The Fatback Band

Formed in 1970 in New York City, The Fatback Band was founded by drummer Bill ‘Fatback’ Curtis. While known as a funk and disco band, the group’s 1979 single “King Tim III (Personality Jock)” is acknowledged as the first commercially released hip-hop single. The group’s line-up has changed throughout the years, but early members included Johnny King (guitar), Johnny Flippin (bass), George Williams (trumpet), Earl Shelton (saxophone), Gerry Thomas (keyboards), and George Adams (flute). The group’s sound incorporated elements of the ‘fatback’ jazz beat from New Orleans, along with West Indian and Caribbean rhythms. They soon began to incorporate dance, funk, soul, rap, and R&B music into the mix. The Fatback Band released their debut album, Let’s Do It Again, in 1972 and a series of singles that charted on the R&B Singles chart but didn’t achieve commercial success until the release of their 1975 album Raising Hell, which charted in the Top 40 on Billboards R&B Albums chart and charted in the Top 20 in Australia and the Top 40 in the UK. The album featured the hit singles “(Are You Ready) Do the Bus Stop” and “(Do the) Spanish Hustle.” Fully embracing disco music, The Fatback Band shortened their name to Fatback by the time they released their album Fired Up ‘N’ Kickin in 1978, their most successful album up to that point. Their next album – Fatback XII (1979) – included the single “King Tim III (Personality Jock),” which was later acknowledged to be the first commercially released hip-hop single. More hit albums followed including Hot Box (1980), 14 Karat (1980), and Tasty Jam (1981). By the end of the 1980s, Fatback’s string of hits had dried up and the group’s career slowed down. With only Bill Curtis remaining from the original line up, Fatback continued to play occasional dates and released an album and a single in the 2000s but kept a low profile. In 2025, a remix of their song “Snake” – originally from their 1978 album Fired Up ‘N’ Kickin – became a surprise underground hit in dance clubs.

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