The years is 1994 and a brand new record store opens in Manhattan called Fatbeats, who has the infamous tag..."The Last Stop For Hip-Hop". With that being said, the store made itself an iconic staple in the Hip-Hop community by having an extensive collection of vinyl records that would make your head swim. I say that from a literal standpoint, having visited the NY location several times. With an impressive record in vinyl sales, they were able to open a store out in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Amsterdam and Tokyo. Fatbeats would also set up an online store and start their own label. The label hosts acts such as KRS-ONE, Black Milk, Akrobatik, El Michels Affair, Ill Bill, and a Sadat X & AG Project.Over a 15 year span, Fatbeats is able to say "we have manufactured and distributed vinyl worldwide and have outplayed most top vinyl distributors." They have employed the likes of J.Rocc and DJ Rhettmatic of the Beat Junkies, DJ Eclipse, Ill Bill and Q-Unique. Fatbeats NY and LA stores hosted a number of in-store performances for Eminem, Common, Gang Starr, Pharoahe Monch, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Immortal Technique, Murs, and many more.
Fatbeats NY will close it's doors on September 4th, while the Los Angeles location closing will follow on September 18th. The reasons for the store closings are decreases in sales and digital trends. However, they will maintain their online store and record label. Joe Abijian, President of Fatbeats said: “This is the start of a new era for Fat Beats. We’re adapting to meet the needs of our demographic by revamping and improving our existing systems. While our website, which stocks everything available in our retail stores, continues to do very well, we’re still exploring our options for alternate retail locations in the future. We’re proud of our legacy and will continue to re-invent ourselves. For now, we’ll see you online at FatBeats.com”
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