Rapper of the Hip-Hop Trio Group, The Fat Boys

Damon Wimbley | Biography

Acted in Films 'Knights of the City' and 'Disorderlies'

• By Anil Pradhan
• Update : March 20, 2022

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Damon Wimbley is an American rapper and actor. He is widely recognized as a former member of the hip-hop singing group, The Fat Boys.

What is Damon Wimbley's Net Worth?

Damon Wimbley, also known as Kool Rock-ski, has a net worth of $400 thousand, according to Celebrity Net Worth as of March 2022. The primary contributor to his massive wealth is his decades-long successful music and acting career.

Wimbley was born on 4 November 1966. He is one of the three founding members of the rapper's group, The Fat Boys, formed in the early 1980s. He joined rappers Darren Robinson (Buff Love) and Mark Anthony Morales (Prince Markie Dee) to create a trio. They initially called themselves The Disco 3 while, later in 1983, they transitioned into The Fat Boys. The music band was founded in 1982, disbanded in 1991, then reformed in 2008.

As of now, Wimbley is the only surviving member of the hip-hop group and lives in 

The Beginning of The Fat Boys

The hip-hop trio first gained national fame as the winner of a talent show, Radio City Music Hall, in 1983 hosted by Mr. Magic from the radio show Rap Attack. The Fat Boys members, then known as The Disco 3, were unanticipated winners with their song 'Stick' Em.'

It marked their beginning in mainstream hip hop. Moreover, they are one of the first rappers to embrace beatboxing in rap music. In addition, this trio was among the first groups to have launched albums with full-length rap songs.

The Disco 3 released their debut song 'Reality' in 1983, produced by James Mason, jazz guitarist and keyboardist for Roy Ayers' jazz-funk ensemble. The following year, Wimbley and his boys released their self-titled debut studio album, Fat Boys, on 29 May 1984. 

Moreover, many fans regard Fat Boys as the first hip-hop album to incorporate the hip-hop aspect known as beatboxing. Darren "The Human Beat Box" Robinson was a beatboxing prodigy. It received the RIAA Gold certification in the USA.

They released their second album, The Fat Boys are Back, on 1 June 1985, also US Gold certified. Their next studio album, Big & Beautiful, was launched in the following year under the Sutra label.

The Fat Boys Became the Pop Culture Icon with 'Crushin'

In 1987, they released their only Platinum album, Crushin'. The Fat Boys collaborated with rock group The Beach Boys on a cover version of the song 'Wipeout' (a 1963 surf rock instrumental) for the album. The single peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song was the last song recorded by the band members for the album Crushin'.

"I'll be absolutely honest with you, Crushin' was our worst album to do, even though it was our most successful," Morales said during an interview. "We felt like it was the beginning of our downfall, specifically because of Å¿hit cover] 'Wipeout.'...Before Crushin', we just made regular hip-hop music, but when we started doing crossover songs, a lot of our audience didn't want us to do that."

Similarly, Wimbley said, "Us doing 'Wipeout came pretty naturally out of the Beach Boys being in the ending of Disorderlies." "Walk This Way' was huge and our manager really wanted a breakout hit like that for us. He actually came to us with the idea on the first day of shooting the movie and told us all about Brian Wilson's genius as a producer."

Coming Back Hard Again (1988), their fifth album, followed the same formula as the previous one. This time, The Fat Boys recorded a cover version of 'The Twist' with Chubby Checker, who first sang it in 1960. The song made it on number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 40 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

During an 11-week chart run, 'The Twist (Yo, Twist)' peaked at number two on the UK Top 100 in July 1988. 'Louie Louie,' another song on the CD, is a cover of a 1957 classic by American vocalist Richard Berry. On 5 November 1988, the song peaked at number 46 on the UK Top 100 for four weeks.

The group has also released several singles to date. Their most notable songs are 'Reality' (1983), 'Jailhouse Rap' (1984), 'Don't Be Stupid' (1985), 'Sex Machine' (1986), 'Wipeout' (1987), 'The Twist' (1988), 'Louie, Louie' (1988), 'Just Loungin' (1989), etc. Their most successful single was 'Wipeout' from the 1987 album Crushin'. It peaked at No. 12 on the list of Billboard Hot 100.

Also Read: Pop Smoke - Rapper, Brooklyn Drill, 'Many Men'

The Trio Split in 1991

In 1990, Prince Markie Dee departed the group to pursue solo pursuits, including producing many early recordings for Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige. The remaining two members, Wimbley and Darren Robinson, continued as a pair and recorded Mack Daddy in 1991, but the group split soon after.

Unfortunately, Darren Robinson passed away due to a heart attack on 10 December 1995, in Rosedale, Queens, New York, while suffering from respiratory illness. According to reports, he was 28 years old and weighed 450 pounds (200 kg).

The Surviving Band Members Reunited in 2008

On 5 November 2008, the Fat Boys' remaining members, Wimbley and Mark Anthony created their official website, OriginalFatBoys.com. As per their website, the Fat Boys recorded their first song in over two decades and planned to host a reality TV show to find a new member.

Moreover, Wimbley, aka Kool Rock-Ski, announced the opening of his website, KoolRockSki.com, in March 2009. In addition, his debut solo project, the EP Party Time, was published the following month.

On 18 October 2010, Unsung: The Story of The Fat Boys, a special program premiered on the cable network TV One produced by the group's manager, Louis Gregory, aka Uncle Louie.

It stated that the two surviving members had rejoined and were on tour with Doug E. Fresh, who was providing the beatboxing. However, there was no official authorization that he was the new third permanent member. 

Sadly, on 18 February 2021, the day before his 53rd birthday, Mark Anthony Morales, aka Prince Markie Dee, passed away of a suspected heart attack. Morales went to the hospital complaining of chest discomfort. A stent was discovered to be necessary to unblock a blockage in Morales' heart, but he died before the stent could be implanted.

'Disorderlies' and Other On-screen Appearances

Besides music, Wimbley also has acting credits for his appearance in several 80s films. His first movie appearance was in the 1985 musical comedy film Krush Groove. The debut followed two other movies, Knights of the City in 1986 and Disorderlies in 1987. Later, he played Cool Rock in the 1988 TV series T and T, Big Mike in the 2011 film My Crackhead Uncle, and Davis in the 2016 short film Red Eyes.

 

Weight Loss

The continuous music tours and trips did not allow Wimbley to focus on his physical state. At 20 years old, Wimbley maxed his weight to 330 pounds. He experienced great difficulty even while performing day-to-day activities like tying shoelaces and bending down. Thus, he made an effort to lose weight. He worked out regularly and also followed a healthy diet. 

Talking to weightandskin.com in February 2021, Wimbley said, 

When I saw that the weight started shedding, I decided to keep it off. I went back up to 240, and I never looked back from there. I said I'm never gonna go back to the way I was before.

Currently, at 55 years of age, Wimbley measures 167 lbs. However, he still goes to the gym often and works out regularly to maintain a slim physical appearance.

Similarly, when asked about what inspired him to lose weight in an interview with Vibe, he said, "It came from going up to 330 lbs and finding myself at 19, 20 years old and couldn't even tie my shoe without breathing hard or feeling like I ran a marathon. So I said I'm gonna make a conscious decision to go on a diet. When I saw that the weight started shedding, I decided to keep it off. I went back up to 240 and I never looked back from there. I"