Today in Hip-Hop: The Sugarhill Gang Drop the Single “Rapper’s Delight”

On this day, Sept. 16, in hip-hop history...

1979: New Jersey trio The Sugarhill Gang made waves in hip-hop music like no other group at the time when they dropped their hit single, "Rapper's Delight" on Sept. 16, 1979.

Produced by Sylvia Robinson, Wonder Mike, Master Gee, and Big Bank Hank traded bars over a psydellic sample of disco group Chic's "Good Times." The song was recorded in Sugar Hill Studios and reportedly only took one single take to get the entire 14:35 recording right. There are also shortened versions of the track, clocking in at 6:30 and 4:55 respectively. The track was the group's biggest single of their career and appeared on their self-titled debut album.

The quintessential party track peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is often credited by critics as launching the entire genre of hip-hop. The track is ranked as one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and in 2012, "Rapper's Delight" was one of 25 recordings inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.

Relive the infectious track below.