Learn about "Rapper's Delight," by The Sugarhill Gang
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| Top 10 American Songs—"Rapper's Delight," The Sugarhill Gang |
| "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang is considered to be the original hip-hop song. Though rapping had been featured on several songs prior, none of them had enjoyed the success and popularity of "Rapper's Delight." This song is attributed with having made hip-hop popular, not only in the US, but all around the globe. The opening line of the song, "I said a hip, a hippie, a hippie to the hip-hop" is one of the most recognizable in hip-hop music. |
| As was common around that time, "Rapper's Delight" used the breakdown section of the popular disco song "Good Times" by Chic, and performed the song over it. More often than not, rap and hip-hop songs of the era were based on disco songs. Though there isn't much substantial evidence, it has been claimed that the music was sampled from the original recording of "Good Times." However, Chip Shearin is said to have recreated the bass, piano, and strings section of the song on "Rapper's Delight." |
| The original recording of this song is almost fifteen minutes long and was recorded by the group in one take. There are two other versions of "Rapper's Delight," one at six-and-a-half minutes and the other at around five minutes. The shortest version was released as a single and featured on the group's eponymous 1979 album. |
| "Rapper's Delight" was a phenomenal success on the charts, especially because there hadn't been a hit hip-hop record before it. It reached the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 36. On the R&B Charts, it was able to hit number 4. |
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