| From 1992 Album: "FU Don't Take It Personal"..... The Fu-Schnickens comprised Chip Fu (Roderick Roachford), Moc Fu (Joe Jones), and Poc Fu (Lennox Maturine). "Fu" stood for "For Unity" and "Schnicken" was a made-up word which meant "coalition". The three friends from East Flatbush, Brooklyn first gained attention after performing at a rap event at Howard University, after which they were signed by Jive Records. The group's debut single, "Ring the Alarm," hit the top ten on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart in 1992, sparking anticipation for the group's debut album FU Don't Take It Personal. With the hit singles, "La Schmoove" (featuring Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest) and "True Fu-Schnick", the album reached the Top 20 in the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certified gold by the RIAA. In 1993, the Fu-Schnickens began work on their second album. They recorded a fast-paced song called "What's Up Doc?" which featured a sample of Bugs Bunny saying his famous catchphrase. But they could not get sample clearance from Warner Bros so they shelved the song. Meanwhile, the then-rookie NBA star Shaquille O'Neal was a media sensation. In many interviews, he talked about his love of hip-hop music and stated that the Fu-Schnickens were his favorite rap group. This prompted the group to contact O'Neal for a collaboration. O'Neal recorded a verse that was added on to the already-recorded "What's Up Doc?" with the group and O'Neal saying "What's up, doc?" to replace the Bugs ... |
