MC Shan

Real Name: Shawn Moltke
D.O.B.: Queensbridge, Queens, NY

Label: Cold Chillin Records

MC Shan was an integral member of Queens rap group, The Juice Crew headed by super producer Marley Marl who is also Shan’s cousin. He received a record deal with Cold Chillin’ Records in 1983 after record boss Tyrone ‘Fly Ty’ Williams caught the mischievous teenager attempting to steal the windscreen off his luxury car. When he drove Shan downtown to the police station Shan impressed him with his rhyming skills and Ty thought better than to throw his talent in jail and instead presented him to his cousin Marl who put his lyrical flair to work on a pressing project for Roxannne Shante, "Roxanne’s Revenge" which was a battle track toward UTFO’s "Roxanne Roxanne" hit and to tour as a roadie with Roxanne’s shows. A new member of the Juice Crew was born.

At the height of the battle scene, Shan added his two cents in when he worked alongside Marl to produce the classic old-school hit "The Bridge" an anthem aimed at Bronx outfit Boogie Down Productions. After Shan claimed LL Cool J stole beats from Marley Marl the track ended up as a b-side track to an LL dis-track, the very venomous ‘Beat Biter’ in which Shan disrespected LL’s mother by calling her a ‘sleazebag slut’. LL never gave him the young new jack upstart the satisfaction of a retort. The b-side track however would spark the notorious Bridge Wars between Queens and the Bronx. This battle was considered to be publicly the best, with many calling it a draw.

MC. Shan's début album produced by Marl Down By Law came out in 1987 at the time the bridge feuding had died off. Unfortunately not long after Shan succumbed to the pressure in fame and fall prey to the life of drugs. His second album Born to be Wild in ’88 was not produced by Marl and the album was a failure. 1990's Play It Again, was to be Shan’s last album. Soon after he changed career path into producing and is famed with producing the work for one-hit wonder Snow’s début album which released the hit "Informer" (on which Shan himself appeared).

Shan today remains behind the studio production board working with many of today’s new artists and still represents Queens by appearing on fellow neighbourhood artists’ singles. In 2000 he recorded ‘Da Bridge 2001’ for Nas' ‘QB's Finest’ compilation album which also featured local Mobb Deep, Cormega and Nature.

Discography:

• 1987 Down By Law
• 1988 Born To Be Wild
• 1990 Play It Again