ENGLEWOOD, N.J., Sept. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Sugar Hill Records’ hit song “Rapper’s Delight,” the hit track that would forever shape hip-hop, produced by Sylvia Robinson and the Sugar Hill Gang (Michael “Wonder Mike” Wright; Henry “Big Bank Hank” Jackson, and Guy “Master Gee” O’Brien) in 1979, now celebrates its 40th birthday.
In 1980, the song peaked onto Billboard’s Hot 100 and managed to climb the charts to #1 in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
“I am excited to celebrate the birthday of a trailblazing record that put hip-hop on the map,” says Leland Robinson, Sylvia Robinson’s son and President of Sugar Hill Records. “This song changed the landscape of music forever.”
In 2014, the Sugar Hill Gang was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and acknowledged as the driving force behind the creation of the genre of music known as hip-hop. “‘Rappers Delight’ is a viable part of our musical, cultural, and social history,” states Leland Robinson.
Rolling Stone has included “Rapper’s Delight” on its list of “Greatest Songs of All Time” and VH-1 has included “Rapper’s Delight” on its list as well.
The song has been included in films such as “Kangaroo Jack,” “The Wedding Singer,” “The Pest,” and more, as well as television shows such as The Simpsons, Scrubs, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Martin, The Get Down, and more.
Brands such as Honda and Evian have also featured the song in their advertising campaigns.