Legendary rapper, Biz Markie, who brought us such hits like “Just a Friend” and “Vapors” has taken a serious hit to his health. The 56-year-old rapper – whose real name is Marcel Theo Hall – has been receiving treatment at a hospital in Maryland, although the extent of his condition is yet to be revealed.
Representatives for the rapper have confirmed to TMZ that his hospitalization is not related to the coronavirus but was triggered due to complications from type 2 diabetes. Sources have also confirmed that the beatboxing champion has been the hospital for weeks. Apparently, he has been keeping his condition under wraps, but it steadily has gotten worse.
While we don’t know what kind of complication it is, and long-term complications of diabetes Type 2 develop gradually, they can eventually be disabling or even life-threatening. Some of the potential complications of diabetes include:
Heart and blood vessel disease – Diabetes dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and narrowing of blood vessels (atherosclerosis).
Nerve damage (neuropathy) – Excess sugar can cause tingling, numbness, burning or pain that usually begins at the tips of the toes or fingers and gradually spreads upward. Eventually, you may lose all sense of feeling in the affected limbs. Damage to the nerves that control digestion can cause problems with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. For men, erectile dysfunction may be an issue.
Kidney damage – Diabetes can sometimes lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, which may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Eye damage – Diabetes increases the risk of serious eye diseases, such as cataracts and glaucoma, and may damage the blood vessels of the retina, potentially leading to blindness.
Slow healing – Left untreated, cuts and blisters can become serious infections, which may heal poorly. Severe damage might require toe, foot or leg amputation.
Hearing impairment – Hearing problems are more common in people with diabetes.
Skin conditions – Diabetes may leave you more susceptible to skin problems, including bacterial and fungal infections.
Sleep apnea – Obstructive sleep apnea is common in people with type 2 diabetes. Obesity may be the main contributing factor to both conditions. Treating sleep apnea may lower your blood pressure and make you feel more rested, but it’s not clear whether it helps improve blood sugar control.
Alzheimer’s disease – Type 2 diabetes seems to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, though it’s not clear why. The worse your blood sugar control, the greater the risk appears to be.
Another hip hop pioneer took a huge loss at the hand of Type 2 Diabetes. Ten years ago, Doctor Dre, of the groundbreaking hip-hop TV show…
