Which rapper was the first hip-hop artist signed to a major record label?

Kurtis Blow was the first hip-hop artist signed to a major record label.

Mercury Records signed Blow in 1979, making him the first rapper to receive a contract from a major label. His self-titled debut album followed that year, helping move rap from New York’s party and club circuit into the mainstream recording industry.

Blow’s most famous recording is “The Breaks,” released in 1980. It became the first certified gold rap single, an important commercial milestone during hip-hop’s early expansion. The song’s repeated use of the word “breaks” also reflected the central role of breakbeats in early hip-hop culture.

The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” is often remembered as the first major rap hit, but its success and Blow’s major-label breakthrough were separate milestones. Blow’s importance lies in being the first rapper signed by a major label, not in having the first rap single to chart.