Darren Robinson
Darren Robinson (June 10, 1967 – December 10), also known as Big Buff, Buff Love, Buffy, The Human Beat Box, and DJ Doctor Nice, was a rapper, beatboxer, and actor, who was also member of the 1980s hip hop group The Fat Boys. He was the first person to perform the art of beatboxing and to also call himself "human beat box".
Life and career
Early life
Darren Robinson was born in Manning, Clarendon County, South Carolina, on June 10, 1967. He was the third child of John and Ellaveen Robinson and had three siblings, his older brother Curtis, his sister Barbara and his younger sister Renee.[1]
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When Robinson was still young his family moved to New Lots, Brooklyn, and first lived on Sheffield Avenue, where he also went to alementary school P.S. 190 Sheffield from 1974 to 1979.
In 1981 his family moved to the same block on which his later band members Kool Rock Ski and Prince Markie Dee already lived with their families.
Origin of beatboxing
According to his own statement in the TV show Midday hosted by Bill Boggs Robinson explained that in 1975 he wanted a drumset, but could not afford one. So he just started to listen to records to trace his beats off them.
Whereas in The Morning Show hosted by Regis Philbin and Cyndy Garvey, which was aired on ABC7 in 1984, Robinson said that he started seven years ago.
According to Darren's brother Curtis the New York City Blackout of 1977 was crucial for the genesis of beatboxing. Curtis had purchased a radio cassette recorder (model Realistic ???) from RadioShack at Pennsylvania Avenue before he went to summer camp out of town. He lent this boombox – or beatbox as it was also called – to his younger brother Darren under the condition not to take it off the porch. But on July 13th Darren ignored his brother's request and took the readio and went around the corner to impress some girls from the neighborhood. At about 9:37 p.m. all lights went out all over Brooklyn due to the big Blackout and Darren was so scared that he dropped the radio and ran home. When his brother came back from summer camp, he asked him where his radio was. Darren was very nervous and anxious to tell the truth. But right after telling his brother, he offered him to play any song he would like to hear just with his mouth and then he started beatboxing.
Musical career
From 1978 to 1981 he went to J.H.S. 166 George Gershwin, who had a strong music program at the time, but was later closed and changed into a middle school. Here Robinson and Damon Wimbley (aka Kool Rock-Ski) played a lot of football before they turned to rap.
https://youtu.be/XZQHXvxj-cw?t=246
In 1981 Robinson spend a short time on Thomas Jefferson High School, but later received private tutoring in favour of his musical career.
His Musical Career
In 1983
When Robinson was 20 years old he and Lynise Walters (*September 24, 1972) known as Queen Pen gave birth to their son Quinton.
Quinton is a rapper who goes by the name Q NHannaz.
Death
Buff died in Rosedale, Queens County, New York and was burried on the Amityville cemetary in Suffolk County (Long Island), 55 Harrison Ave, Amityville, NY 11701.
Buff's brother and later manager Curtis Robinson died in 2018.
Legacy
Robinson invented beatboxing and added the art form as a fifth element to hip hop culture, which originally consisted of graffiti, DJing, breakdancing and rapping.
Nowadays Beatboxing is practiced and known in most countries still mesmerizing audiences all over the world.
Most a cappella groups that perform popsongs have a beatboxer, who provides the rhythms.
https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/13/arts/darren-robinson-fat-boys-rapper-28.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20121105135546/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-17817811.html
https://apnews.com/article/65b104ed12fa84f85488bcdbdf6c36b5
https://de.findagrave.com/memorial/19799/darren-robinson#source