Blondie released “Rapture,” the 1981 song containing an early mainstream rap section.
The song appeared on Blondie’s fifth studio album, Autoamerican, released in November 1980. It became a major single in the United States, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1981. Its closing section includes Debbie Harry rapping about subjects including “Fab Five Freddy” and “Mister Ice.”
Fab 5 Freddy was a central figure in New York’s early hip-hop scene and helped connect Blondie with the culture developing in the Bronx and downtown Manhattan. Grandmaster Flash is also mentioned in the song’s lyrics, although he did not perform on the recording.
“Rapture” is often described as the first song containing rap to reach number one in the United States. It was not the first rap recording ever made, but it helped expose hip-hop vocabulary and performance style to a large pop audience.