Marxman was a four‑piece English‑Irish hip‑hop group formed in London in 1989 by college friends Stephen Brown (Phrase D) and Hollis Michael Byrne, joined by Oisin Lunny and DJ K One. The group blended hip‑hop with traditional Irish music, articulating Marxist, anti‑imperialist, and social justice themes. Their first single, "Ship Ahoy", released in 1992, featured Sinéad O'Connor. Their breakthrough came with the 1993 single "All About Eve", which reached number 28 on the UK Singles Chart and earned them a performance on Top of the Pops. Marxman signed with Talkin' Loud and released their debut album, 33 Revolutions Per Minute, the same year. In 1994, the band expanded into the United States, though sales remained modest; they subsequently moved to More Rockers and issued their second album, Time Capsule, in 1996, which featured fewer Irish traditional elements. The group toured extensively across Europe and North America, supporting acts such as U2 and Depeche Mode, and participated in benefit concerts for causes aligned with their political agenda. Marxman disbanded later in 1996.
