Continuing my Black History Month musical history lesson, today I’m reviewing the third album from the legendary hip-hop group The Fat Boys. Released in 1986, one year after the release of their second album, this album contained nine songs and produced two singles.

First was the smash hit SEX MACHINE:

Rapping over the instrumental of a previously recorded song was nothing new in rap music; many of the earliest rap hits did this. Rappers were also specifically starting to sample James Brown’s music a lot around this time. But this may be the first example of a straight-up cover song in hip-hop. It’s silly, but it absolutely works.

The second single IN THE HOUSE is a nice little funky jam, with lyrics filled with the group’s trademark humor. I don’t know why that was the only other single, as there were several great tracks on here that I think could have been hits.

GO FOR IT also has a nice beat, with upbeat motivational lyrics. BREAKDOWN is made for the dancefloor. DOUBLE–O-FAT BOYS is funky funny song where they rap about being secret agents “with a license to chill.”

The title track feels like it paved the way for rappers like Heavy D and Notorious B.I.G. to portray themselves as sex symbols and be taken seriously despite their size. The get a bit harder on RAP SYMPHONY (C-MINOR) and the HUMAN BEAT BOX PART 3 takes it back to basics, completing the trilogy of such songs, going back to their debut album, there Prince Markie Dee and Kool Rock Ski trade raps as Buff Love provides the beat with his mouth.

The album closes out with BEATBOX IS ROCKING which is a mostly instrumental track featuring Buff’s beatboxing. This feels like the kind music that is best for breakdancers to dance to.

This is, in my opinion, their best album. It felt like the boys were coming into their own as artists and, most importantly, were having a great time making music.

Chacebook rating: FIVE STARS

AVAILABLE ON APPLE MUSIC