# Square Biz

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Square_Biz
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Square_Biz.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_Biz
> Source revision: 1356156564
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

"**Square Biz**" is a 1981 song by American R&B singer, [Teena Marie](/source/Teena_Marie). Bass player and frequent collaborator Allen McGrier is credited as the co-writer along with Marie. The song was released as a single from the album *[It Must Be Magic](/source/It_Must_Be_Magic)*, and became one of Marie's signature songs. The song includes a rap break, an unusual feature at the time.[4][5]

## Cover versions and appearances in media

In 2002, a new version of this song, titled "Hollywood Square Biz", was used as the theme to the popular [game show](/source/Game_show) *[Hollywood Squares](/source/Hollywood_Squares)* when it was known as *H2* at the time from 2002 to 2004.[6]

In 2000, the song "Crip Hop" ([Tha Eastsidaz](/source/Tha_Eastsidaz) featuring [Snoop Dogg](/source/Snoop_Dogg)), featured on the [Baby Boy](/source/Baby_Boy_(film)) soundtrack and released by [Universal Records](/source/Universal_Records) on June 19, 2001, sampled Square Biz.[citation needed]

In 2002, [En Vogue](/source/En_Vogue) performed a cover of the song on their concert DVD, *Live in the USA*.[citation needed]

[Missy Elliott](/source/Missy_Elliott) uses an [interpolation](/source/Interpolation_(popular_music)) of a verse from Square Biz in [Ciara](/source/Ciara)'s 2004 hit single, "[1, 2 Step](/source/1,_2_Step)".[7]

[The Firm](/source/The_Firm_(hip_hop_group))'s "[Firm Biz](/source/Firm_Biz)" contains a sample based on the song featuring [Dawn Robinson](/source/Dawn_Robinson) from their first and only album *[The Album](/source/The_Album_(The_Firm_album))* in 1997.[8]

"[Real Love](/source/Real_Love_(Master_P_song))" by [Master P](/source/Master_P) featuring [Sera-Lynn](/source/Sera-Lynn), 2002.[citation needed]

In 2022, a cover of the song was performed by [JoJo](/source/JoJo_(singer))[9] on [YouTube](/source/YouTube).

## Chart performance

The song managed to peak at #3 on *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))'*s [R&B Charts](/source/Hot_R%26B/Hip-Hop_Singles_%26_Tracks), becoming Marie's highest peak on the chart at the time. The song managed to peak at #12 on *Billboard**s Club Play Singles, while performing moderately on*****Billboard**s [Pop Singles](/source/Billboard_Hot_100), peaking only at #50, becoming her second single to chart on the Pop Singles chart.

## Charts

Chart performance for "Square Biz" Chart (1981) Peak position

## References

1. Breihan, Tom (December 26, 2010). ["Teena Marie R.I.P."](http://pitchfork.com/news/41074-teena-marie-rip/). [Pitchfork Media](/source/Pitchfork_Media). Retrieved June 21, 2015.

1. Deggans, Eric (January 1, 1998). "Teena Marie". *MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide*. Graff, Gary; du Lac, Josh; McFarlin, Jim (eds.). Detroit: [Visible Ink Press](/source/Visible_Ink_Press). pp. 374–375.

1. Eddy, Chuck (22 March 1997). ["Everything Rock Vs. Collage Rock"](https://books.google.com/books?id=N0488R7-hYUC). *The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll: A Misguided Tour Through Popular Music*. Da Capo Press. p. 138. ISBN 0-306-80741-6.

1. Weisbard, Eric (2007-11-01). [*Listen Again: A Momentary History of Pop Music*](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Listen_Again/zXUVKoUDh0wC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=rap). Duke University Press. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-8223-9055-8.

1. ["Teena Marie, a hip-hop pioneer"](https://www.pilotonline.com/2016/11/24/teena-marie-a-hip-hop-pioneer/). *The Virginian-Pilot*. 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2026-01-19.

1. Foley, Aaron (2010-12-27). ["Playlist: Eleven of Teena Marie's best songs"](https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/2010/12/playlist_eleven_of_teena_marie.html). *mlive*. Retrieved 2025-09-13.

1. ["Ciara feat. Missy Elliott, ‘1, 2 Step’"](https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/-85412/ciara-feat-missy-elliott-1-2-step-2-85491/). *Rolling Stone Australia*. 2025-10-13. Retrieved 2026-01-19.

1. ["Billboard"](https://books.google.com/books?id=nAkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA31&dq=%22Square+Biz%22+Missy+OR+Elliot&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4187G8ZaSAxUcGVkFHRVNCK8Q6AF6BAgMEAM#v=onepage&q=%22Square%20Biz%22%20Missy%20OR%20Elliot&f=false). *Billboard*. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1997-10-18. p. 31.

1. JoJo (2022-09-27). [*JoJo - Square Biz (Teena Marie Cover - Live)*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsIQxz7_6aU). Retrieved 2025-09-13. – via YouTube.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Square Biz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_Biz) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_Biz?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.