When you think of beatboxing, one of the first groups to pop into your head should be The Fat Boys. The trio of Kool Rock-Ski, Buff Love, and Prince Markie Dee began their career after being discovered at a New York City-wide talent show hosted by the label Tin Pan Apple. After winning the competition in 1983, The Fat Boys became a freight train to success. Their self-titled debut hit record stores in 1984, becoming an instant classic and introducing the world to their upbeat approach to Hip-hop and the group’s sense of humor. Their use of beatboxing, courtesy of Buff Love, skyrocketed them past their peers, and it wasn’t too long before Hollywood took notice.
The trio was tapped to star in Krush Groove, the 1985 film loosely based around the early days of Def Jam. After that, The Fat Boys became undeniable stars. Only two years later, The Fat Boys would star in Disorderlies, a comedy starring Ralph Bellamy and the trio. The Fat Boys played hired orderlies tasked with caring for Bellamy’s aging character. This brings us to this week’s Golden Age Thursday as we witness The Fat Boys in all their glory. During the premiere of Disorderlies, The Fat Boys took the stage for a quick freestyle, emphasizing everything that separates the trio from their peers. Buff Love’s acrobatic vocals deliver a hypnotic instrumental as Rock-Ski and Dee spit nostalgic rhyme schemes effortlessly.
