The Fat Boys were the highest profiled hip hop group in the early
1980’s next to Run DMC. They were part of the first corporate
sponsored rap concert (Fresh Fest), they were featured in the movie
Krush Groove, one of the first rap groups to travel to Europe, and
they sold hefty amounts of records and continued to balloon throughout
the decade.
Their beginnings were humble like most but quickly catapulted into
full stardom. Appearances on radio, TV, full tours, magazine spreads
and they even had their own embroidered satin jackets!
Their first single; “Reality” under the name Disco 3 was released
unnoticed and that’s when their fearless management of Charles
Stettler and Lynda West decided to bring in one of the hottest names
in rap at the time to produce; Kurtis Blow.
The single “Fat Boys” with Kurtis became a instant hit and it also
became the new name of the group. Kurt enlisted his music team to
assemble what became the debut album by the Fat Boys. Larry Smith
(Run DMC’s producer and arranger), Davy DMX, Don Blackman, and a
whole slew of other session players laid the raw backbeat for the three
boys from Brooklyn to rock the house!
What separated their album from the majority of other rap records at
the time was the pure rawness of the songs. The humorous element
dominated the record but there was a prime roughness to their style
that gave them a hardcore edge.
Songs like Stick ‘Em, Fat Boys, The Place To Be & Human Beat Box
easily display their boisterousness.
The added jewels to this re-issue are the Mr. Magic (RIP) radio
interviews. The growth of the group can be heard first hand between an
early interview before their debut album and one after success.
The unlisted 15th track is also a piece of lost audio history as it’s
Mr. Magic announcing the Disco 3 as the winners of the Tin Pan Apple
After Dark Dance & Rap Contest at Radio City Music Hall (May 23rd,
1983); where the group got their record deal.
This deluxe reissue serves up the classic rap album for the first
time in 28 years, fully remastered with all the necessary
ingredients...ALL YOU CAN EAT!