The Fat Boys...

Picture it.  It's the late 1980s.  I'm at a horse show in Hampton, Virginia.  Someone is blaring Top 40 radio.  It's The Fat Boys and their updated version of "Wipeout", which featured The Beach Boys.

Yikes...

Hearing that song at that moment left an indelible imprint on my brain.  Now, whenever I hear The Fat Boys sing "Wipeout", I am reminded of my days as a competitive equestrienne.  Those days are long over, of course.  I haven't been riding in over twenty years.  I miss it.

The Fat Boys came back into my consciousness yesterday, when I heard that one of the founding members died at age 52.  Prince Markie Dee, otherwise known as Mark Anthony Morales, died on February 11, 2021, just eight days shy of his 53rd birthday.  His death came after the untimely death of one of his bandmates, Darren (the Human Beat Box) Robinson, who died in 1995 at age 28.  Robinson died while doing something he supposedly loved-- rapping.  He'd been sitting on chair, performing for friends, when he fell off the chair and hit his head.  He never regained consciousness.  The other bandmate was Damon Wimbley, otherwise known as Kool Rock Ski.

The only other song by The Fat Boys that I remember as a hit was a remake of "The Twist" by Chubby Checker.  It was kind of a fun song, although the 80s update doesn't really stand up to the original.

"Come on baby.  Let's do the Twist."

Morales went on to work with other artists, notably Mary J. Blige.  He's remembered as a great guy, very talented... and he died much too young at age 52.  I certainly wasn't a mega fan of The Fat Boys, but their music always reminds me of a special time in my life-- the high school years.  Seems crazy that they were that long ago.

May Morales rest in peace.