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MC Skat Kat is an animated cat who appeared with Paula Abdul in the video for her song "Opposites Attract" in 1989.

History [link]

The idea of Skat Kat came from the Gene Kelly movie Anchors Aweigh, in which Kelly's character dances with Jerry, the mouse from the Tom and Jerry cartoon series. He was animated by members of the Disney animation team, working outside the studio between major projects, under the direction of Chris Bailey.

MC Skat Kat was created by Michael Patterson and performed by The Wild Pair duo of Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn on "Opposites Attract". He was also voiced by Romany Malco for the first rap of the song and by Derrick 'Delite' Stevens for the second rap, the latter of whom would provide vocals for the character in the MC Skat Kat solo album.

The character released an album entitled The Adventures of MC Skat Kat and the Stray Mob in 1991, but the release of the album flopped quickly after being issued in that same year. Some of the songs made references to Paula Abdul and Opposites Attract, but Abdul did not provide vocals, except for the intro in "On the Prowl", in which she was uncredited; she did, however, make an appearance in the video of "Skat Strut",^[1] the only single to be released. Despite the popularity of its music video (as it became one of the most requested on MTV), the song never made an impact on any US Billboard chart.

Another single from the solo album, "Big Time," was given its own video with revised music. The song was labeled as "Big Time (Animation Mix)" on the Captive Sampler.^[2] The video was completed in January 1992, but it remains unaired as of today. Most of the original animation was done by Eric Goldberg, who at the time was the lead animator of the Genie character in Disney's Aladdin feature film.^[3]

According to producer John Kafka, nobody was sure what to do with Skat after the videos were finished. Virgin Music and Universal Pictures talked of a live-action/animation hybrid feature film, but nothing ever materialized.

MC Skat Kat also appeared in "Yakety Yak - Take it Back", a Public Service Announcement produced by the Take It Back Foundation in 1991. The music video featured appearances by celebrities including Pat Benatar, Natalie Cole, Charlie Daniels, Lita Ford, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Queen Latifah, Kenny Loggins, Randy Newman, Tone Loc, Ozzy Osbourne, Brenda Russell, Barry White, Stevie Wonder and a special appearance by Bugs Bunny in an updated version of "Yakety Yak" retooled with a message about recycling. It premiered on MTV on April 10, 1991 (National Recycling Day), appeared as a trailer at AMC movie theaters, and was distributed on VHS and CD. It was later shown occasionally on Sesame Street during the early 1990s, although no Sesame Street characters were present. The video also appeared once on Nickelodeon in 1995.

Physical appearance [link]

Skat Kat has brown fur, a black flat-top, and a small, square soul patch. He wears a white tank top, blue, baggy pants with black suspenders and yellow buttons, and big tennis shoes. He sported an earring on his left ear starting with the album artwork and the Skat Strut music video.

Personality [link]

According to Virgin Records' media information, Skat Kat is a "street philosopher with an alley Kat point of view." He likes to dance, is interested in the ladies, and "remains on the smooth tip with an old school rap influence which adds the street to his new school hip hop."

The Stray Mob [link]

• Fatz — a short, brown-furred, raspy-voiced cat who first appeared in the Opposites Attract video and briefly appeared twice with Skat Kat in "Yakety Yak - Take it Back". He wears a round, green cap with an orange stripe and a zigzag pattern on it, a light-orange shirt, an open, sea-green, short-sleeved shirt, blue pants, and a medallion (originally blank in Opposites Attract before it gained a peace symbol). He also wears tennis shoes similar to Skat's, but they are slightly smaller. Before the release of Skat Kat's album, he had no whiskers. He can sometimes be seen wearing sunglasses similar to those Skat Kat wore in the Opposites Attract and Skat Strut videos. Fatz is short-tempered, has a big appetite, and frequently pulls off his beat boxing skills to make up for his inability to dance and sing. As Skat Kat's "right hand feline," he sometimes takes part in performing with Skat Kat. Formerly voiced by "Squeak" of the College Boyz.
• Taboo — a tall cat with black fur who appeared alongside Fatz in the Opposites Attract video. He wears a yellow t-shirt, red shorts with a black belt, and shoes identical to Skat's. He also has a few tan-colored stripes on his tail. At certain times, he wore round sunglasses. Taboo can stretch his body in any direction, allowing him to perform the craziest dance moves. As a car aficionado, he is responsible for building a turquoise-colored limousine called the Skatmobile (a Katillac), which first appeared in Skat Strut. In the song Kat Stories, during which he is distinctly and momentarily heard, it is mentioned that he has an underground cave with a garage. When Fatz becomes disrespectful to others, only Taboo can calm him down. Formerly voiced by "Rom" of the College Boyz.
• Leo — a large, brawny, brutish, brownish-orange-colored cat (although the lyrics in Big Time refer to him as a mutt). He wears a maroon tank top, orange and light gray striped shorts (orange and black on the album artwork), dark gray fingerless gloves, and a light blue hat with a back flap. The rest of him (i.e. his lower legs) has yet to be seen. Leo is jealous of Skat Kat and wants to take over as leader of the Mob, but his slow and mean demeanor always prevents him from doing so.
• Micetro — a lavender-colored mouse who made a few silent appearances in the Opposites Attract video. His name is derived from the plural form of "mouse" and the word "maestro." Micetro is crafty and quick, and his innocent charm makes him formidable. His only flaw is his habit of spreading gossip and bad advice to those who listen to him. He also has a crush on Silk, which Skat Kat isn't pleased about.
• Katleen — a slim cat with orange fur and a black-colored tip at the end of her tail. She has a pink hairdo and wears black-colored clothing, light blue socks (magenta on the album artwork), and light gray shoes. In subsequent appearances, she also wore a blue bracelet or two and a necklace. Streetwise and sassy, Katleen "dances to her own drummer" and is "not a bit afraid to give Skat Kat a piece of her mind." Both Skat Kat and Katleen are outsiders who "share the same rough edges." Oddly, she is suggested to be the one providing the feminine voices in So Sweet So Young and I Go Crazy, since both voices sound different. However, in the unreleased Big Time music video, she not only had her own animated segments, but had several vocal performances different from the previous voices.
• Silk — a less cartoonish cat with brown fur. In the Skat Strut music video, she has reddish-brown hair, blue eyes, earrings, a dark purple skirt, a black top, a small, open, short-sleeved, light green shirt, black socks, and purple shoes. On the album artwork, before the Skat Strut video was aired, she had black hair, a red, sleeveless shirt, a black skirt, and no whiskers. Silk is a relaxed, elusive, and classy feline who performs with the Mob because "she likes the excitement of the streets."

Discography [link]

• 1991: The Adventures of MC Skat Kat and the Stray Mob

In popular culture [link]

• In the 2009 Homestar Runner Halloween cartoon, Doomy Tales of the Macabre, Coach Z dresses up as MC Skat Kat.

References [link]

External links [link]

• MC Skat Kat