Celebrating Christiansted’s 275th Birthday with The Fat Boys
Christiansted, the charming principal town on my home island of St. Croix, celebrated its 275th anniversary in 2010. Many notable and historic events have occurred here over the centuries, but we’re choosing to mark the momentous milestone by remembering the town’s uncommon star turn in a 1980’s rap video.
In the mid-80’s there was hardly a bigger rap group (literally and figuratively) than The Fat Boys. With three Gold albums (’84, ’85, ’88) and one Platinum release (’87), this Brooklyn trio was on top of the music world.
It was pretty surprising to me, then, as a young teen growing up in St. Croix at the time, that they would come to our little corner of the Caribbean to put on a concert and shoot this music video…
I remember our school principal threatening severe consequences for anyone who skipped classes to appear in the video, though I guess that didn’t stop the few faces I recognize jumping up with the group.