Which hip-hop group recorded “Rapper’s Delight,” released by Sugar Hill Records in 1979?

The Sugarhill Gang recorded “Rapper’s Delight,” released by Sugar Hill Records in 1979.

The song was performed by Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank, and Master Gee. It used an interpolation of Chic’s “Good Times,” played by a studio band rather than simply copying the original recording. The famous bass line helped make the track immediately recognizable.

“Rapper’s Delight” was not the first rap record ever made, but it became the first hip-hop single to achieve major mainstream commercial success. Its extended version helped audiences unfamiliar with Bronx block parties hear the format of an MC-led performance over a DJ-oriented groove.

The song reached the Billboard Hot 100 and became an international hit. Sugar Hill Records, founded by Sylvia Robinson, played a major role in bringing early hip-hop recordings into the commercial music industry.