Here’s An Oral History Of The Making Of The Fat Boys’ “All You Can Eat”

More than 30 years after its release, Krush Groove remains an all-time favorite Hip-Hop film for many. The movie, which was loosely based on the rise of Def Jam Recordings, starred Blair Underwood, Sheila E., Run-D.M.C., Kurtis Blow and more, and featured appearances by several acts, including Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and Whodini. However, one of the most memorable scenes in the film was owned by The Fat Boys.

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The trio of Prince Markie Dee, Kool Rock-Ski and The Human Beat Box (RIP) were riding a high in 1985, when Krush Groove was released. They had two gold albums, a massive feat for Hip-Hop at the time, and their plus sizes were exceeded by their personalities. Given the humor displayed in previous videos like “Jail House Rap,” it was not a stretch to imagine them acting in a film. However, with such mega watt talent in Krush Groove, few likely anticipated that any one act would steal the show. But, in addition to LL Cool J in his audition scene, that is exactly what The Fat Boys did.

This week, First We Feast assembled several key players from Krush Groove, including director Michael Schultz, Kurtis Blow, Prince Markie Dee and Kool Rock-Ski, for an oral history about The Fat Boys’ participation in Krush Groove and, particularly, their unforgettable “All You Can Eat” music video.

Here’s an excerpt about the food that was consumed during the shoot:

Prince Markie Dee: We had to sit down and listen to the director Michael Schultz [when we got there]. He said, “Guys, this is what we’re going to do: Fill up the table with chicken wings, pizza, as much food as we can fit.” Then he said, “You guys are going to eat as much as you can.”

Kool Rock Ski: We had a lot of food, but it was all cold. I thought to myself, are they really going to have us eat all this food?! [Laughs]

Prince Markie Dee: We thought that this had to be the stupidest shit ever. But looking back at it, that movie was done with a purpose. Those guys actually filming the movie, they knew [what they were doing].

Michael Schultz: [It was] like those food commercials [where] they had these spit buckets. At first the guys wanted to eat the food for real. They refused to use the spit bucket because they didn’t understand how you could not just eat. And we were like, “No, you’ll be dead in two hours!” Right by the fourth scene they just noticed that they had ten more hours left to shoot. They were like, “Where are the buckets?”

To read the excellent full oral history, visit First We Feast.

Props on the spot: Ego Trip

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