Grandmaster Flash, Run-D.M.C. and Kurtis Blow have all gone down in hip-hop history. But back in the day one of the biggest rap groups – both in terms of commercial success and body weight – was the Fat Boys. In 1984, three teens from Brooklyn quickly shot to the top of the rap world with their second 12-inch, the eponymous "Fat Boys."
Early Career as the Disco 3
Actually, their first big hit wasn't eponymous, but reverse-eponymous: it gave them their new name. At the time the group was called Disco 3. With just one other 12-inch that hadn't sold well, they agreed to their promoter's suggestion to adopt the successful title and re-christen themselves. Prince Markie Dee, Buff the Human Beat Box and Kool Rock-Ski became the Fat Boys.
Humorous Rap: Fat Is Funny?
For better or worse, jokes about bodyweight and food remained constants throughout their career. A gimmicky edge always loomed and at times eclipsed the performers' true talents. Their first full-length LP cover features a large pizza. Off to one side, Buffy looks at it hungrily, holding a dripping ice cream cone in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other. Markie Dee bites into a hamburger with a scowl. Oddly, the Boys are shown again in miniature on the pizza, wearing prison stripes and holding what is now, for them, a gigantic slice. Nowadays the Fat Boys don't appear much more than chubby. The average human has put on the pounds since the '80s. Buff the Human Beat Box, however, suffered because of his weight problems, and died of a cardiac arrest at age 28.
Human Beat Box The Not-so-secret Weapon
Their self-conscious jokes aside, the Fat Boys were solid old school. Kool Rock and Markie Dee both rapped in a steady version of the sports announcer shout that is exemplary of early rap stars such as Run-D.M.C. and Chuck D. But what raised the band from good to great were the stunning, pioneering riffs of Buffy the Human Beat Box. He was one of the very best, transforming himself into an elaborate drum machine thanks to breath control that very few people can even attempt. In the early hits "Stick 'Em" and "The Fat Boys" Buffy's powers are on full display.
Respect: Hits, Tours, Films
The band was included on the Fresh Fest tours of the mid-80s, along with stars such as LL Cool J, Run-D.M.C., Whodini, and later, Public Enemy. This gave them legitimacy. They also starred in "Krush Groove," a film loosely based on the early days at Def Jam. Their big commercial success came later in 1987, with the LP "Crushin'." Three years later, the Fat Boys broke up, and Buffy died in 1995 due to his steadily degenerating health. Ironically his weight, which was part of his public persona and helped fuel his career as a rap star, ultimately killed him. Many of the group's old school peers continue to receive recognition. The Fat Boys' role in the early years of rap is downplayed, however, perhaps because of their humorous edge that made them a novelty.
More Fat Boys: Bios, Songs, Videos
There is a wealth of information about early rap and hip-hop on the Internet. One particularly exceptional article devoted entirely to the Fat Boys' career is Jack Austen's "The Fat Boys – A Large Body of Work" in Roctober Magazine. It is a thorough, thoughtful consideration of the group and provided a useful reference for this piece. There are also many Fat Boys videos on YouTube. The most impressive include the early hits "The Fat Boys" and "Stick 'Em."
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