Sugar Hill Records’ hit song “Rapper’s Delight,” the hit track that would forever shape hip-hop, produced by Sylvia Robinson and the Sugar Hill Gang (Michael “Wonder Mike” Wright; Henry “Big Bank Hank” Jackson, and Guy “Master Gee” O’Brien) in 1979, now celebrates its 40th birthday.

In 1980, the song peaked onto Billboard’s Hot 100 and managed to climb the charts to #1 in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

“I am excited to celebrate the birthday of a trailblazing record that put hip-hop on the map,” says Leland Robinson, Sylvia Robinson’s son and President of Sugar Hill Records. “This song changed the landscape of music forever.”

In 2014, the Sugar Hill Gang was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and acknowledged as the driving force behind the creation of the genre of music known as hip-hop. “‘Rappers Delight’ is a viable part of our musical, cultural, and social history,” states Leland Robinson.

Rolling Stone has included “Rapper’s Delight” on its list of “Greatest Songs of All Time” and VH-1 has included “Rapper’s Delight” on its list as well.

The song has been included in films such as “Kangaroo Jack,” “The Wedding Singer,” “The Pest,” and more, as well as television shows such as The Simpsons, Scrubs, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Martin, The Get Down, and more.

Brands such as Honda and Evian have also featured the song in their advertising campaigns.

 

RAPPER’S DELIGHT

I said a hip hop

Hippie to the hippie

The hip, hip a hop, and you don’t stop, a rock it out

Bubba to the bang bang boogie, boogie to the boogie

To the rhythm of the boogie the beat

Now, what you hear is not a test I’m rappin’ to the beat

And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet

See, I am Wonder Mike, and I’d like to say hello

To the black, to the white, the red and the brown

The purple and yellow, but first, I gotta

Bang bang, the boogie to the boogie

Say up jump the boogie to the bang bang boogie

Let’s rock, you don’t stop

Rock the rhythm that’ll make your body rock

Well so far you’ve heard my voice but I brought two friends along

And the next on the mic is my man Hank

C’mon, Hank, sing that song, check it out

Well, I’m Imp the Dimp, the ladies’ *imp

The women fight for my delight

But I’m the grandmaster with the three MCs

That shock the house for the young ladies …