900 number

Mark the 45 King, real name Mark Howard James, was known for his signature track, “The 900 Number.”

Aside from the “super classic” and ubiquitous “The 900 Number,” James worked on Chill Rob G‘s “Court is Now in Session” and Latee’s “This Cut’s Got Flavor.”

In 1987, he gained notoriety for his iconic breakbeat track “The 900 Number” — a song that featured a looping baritone sax solo from Marva Whitney’s “Unwind Yourself.”

“So more cases than we wanted today but … our worries seven days ago is that we would be seeing that 800, 900 number by now,” he said.

In those pre-internet days, the contest involved dialing a 900 number that cost $2 a call.