The East Side had Tone Loc two weekends ago, and this weekend Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward welcomes another hip-hop pioneer, Biz Markie.

You know him and love him for his late '80s hit "Just a Friend." True fans probably know "The Vapors" and "Make the Music (with your mouth)" too, Mr. Markie, if you will, was the first rap artist to be sued for sample clearance in 1988.

Biz will appear Friday at Moct, 240 E. Pittsburgh, to DJ and host a night of old school and contemporary party tunes. We also hear the he'll stop by Moda3, 320 E. Buffalo, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Born Marcel Hall, Biz Markie stepped onto the scene in 1985, at age fourteen as the beat box backup for Roxanne Shante of the Juice Crew. He then adopted his alias Biz, a name his mother used to call him because he was a busy body, and Markie, short for Marcel, his neighborhood nickname.

Markie, also in town to take part in the "50 Million Pound Challenge" on Saturday at Washington Park, will be joined by rapper Slick Rick, R&B singer Angie Stone, 112, Shirley Murdock and others. This weight loss initiative and 14 city tour, developed by Dr. Ian Smith, begins at noon.