Fu-Schnickens is one of the oldest hip-hop groups on the block. The group, whose name stems from a combination of "For Unity" and a made-up word for "coalition," is known for their comedic, absurd lyrics that saw the trio rhyming backwards and sideways throughout their short but influential career.

Fu-Schnickens emerged from the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, where Moc Fu (born J. Jones), Poc Fu (born Lennox Maturine) and Chip Fu (born Roderick Roachford) grew up and began performing in local clubs, where they debuted their witty rhymes and technique on the mike. Jive Records snatched up the trio after seeing them perform at Howard University in 1991 and their dance-ready single "Ring the Alarm" followed one year later. "Ring the Alarm" was an instant hit in the hip-hop community and earned Fu-Schnickens a spot on the Top Ten rap charts before their full-length debut, F.U.-Don't Take It Personal, dropped in 1992. The album scored with R&B singles (and now cult classics) "La Schmoove" and "True Fuschnick" but the mainstream audience truly caught on when NBA great Shaquille O'Neal made a cameo on "What's Up Doc? (Can We Rock)." The song was Fu-Schnickens' first single to break into the Top Pop 40 and the song's title became a widely-used catch phrase around the nation.

In 1994 Fu-Schnickens released their highly-anticipated sophomore effort, Nervous Breakdown, but the hip-hop outfit couldn't top their previous successes and soon the star of Fu-Schnickens faded, making way for other new hip-hop groups to enter the scene. Fu-Schnickens is remembered for being a revolutionary hip-hop group whose playful wraps were first seen as pop culture novelties before their genius caught on. The beats of Fu-Schnickens were inspired by dancehall reggae and were sprinkled by comical vocals and lyrical gymnastics that included backward delivery of cartoon and kung-foo references.