1980 in hip-hop

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This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 1980.

Contents

Released albums

Release DateArtistAlbum
February 7 The Sugarhill Gang Sugarhill Gang [1]
September 29 Kurtis Blow Kurtis Blow [2]
Unknown The Sequence Sugarhill Presents The Sequence [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

Old-school hip hop is the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music and the original style of the genre. It typically refers to the music created around 1979 to 1983, as well as any hip hop that does not adhere to contemporary styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sugarhill Gang</span> American hip hop group

The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop group formed in Englewood, New Jersey in 1979. Their hit "Rapper's Delight", released the same year they were formed, was the first rap single to become a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching a peak position of number 36 on January 12, 1980. This was the trio's only U.S. hit, though they would have further success in Europe until the mid-1980s. The trio reformed in 1994 and embarked on a world tour in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapper's Delight</span> 1979 single by The Sugarhill Gang

"Rapper's Delight" is a 1979 hip hop track that serves as the debut single of American hip-hop trio the Sugarhill Gang, produced by Sylvia Robinson. Although it was shortly preceded by the Fatback Band's "King Tim III ", "Rapper's Delight" is credited for introducing hip hop music to a wide audience, reaching the top 40 in the United States, as well as the top three in the United Kingdom and number one in Canada. It was a prototype for various types of rap music. The track interpolates Chic's "Good Times", resulting in Chic's Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards threatening to sue Sugar Hill Records for copyright infringement; a settlement was reached that gave the two songwriting credits. It also interpolates Love De-Luxe's "Here Comes That Sound Again". The track was recorded in a single take. There are five mixes of the song.

The Sequence was an American female hip–hop trio from Columbia, South Carolina, who formed in 1979. The Sequence is noted as the first female hip hop trio signed to the Sugar Hill Records label in the late–1970s and early–1980s. The group consisted of Cheryl Cook, known as "Cheryl The Pearl", Gwendolyn Chisolm, known as "Blondy", and lead singer and rapper Angie Stone, known as Angie B, who were all high school friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Wimbish</span> American bass player

Douglas Arthur Wimbish is an American bassist, primarily known for being a member of rock band Living Colour and funk/dub/hip hop collective Tackhead, and as a session musician with artists such as Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, The Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, Depeche Mode, James Brown, Annie Lennox, Tarja Turunen, and Barrington Levy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Bank Hank</span> American hip hop artist (1956–2014)

Henry Lee Jackson, known by his stage name Big Bank Hank, was an American hip hop recording artist and manager. Also known as Imp the Dimp, he was a member of the trio the Sugarhill Gang, the first hip hop act to have a hit with the cross-over single "Rapper's Delight" on the pop charts in 1979. He contributed to many documentaries based on the rap music industry. Lyrics to his verse from "Rapper's Delight" were allegedly plagiarized from rhymes written by Grandmaster Caz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erick Sermon</span> American rapper and producer (born 1968)

Erick Sermon is an American rapper and producer. He is best known as one-third—alongside PMD & DJ Scratch—of 1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for his production work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five</span> American hip hop group (1978–1988)

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were an American hip hop group formed in the South Bronx of New York City in 1978. The group's members were Grandmaster Flash, Kidd Creole, Keef Cowboy, Melle Mel, Scorpio, and Rahiem. The group's use of turntablism, breakbeat DJing, and conscious lyricism were significant in the early development of hip hop music.

"Funk You Up" is a 1979 old school hip hop song recorded by the Sequence for Sugar Hill Records. It is significant as the first hip-hop song to be released by a female rap group, and was the second single released on Sugar Hill, following "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang.

<i>Sugarhill Gang</i> (album) 1980 studio album by the Sugarhill Gang

Sugarhill Gang is the self-titled debut album by influential rap group the Sugarhill Gang. It is considered to be the first hip hop studio album, leading to more studio albums by other rappers.

<i>8th Wonder</i> (album) 1981 studio album by the Sugarhill Gang

8th Wonder is the second album by the American rap group the Sugarhill Gang. The album was released in 1981 for Sugar Hill Records and was again produced by Sylvia Robinson and James Cullimore. Though not as successful as the group's previous album, the album did feature the minor hits "8th Wonder" and "Apache" and featured an appearance by another Sugar Hill Records rap group, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five on "Showdown".

<i>Jump On It!</i> 1999 studio album by The Sugarhill Gang

Jump On It! is a 1999 studio album by American hip hop group The Sugarhill Gang made of children's music and was the first hip hop album made by rap artists for children. The album was the only one recorded after the trio of Big Bank Hank, Master Gee, and Wonder Mike reunited in the 1990s and was promoted by a jump rope contest for children in coordination with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, who received a portion of the proceeds from album sales. The album was devised by Rhino Records executive Richard Foos and was intended to be paired with a line of children's clothing, educational videos, and television programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith LeBlanc</span> American drummer (1954–2024)

Keith LeBlanc was an American drummer and record producer who was a member of the bands Little Axe and Tackhead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apache (instrumental)</span> 1960 instrumental composed by Jerry Lordan

"Apache" is a song written by Jerry Lordan and first recorded by Bert Weedon. Lordan played the song on ukulele for the Shadows while on tour and, liking the song, the group released their own version which topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks in mid-1960. The Shadows' guitarist Hank Marvin developed the song's distinctive echo and vibrato sound. After hearing the Shadows' version, Danish guitarist Jørgen Ingmann released a cover of the song in November 1960 which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grandmaster Caz</span> American rapper

Curtis Brown, better known by the stage names Grandmaster Caz and Casanova Fly, is an American rapper, songwriter, and DJ. He was a member of the hip hop group The Cold Crush Brothers from 1979 to the mid-1980s. He is best known as the (uncredited) main writer of Big Bank Hank's raps on the seminal 1979 hip hop single by The Sugarhill Gang, "Rapper's Delight".

<i>Livin in the Fast Lane</i> 1984 studio album by The Sugarhill Gang

Livin' in the Fast Lane is the fourth studio album by the American hip hop group The Sugarhill Gang, released in 1984 on Sugar Hill Records.

<i>Rappin Down Town</i> 1983 studio album by The Sugarhill Gang

Rappin' Down Town is the third album from New York City-based rap/hip hop group The Sugarhill Gang. Released in 1983, this album includes the minor R&B hits "The Lover in You" and "The Word is Out."

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 1979.

The following is a list of albums released by now-defunct hip-hop record label Sugar Hill Records.

<i>The Sugar Hill Records Story</i> 1997 compilation album by Various Artists

The Sugar Hill Records Story is a 1997 compilation album compiling singles released by the Sugar Hill Records label. It was released by Rhino Records who had purchased the North American rights to the labels catalogue in 1995. On its release, it received positive reviews from Vibe, Spin and AllMusic.

References

  1. Zimmermann, Curtis. The Sugarhill Gang - Sugarhill Gang at AllMusic
  2. Kurtis Blow at AllMusic
  3. "The Sequence - Sugarhill Presents the Sequence Album". AllMusic.