Mark Morrison

Mark Morrison’s “Return of the Mack” is the kind of classic jam that somehow never loses its swagger—just like the Leicester singer who rode to stardom in 1996. That’s a testament to the breezy confidence that Morrison brings to his lyrics about bouncing back from heartbreak. It doesn’t hurt that the groove—sampled from the Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love”—matches that vibe, savvily blending new jack swing and hip-hop with the smooth panache of ‘90s dance pop from the other side of the Atlantic. Released on the 1996 album that shares its name, “Return of the Mack” brought worldwide success for Morrison, who was born in 1972 to Bajan parents in Germany and raised in Leicester. The song’s enduring popularity also helped Morrison through setbacks that included run-ins with the law and problems with record labels. After a long delay for his second album, Morrison released Innocent Man on his own label in 2006 before breaking another long hiatus with 2014’s I Am What I Am EP. Despite those gaps, both releases showed the continued vitality of his high-class and seemingly effortless brand of uptempo R&B. Meanwhile, “Return of the Mack” experienced more revivals of its own thanks to a 2016 dance remake (as “The Mack”) by the Swedish DJ and producer Nevada with guest spots by Morrison and Fetty Wap, as well as a 2017 advert for Burger King that helped send the original back into Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart.