The Sugarhill Gang

Biography & Overview

The Sugarhill Gang is an American old-school 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.
The group are considered hip-hop pioneers. Their old-school hip-hop sound combined rapping with samples from disco, funk and soul. Thus, paving the way for electro and East Coast hip-hop.