Since the early days of rap and hip-hop, New York’s Bronx has spawned an uncountable number of influential artists. In order to gain recognition, a rapper must differentiate him/herself to the crowd.
This is exactly what the three members of the Disco 3 did after they won a national talent show at the Radio City Music Hall in 1983. The group changed their name to the Fat Boys to mark their physical attributes. It would seem that the rest is history.
The Fat Boys, Darren “The Human Beatbox/Buff Love” Robinson, Mark “Prince Markie Dee” Morales and Damon “Kool Rockski” Wimbley, entered the homes of millions of Americans because their songs contained catchy beats (using a unique mix of rock, reggae and hip-hop) and inoffensive lyrics. In fact, the group’s two seemingly favorite song subjects were their large size and their large appetites.
When the Fat Boys signed with Polydor Records, they became a household name. Their 1987 album, Crushin’, included perhaps the band’s largest hit, a cover of the Beach Boys’ “Wipe Out.” They soon followed this up with another hit, “The Twist (Yo’ Twist),” a collaboration with Chubby Checker. These rock- rap songs seemed to be all the rage. They raised the Fat Boys to such a height that the band performed at Live-Aid to a screaming crowd. Popularity like that was almost unheard of in the beginning days of rap and hip-hop.
Call it their size, call it their style or call it their gimmicky outfits. Regardless of the reason, the Fat Boys became stars. They not only showed that a rap group could make it big, but they also showed that one did not need to offend in order to become famous. It is for these reasons that the Fat Boys have deserved their place in rap and hip-hop history.
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