In June 2017, MC Shan released a new album called Bars Over ..., his first in 27 years.
Discography
MC Shan has released several albums and famous songs throughout his career.
Studio Albums
- Down by Law (1987)
- Born to be Wild (1988)
- Play it Again, Shan (1990)
- Bars over ... (2017)
Famous Singles
- "The Bridge" (1986): His classic song that started the Bridge Wars.
- "Jane, Stop This Crazy Thing" (1986): Another popular early single.
- "Left Me Lonely" (1987): A song that made it onto the R&B music charts.
- "I Pioneered This" (1988): A track from his second album.
- "Informer" (1992): As a featured artist and producer for Snow, this became his biggest hit.
- "Da Bridge 2001" (2001): A modern update to his classic song.
See also
In Spanish: MC Shan para niños
