Hailing from the onetime home of the writer Mark Twain, and Tommy Hilfigers Elmira, New York as a man with an eye for fashion, a voice for hip-hop, a mind for entertainment, and a soul for the beauty of human in tune with nature, Mark Williams-Washington aka LaMarck has a penchant for the aesthetic in everything. He was born on March 11, 1979, moving throughout New York and the east coast being raised in Syracuse later becoming a Renaissance man who now reads Buddhist sutras, Hindu hymns, Islamic surahs, and maintains a pure straight-edge vegan lifestyle (no drugs - no caffeine, no alcohol, no tobacco, no marijuana, no meat - no dairy, no honey, no leather, no animal by products) all while running an entertainment company. Mark is no New Age hippie, but instead remains a man intent on balance: the mature, un-naive vigor of a fashion-minded hardcore rap artist, coupled with the profundity of a zazen master focused on fine-tuning control over the Self.
Having a host of talents, his experience in and know-how of the music industry extends into several music video extra appearances with names such as Alicia Keys, Mystic, Simple Plan, and the Ruff Ryders Swizz Beatz, professionally disc-jockeying for various events, broadcasting for New Yorks WITC 89.3 and the production of several hip-hop mix-tapes worldwide - under the alias of DJ LaMarck .
His musical ear earned him the position of VP of A&R for Uprising Records which is distributed by Sony RED. His recent signings include Bars & Hooks , Dylan DilinJah , Tragedy Khadafi , Taj Mahal .
He's also had enough savoir faire in the area of fashion to act as a designer, wardrobe stylist, wardrobe consultant, and dresser for plenty of short films, music videos, magazines, spec commercials, and fashion shows; to name a few clients , Paris Hilton, Mariah Carey, Ashley Simpson, Bai Ling, Jessica Simpson, 50 Cent, Eminem, George Michael, DMX, Mystic, Moby, Tamiyra Grey (American Idol), Eva Pigford (Americas Next Top Model), The China Morning Post, SP Magazine, Dirt Devil, Centrum Silver, Apartments.com, Lacoste, Nike, Dog Lovers, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Los Angeles, and Magic International the Business of Fashion Show in Las Vegas. "I didn't just start doing this fashion thing; I have been doing this sice high school in Syracuse, New York at Central Technical Vocational Center in my Fashion Technology class". His expertise in fashion is demonstrated through his Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design and Marketing from American Intercontinental University in Los Angeles. Also, from study abroad experiences in several fashion capitals and there sub-cultures, including Frances (Paris), Chinas (Hong Kong), Britains (London), Japans (Tokyo), and Italys (Milan).
Marks links with and understanding of the music and fashion industries are strong some of the production giants he's had internships with include: Love & Happiness Productions, Universal Music Group Interscope/ Geffen/A&M/Flawless Records, Sony Music Entertainment & Sony Music Distribution Columbia Records/Epic/Loud, BMG Music Publishing, MTV/VH1, Palomar Pictures, Frankie B., Parasuco Denim Cult, Ashley Paige Swimwear, Eisbar, and Dreissig Athletic.
Mark writes as a fashion and music journalist for his own magazine LMK Magazine , HipHopGame.com, Shine Magazine , SMACKTUBE , Streetz Magazine , and UBO Magazine .He has conducted over 60 interviews in less then one year of being a journalist. Some of his interviews are on 40 Cal, Bars & Hooks , Bathgate , Big Tigger, Bishop Lamont, Brian Rikuda, Candyman 187, Crooked-i, Dame Grease , Dawn Robinson , Dj Phantom , DJ Vlad , DJ Whoo Kid , Dylan Avery, Dylan DilinJah,
Grafh , Gravy, Heather Hunter , Jimi Kendrix , JR Writer , Keenyah Hill , Kilogram , LG ,
Littles , Maino , Makaveli Branded , Melinda Williams, Mense , Nayshawn, Now & Laterz , Quan, Raekwon
, SunN.Y., T Rex , Taj Mahal , Tragedy Khadafi, Trife Da God, Ty James , Tuneraiders
, Un Kasa , and many others.
It doesn't stop there he also is a film director he says "I direct the videos of the artist I sign to get my clothing line in videos, to cut cost, and to get my directing game up".
Marks ambition once compelled him to take a temporary teaching position in the Henan Province of China at Shangqiu Normal University teaching introductory level English - Journalism, Literature, and Novels. You can expect a book about his voyage entitled, From the Hood to China and Back.
His most notable attribute, of course, is his distinctive closeness with the spiritual realm, which is in harmony with his inclination for aestheticism and self development. A student of yoga, martial arts, numerous sacred texts ranging from the Bhagavad Gita to The Holy Quran, acupuncture and cosmology, Mark is in touch with a spectrum of mystical outlooks and practices, but his religious foundation is within Islam - making salaat five times a day.
He is the founder of the Islamic Vegan Society; and he has plans already for the publishing of a vegan-minded magazine as well as a few books on vegetarianism, opening up a straight-edge holistic bar, a totally vegan grocery store, a spiritual bookstore, and acquiring a Acupuncture clinic. He also is the co-founder (along with his wife a 20 year old masters degree holder) of Cash-In Literacy Foundation which teaches financial freedom principles and the advantages of having real assets. He is a registered resident manager; he currently manages a 40 unit apartment building and plans on investing in real estate soon. He says, There is nothing better than free rent and having good assets like real estate with cashflow.
The typical hood lifestyle - struggling single parent, homelessness, and a list of other thigs - made the man you see. His interests and talents encapsulate what it is to be a balanced man who can reach samadhi, yet still rap competitively. The fashion, music, film, and literary cultures are sure to benefit from the mind and soul of a man so in touch with the beauty of all things. Whether you agree with him or not you have to respect his hustle.
LaMarcks - Companies
ACN - Independent Representative
Cash In-Literacy
LMK Books
LMK Fashion
LMK Furniture
LMK Magazine
LMK Management
LMK Marketing
LMK Music
LMK Properties
LMK Travel
LMK TV
