Doug E. Fresh says that Biz Markie’s verse featured on his newest album, This One’s For Chuck Brown: Doug E. Fresh Salutes The Godfather of Go-Go, is the last Markie ever recorded. The project is Fresh’s first in 26 years.

The legendary rapper discussed learning of Markie’s passing in a recent interview with HipHopDX.

“I was on an interview with Biz on June 17,” he recalls “And I think around a little after that day is when I heard that Biz had gotten rushed to the hospital. I didn’t know what it was for, but I assumed that it was diabetes-related because I’ve always talked to Biz about his health and watching out and looking out what he’d eat and stuff like that. And then later on, I found out that it was.”

Dooug E. Fresh, Biz Markie
Jason Kempin / Getty Images

Markie passed away on July 16th from complications due to diabetes at 57-years-old.

“He had a diabetic stroke, and when he had a diabetic stroke, it caused him … you know, stroke is the number one debilitating disease in the world,” Fresh explained. “And most people sometimes don’t bounce back from a stroke that easy, depending on the magnitude of the stroke. So it was hard for him. He fought. He fought a good fight.”

[Via]