MC Skat Kat
MC Skat Kat is an animated cat character who appeared with Paula Abdul in the video for her song "Opposites Attract" in 1989.
History[edit]
MC Skat Kat was created by Michael Patterson and performed by the Wild Pair duo of Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn on "Opposites Attract". MC Skat Kat's rap was written and performed by Derrick Stevens, although Romany Malco, who did the majority of the writing for the M.C. Skat Kat & the Stray Mob album, is often mistakenly credited for being the voice of the rap on Opposites Attract, a story perpetuated by Abdul herself.[1] Derrick Stevens also provided vocals for the character in the MC Skat Kat solo album.
Patterson got the idea for Skat Kat from the Gene Kelly movie Anchors Aweigh, in which Kelly's character dances with Jerry, the mouse from the Tom and Jerry franchise. Patterson would originally play small gigs dressed in full cat attire, though soon after become a studio musician with the character becoming fully animated by members of the Disney and Warner Bros. animation team, working outside the studios between major projects, under the direction of Chris Bailey.
The character released the album The Adventures of MC Skat Kat and the Stray Mob in 1991 on Kings Records.[2] Paula Abdul made an appearance in the music video of the only single "Skat Strut".[3] The single peaked at No. 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in late October 1991,[4] and stayed on the chart for four weeks. "Skat Strut" reached No. 11 on the New Zealand Pop Singles chart, No. 9 on the Norwegian Pop Singles chart, No. 28 on the Dutch Pop Singles chart, No. 31 on the Swedish Pop Singles chart and No. 64 on the UK Singles Chart.[5][6][7][8][9]
MC Skat Kat also featured in "Yakety Yak, Take It Back", an all-star public service music video produced by Warner Bros. in 1991 for the Take It Back Foundation. The music video featured appearances by numerous celebrities, along with Bugs Bunny, Melba Moore as both herself and the voice of a butterfly character, and Dr. John as himself and the voice of Yakety Yak, for a new version of the song "Yakety Yak" with a message about recycling.[10]
MC Skat Kat later appeared in American Dad! season 11's sixth episode "Kiss Kiss Cam Cam", on February 29, 2016.[11]
MC Skat Kat makes a cameo appearance alongside Abdul in the 2022 film Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers.[12] In the 2023 TV series The Muppets Mayhem, Abdul is seen wearing an MC Skat Kat t-shirt.