A man of many talents and musical abilities, Ellis was born and raised in Oregon. Schooled in a Bilengual Spanish speaking program. Started as a beatboxer for a Swiss German Exchange Student emcee, who later began to teach him how to freestyle, so cadence and delivery are a big part of his style. A few years later after finding his studio voice, he realized he had no stage presence. He auditioned and became part of Papa's Soul Kitchen, arguably one of the illest funk bands to ever grace the Northwest.
Learning the ways of a professional musician with the band, he toured and did shows as far as Seattle, but he wanted to continue his pursuit of making his first solo album. Then a crazy harmonica player who sold him some expensive studio time for beans and he took advantage of it to develope his own hip hop studio sound. Wanting to show all of what he'd learned and practiced so hard to improve upon to the one who first taught him, he used the proceeds from his new album entitled "The Opposite" to by a ticket to Europe.
Bringing super producer Cosmos of the Raging Family with him, they explored, performed, and recorded in Brixton, an area of South London, England. They explored, visited, and recorded in Bern, Switzerland. Ellis could have stayed a very long time in Europe, and traveling more, but he felt duty was calling, so he returned to the Northwest and united with super emcee/producer Metric, and super emcee/producer Elea'zar. They linked up with DJ Billy, and began the push.
They called themselves GENUS PRO. Because they felt the scene at the time was not taking the music seriously and that's all they wanted to do. The Wetlands became the mecca for live hip hop. From there they played all over the country. Went on tour with The Souls of micheif. Opened for KRS One, who told him and his crew that they were "doing it right."
Marv made two full length albums with his powerhouse crew. The first entitled "Grow" was a colaboration with the Raging Family. The second was a completely self produced Banger entitled "Extracts." Marv was blessed with the chance to make music with Tre Hardsen from the Pharcyde, Aesop of the Living Legends, C Ray Z Wallz, Lafa Taylor, The Juice to make it happen, The Raging Family, Reeble Jar, of course Papa's Soul Kitchen, Carlos Washington, Michael K, to name just a few.
During this time Marv Ellis released a collection of songs that he had done over the course of these years. He called it "The Anthology" and passed it out as gifts. The ripples of that album are still being felt and the comments from close friends about how much that album meant to them spurred the new release "Underwater Not Underground."
Marv took his original sound he had developed with "The Opposite" release, and added what he had learned from his Genus Pro experience. The result is an almost completely self produced and completely self written heady piece: "Marv Ellis and his Imaginary Friends"...a full orchestra of world hip hop fusion with a string section, trumpet, beautiful back up singers, drums, basstones, guitars, Dj, and more, all playing positive, super-hot music for the people who need it most.
For the Summer of 2007, Ellis united with Lafa Taylor to make the ME.LT album, giving the two emcees a duality to represent together and for their Northwest people.
Fresh off the summer run, and straight into a cabin in the woods of the great Northwest, Ellis helped produce a classic with Portland legend Keegan Smith: a true hybrid of multiple genres.
For the Summer of 2008, Ellis teamed up with Justin Dodge of "The Juice to Make it Happen" to create his new album, "Dream Catcher Juice." Justin Dodge brought out the sweetness in the mix and Ellis layed it all on the line, resulting in the best sounding album to date.
Ellis has continued to represent the Northwest lifestyle for all his people religiously. Come true and see a show sometime.