The Sugarhill Gang, formed in Englewood, New Jersey, in 1979 is widely credited with bringing hip-hop to the mainstream. The original lineup—Michael “Wonder Mike” Wright, Henry “Big Bank Hank” Jackson, and Guy “Master Gee” O’Brien—made history with the release of “Rapper’s Delight,” the first rap single to break into the Billboard Hot 100. At over 14 minutes long in its original form the track’s infectious bassline and playful rhymes introduced the genre to a global audience.

Named after the Sugar Hill neighborhood in Harlem, the group was signed to Sylvia Robinson’s Sugar Hill Records, which became synonymous with early hip-hop.