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Mark Morrison (born 3 May 1972, in Hanover, Germany) is a British R&B singer who saw success in the mid-1990s. His single, Return of the Mack became a top ten hit across Europe in 1996, and opened the U.S. market for him the following year. Subsequently, he is notably known for his criminal convictions, a one year sentence for getting someone else to do his community service for another offence and protesting his innocence onstage.

Career

Following his conviction over a for a stabbing in Brannigans in Leicester, Morrison first recorded professionally in 1995 in jail, following a three month stint during which he decided to become a vocalist. His first release was "Crazy", in spring 1995; the single reached the Top 20 in the UK, with the minor hit "Let's Get Down" following in the autumn. "Return of the Mack" followed in spring 1996, and was the first single by a solo British black male artist to reach the number 1 slot in the UK Singles Chart in the 1990s. A reissue of "Crazy" hit the Top 10 in summer 1996, with further single releases "Trippin'", "Horny" and "Moan and Groan" also making the Top 10. Morrison's first album, also titled Return of the Mack, reached number 4 in the UK Album Chart. As a result of these works, Morrison was nominated for four Brit Awards, though he won none, but when he performed, like many of his TV appearances, he protested his innocence on stage by whipping out a gun with the "Not Guilty" message at an awards show and having female dancers dressed as scantily clad policewomen.

Despite his career success, Morrison continued to be accused of various crimes, and in 1997 he was convicted of attempting to bring a stun gun onto an aircraft. He was jailed for three months for this offence in early 1997, at about the same time that the single "Return of the Mack" began its climb to the #2 slot in the US charts and later was banned from driving when he was caught driving unsupervised in his Mercedes whilst in his provisional license to not drive. In 1998, Morrison was sentenced to a year's imprisonment for violating a community service order imposed in 1995. He had paid a double to complete the community work while he fled to Barbados.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Disputed discography

Morrison's most recent material is the subject of legal controversy in the United Kingdom. Two record labels, Mona Records and 2Wikid each claim control of the material. In December 2004, 2Wikid obtained an injunction against Mona Records, prohibiting it from releasing any of the tracks. Some of this material was released both before and after the injunction was granted, by both Mona and 2Wikid, and the legal status of the releases are still disputed.

References

1. ^ Leicester Bands: Mark Morrison
2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen. "Mark Morrison Biography". All Music Guide. Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
3. January 2005 "Music Law Updates"

• Rolling Stone discography for Mark Morrison
• Yahoo! discography for Mark Morrison

External links

• Mark Morrison Official website
• Mark Morrison Official Youtube Page
• Interviews on the Leicester Bands website

• Death Row Records artists
• Incarcerated celebrities
• 1972 births
• Living people
• English male singers
• People from Leicester