The Evolution of Rap MusicMain MenuThe Evolution of Rap MusicIntroductionThe Birth of Rap"Rapper's Delight"The Expansion of the IndustryPublic EnemyGangsta RapThe ExplosionRap Enters the MainstreamFurther ReadingBibliographySGR - Group A20417683511b589fe0e78620a085202696e9fb1d
The Sugarhill Gang
12016-03-10T12:46:48-08:00SGR - Group A20417683511b589fe0e78620a085202696e9fb1d84422Henry 'Big Bank' Jackson, Guy 'Master Gee' O'Brien, and Michael 'Wonder Mike' Wright in 1980plain2016-03-10T12:48:50-08:00SGR - Group A20417683511b589fe0e78620a085202696e9fb1d
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1media/29644259-rap-hip-hop-graffiti-seamless-background-with-icons-in-sketch-style-Stock-Vector.jpgmedia/snapshot (1).jpg2016-03-10T11:02:14-08:00"Rapper's Delight"34image_header2016-03-11T00:16:31-08:00The Sugarhill Gang is a hip hop group made up of Henry 'Big Bank' Jackson, Guy 'Master Gee' O'Brien, and Michael 'Wonder Mike' Wright. On September 16, 1979, the group released its single, "Rapper's Delight," which launched the rap genre into popular culture. The instrumentals consisted of guitars, cymbals, and claps, all fused with a funk beat. Paired with Big Bank, Master Gee, and Wonder Mike’s playful verses, the song became an instant hit. It achieved “multi-platinum [status] and was the first rap single to appear on the Top 40 charts” (Cheney and Toop). As a result, other rappers followed suit and began putting out their music as well (Cheney and Toop). In addition, artists of other genres became inspired by rap and began to incorporate elements of it into their own music; Blondie’s song, “Rapture”, is an example of this (Cheney and Toop). Furthermore, as rap music continued to gain popularity, the genre also continued to evolve. More and more experimentation took place, and as a result, the genre and industry grew.
