The Sugarhill Gang released “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979, helping bring hip hop to a mass record-buying audience.
The song was built over an interpolation of Chic’s disco hit “Good Times,” with extended verses delivered by Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank, and Master Gee. Its long runtime was unusual for a major single, but its groove and memorable rhymes made it a landmark release.
“Rapper’s Delight” is often described as the first commercially successful hip hop single, although earlier rap recordings existed. The Sugarhill Gang were not the inventors of hip hop; the culture had already developed in New York block parties and clubs during the 1970s. The record’s success instead marked a crucial transition from local performance culture to mainstream recorded music. It also introduced many listeners outside the Bronx and Harlem to the possibilities of recorded rap.