About Sugarhill Gang
Global music legends, multi-platinum selling artists, Grammy Hall of Fame, and Walk of Fame inductees - and one of the most successful, iconic music acts of all time: The Sugar Hill Gang.
The Sugar Hill Gang has been at the forefront of some of the most ground-breaking trends and movements in modern pop culture. The group has been a trendsetter in music, dance, and fashion.
Rapper's Delight: The Hit That Changed Music Forever
The Sugar Hill Gang scored the first and most popular Hip Hop single of all time in 1979: “Rappers Delight”.
Rappers Delight revolutionized the music industry by introducing a new art form of music throughout the world. It single-handedly influenced and inspired the Rap and Hip-Hop movements, opening the doors to one of the most powerful and popular styles of popular music EVER.
“Rappers Delight” was the first Rap song to be played on the radio & TV, exposing millions of people to a new and exciting style of music which originated in the Bronx, becoming one of the biggest hits in music history.
It sold 60,000 units daily in 1979 and till this day remains a hit!
✨ DJ Cassidy on “Rapper’s Delight”
“I grew up with ‘Rapper’s Delight’ being part of the world; I did not have a first moment, it just was — it was always there. We always knew the words. It was one of the biggest records… it already was what it was.
I’ve had a ‘Rapper’s Delight’ moment every month of every year of my life. No matter where I DJ around the world, there’s not a night where I don’t play ‘Rapper’s Delight,’ ‘Apache,’ and ‘8th Wonder’.
It’s a trilogy. These songs are universal. You can count the records that work everywhere for everyone: ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’ (Michael Jackson), ‘Poison’ (Bell Biv DeVoe), ‘Kiss’ (Prince) — and among an incredible catalogue, you guys had three. I play them together, and it explodes — no matter where I am.”
Sugarhill Gang: Founding Fathers of Hip-Hop
The godfathers, the first national and international Hip Hop superstars and one of Hip Hop’s most revered icons, attained superstardom with the hit record “Rappers Delight”.
The song is regarded as one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th Century and one of the most recognizable songs in the world.
With over 12 million units sold, the group not only scored the very first Hip Hop song but the biggest selling Hip Hop record of all time. It became one of the biggest songs in music history.
Rappers Delight was even added to the prestigious National registry at the Library of Congress – a nod to its role in ushering in a brand-new genre.
Their songs “8th Wonder” and “Apache/Jump on it” bring on the dance craze made popular by Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bell-Air.
With over 80 million streams on Spotify, Apple, iTunes, Amazon, over 80 million YouTube views, sold-out concerts around the world, and monthly viral moments on TikTok and Instagram for their song “Apache”, the Sugarhill Gang proves to be a favourite amongst millions of fans of all ages.
Awards and recognition
Their innovative sounds were acknowledged last year during the 50 Years of Hip-Hop celebration, with legendary performances on BET, MTV Unplugged, Dj Cassidy’s Pass the Mic (Radio City Music Hall), and Yankee Stadium.
They were inducted into the Music Walk Of Fame in the UK in 2023.
Their classic song “Rappers Delight” was chosen for the biggest 50 Years commercial with Sprite in North America.
The Sugar Hill Gang’s pioneering work was solely responsible for bringing the then brand-new sound of Hip Hop to mainstream attention, and helping the genre turn into a genuine pop culture phenomenon nationally and around the world.
Every rapper since – from Jay-Z to Drake – owes The Sugarhill Gang a debt.
Unmatched Live Performers
While lots of Hip Hop acts and bands nowadays struggle to sound like they do on recording, the Sugar Hill Gang is known for their energetic and one of the best live shows around!
The live show features hit after hit spanning the group’s entire career, including their chart-topping classic “Rappers Delight”.
In the summer of 2009, they released their first song in 25 years with international dance DJ superstar Bob Sinclair, called “La La Song”, which quickly became an uber hit in Europe, charting in many countries including France and Italy.
Still Touring the World
Spending their time touring the world, blessed to share all hit records with millions of people every year, the Sugarhill Gang regularly appears in documentaries, on radio and TV chat shows such as:
CNN, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Conan, MTV, The View with Whoopi Goldberg, BBC, The Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy (Ireland’s most popular television show), Arte (France), Rtve (National TV Spain), Walla! News (Israel), Don’t Hate the Playaz (ITV UK), The Big Narstie Show (Channel 4, UK).
They continue to connect with their legions of followers and fans on stage at:
Art of Rap Festival (USA), Singapore Grand Prix, Secret Solstice Festival (Iceland), Sonar (Spain), V Festival (UK), Clockenflap Festival (Hong Kong), Billboard Live (Japan) and many more.
The Next Chapter
The Sugar Hill Gang will be performing hits from across their expansive and impressive career, which have sold more than 20 million records worldwide.
They have tallied millions of streams and sales worldwide and forever changed the history of music - making Hip Hop the biggest music genre in the world!