The music business is nothing if not precarious and capricious. So it’s smart to have a fallback position. Like a degree in Economics.

Marvin Young was born in London in 1967 but moved to New York a few years later, spending his childhood soaking up the burgeoning rap and hip hop scene developing in Queens and the Bronx. He was an honor student, and after graduating high school decided to attend the University of Southern California, right in the heart of sunny Los Angeles, the other national hub for rap (and soon to dethrone New York).

At some point during his time at USC, Young made contact with a small record label called Delicious Vinyl and rapped some of his songs over the phone to the owners/producers, Michael and Matt. The music impresarios liked what they heard and set up Young to write lyrics for one of their promising rappers by the name of Tone-Loc. It was a match made in musical heaven. The two songs he worked on, “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina,” exploded, both hitting the US Top 5 and going multi-Platinum.

In the meantime, Young spent all of his spare time writing lyrics for his own album. Michael and Matt would send him finished instrumental tracks and he’d write the words in between attending classes and studying. “Bust A Move” contained numerous samples — as well as live bass played by Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers — and after hearing the music for the first time, Young completed the lyrics in an hour or two. Right after doing his homework.

Released as a single in the spring of 1989 under the stage name Young MC, “Bust A Move” slid into the US Top 10 and eventually won a Grammy. After this, Young never needed a fallback, but he probably found that economics degree extremely useful while navigating the music industry. Stay in school, kids.

So don’t just stand there, bust a move … with Young MC.