 | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "The Skinny Boys" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| The Skinny Boys | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 1985–current |
| Labels | |
| Members | Superman Jay Shockin' Shaun The Human Jock Box |
The Skinny Boys are an American hip hop group, originally from Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Skinny Boys members are Superman Jay (James J. Harrison), his brother Shockin' Shawn (Shaun Harrison), and The Human Jock Box (Jacque D. Lloyd). Previously, the group included a fourth member, Robert "ELD" Durrett. The Skinny Boys were influenced by the much more prominent hip hop pioneers The Fat Boys, and their single "Jock Box" was influenced by The Fat Boys' member Human Beat Box.
History and appearances in multimedia
The Skinny Boys began creating music and performing together in 1981 as the Superior Crush MC's on the independent record label Bush, run by Rhonda Bush. Indeed, Rhonda and Mark Bush were the group's managers. The Skinny Boys' first release was a 12-inch single "Awesome" b/w "Skinny Boys" in 1985. The New York City-based label Warlock Records signed the group in 1986. That year the label released two more of their singles, "Jockbox" and "Unity", as well as an album, Weightless. Featured on Weightless were a handful of human beatbox songs, such as "Jockbox" and "Get Funky". Although the trio wrote and produced their own recordings, sometimes they were assisted by others such as Chuck Chillout and Flavor Flav.
The group went on to sign with Jive Records and had a two albums released by that label, namely Skinny & Proud and Skinny (They Can't Get Enough).
The single "Jockbox" was used as the theme song of the Comedy Central television series Workaholics. The song has also appeared in commercials for Wendy’s.
At a school in Japan, 6th grade students have used music by The Skinny Boys for "Fresh Friday".
As of September 21, 2021, they have been awarded "The Key to the City" in Bridgeport.
Discography
- 1986: Weightless
- 1987: Skinny & Proud
- 1988: Skinny (They Can't Get Enough)
References
- ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 310. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.
- ^ Superman Jay; Shockin' Shawn; The Human Jock Box (October 11, 2007). "The Skinny Boys - The Unkut Interview". unkut.com (Interview). Interviewed by Robbie. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
- "Weightless". Amazon.com. 2006-03-28. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
- "The Skinny Boys". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
- "The 100 Best Hip-Hop One-Hit Wonders61. The Skinny Boys 'Jockbox' (1986)". Complex.com. May 2012. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
External links
- Skinny Boys at discogs.com