Darren Robinson (June 10, 1967 – December 10, 1995), also known as Big Buff, Buff Love, Buffy, The Human Beat Box, The Ox That Rocks, and DJ Doctor Nice (among other aliases), was a rapper, beatboxer, and actor who was a member of the 1980s hip hop group The Fat Boys. He, along with Doug E. Fresh and others, were pioneers of

beatboxing Beatboxing (also beat boxing) is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of mimicking drum machines (typically a TR-808), using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice.

, a form of vocal percussion used in many rap groups throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Career

Robinson and the Fat Boys were featured in the 1985 movie '' Krush Groove''. The film, loosely based on the early days of the

Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...

record label, also featured

Blair Underwood Blair Erwin Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American actor. He made his debut in the 1985 musical film ''Krush Groove'' and from 1987 to 1994 starred as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series ''L.A. Law''. Underwood has a ...

Russell Simmons Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons' ...

(named Russell Walker in the movie), and record producer Rick Rubin, along with Run DMC,

Sheila E. Sheila Cecilia Escovedo (born December 12, 1957) better known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American percussionist and singer. She began her career in the mid-1970s as a percussionist and singer for The George Duke Band. After leaving t ...

Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Mike D, Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (voca ...

, Kurtis Blow, and a young

LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...

. In December 1990, as the group’s fame was declining, Robinson was charged with filming a 14-year-old girl being sexually abused during a party, four months prior, in suburban

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

."Rapper Faces Charges of Sexual Abuse"
''Los Angeles Times'', 7 December 1990. Robinson was fined $10,000.

Death

Although perfect for the group's image, Robinson’s weight contributed to his death. He had been diagnosed with

lymphedema Lymphedema, also known as lymphoedema and lymphatic edema, is a condition of localized swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system. The lymphatic system functions as a critical portion of the body's immune system and returns interstitial fl ...

, or fluid buildup.Darren Robinson, member of Fat Boys rap group, dies at age 28" (Obituary)
''Jet'', 8 January 1996. He died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

on December 10, 1995, weighing . He had been battling the

flu Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptom ...

, according to his older brother, Curtis, who was also his manager. "He was doing one of his songs, and at the end he got off the couch and was climbing on a studio chair when he fell," Robinson said.Siemaszko, Corky
"'Fat Boy' Rapper, 28, Dies At Queens Home"
''New York Daily News'', 11 December 1995. "I tried to give him mouth to mouth, but he just couldn't make it." Paramedics were called to Robinson's home in Rosedale,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, at 3 a.m., but were also unable to revive the rapper. Curtis said Darren had been trying to lose weight and was working on a Fat Boys reunion album.

Notes

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Darren 1967 births 1995 deaths 20th-century American male actors African-American rappers American beatboxers American male film actors Rappers from New York City 20th-century American rappers People from Rosedale, Queens 20th-century African-American musicians