What Was The First Hip-Hop Song?

Sylvia Robinson formed the Sugarhill Gang in 1979 and produced the first commercially successful hip-hop record, "Rapper's Delight". The song propelled hip hop into the mainstream however it faced some repercussions after the group failed to credit Chic's "Good Times" sample and Big Bank Hank stole Grandmaster Caz's lyrics.
Here's the story of Rapper's Delight.
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[@MutuallyBueno]

Man I love your editing style!!

[@calichef1962]

I was very involved in the dance music scene when Rapper's Delight dropped and I remember it well. I learned to rap exactly TWO songs and Rapper's Delight was one and Blondie's Rapture was the other. I absolutely LOVE this video! The research was excellent, and I really enjoyed the professionalism-- from the narration to the high production value. I was so impressed by this that I subscribed, with notifications set for ALL. (Keeping my fingers crossed that you don't have any "fair use" issues with this kind of video, too!) Best wishes!

[@bootstrapfilm]

That’s so cool! Glad you liked the video so much it means a lot! New video this weekend :)

[@calichef1962]

@@bootstrapfilm That's perfect! My weekend subscriptions are pretty thin. I have a good feeling that one day fairly soon I'll be able to say, I started watching Bootstrap way back when, and I was in the first 600 subscribers!

[@bitzoneMS]

I plead for Gil Scott Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1971) as a supplement to the question of what was first.

[@cyrusrule3164]

I really don't think you can even call that recorded music. He just recorded himself reading poetry.

[@bitzoneMS]

@@cyrusrule3164 I can, it's recorded music. Please check the list of musicians here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5-td5urhLyajsk Moreover, this is not a criterion for the question. Here we talk about music history and its origins.

[@bitzoneMS]

​@@cyrusrule3164 The "Last Poets" have not been mentioned here either (1970): kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2mlmot4g5hrrtU

[@cyrusrule3164]

@@bitzoneMS My mistake, I assumed you were somehow trying to imply that "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" was the first Hip-Hop song. I realize now that you were just stating that it was a relevant work.

[@kaptainkhan]

BOOTSTRAP, you have a bright future on youtube! This content is incredible. I genuinely thought I was watching a vox video! Left a super long comment on reddit so if you got the time check that out. Keep up work like this an I guarantee you'll have a career on your hands. Best of luck - kaptainkhan

[@bootstrapfilm]

Thanks so much!

[@seppet0ni]

Damn, great content. Happened upon this in autoplay. I kind of assumed you had between 100-1000x more subs :)

[@bootstrapfilm]

Appreciate that man

[@seppet0ni]

@@bootstrapfilm I wanted to offer to help with narration, but you have a very unique accent and voice that kinda sells it.

[@sanblasto]

A bit of Big Bank Hankin' at the start using Polyphonic's theme. Ha! Great videos, keep it up. Subscribed!

[@silverroadtraveler]

Very well put together videos!

[@ChoMarciano]

King Tim III by Bill Curtis was released before Rapper's Delight.

[@BadgerOne]

Fatback's King Time III (Personality Jock ) Hit 2 weeks BEFORE Rapper's Delight

[@gomlekadam]

Dope video. You are very underrated.

[@gigioiltopo2054]

wtf i tought this had at least 1 M views!! Man you're great

[@leewightman8001]

Before cool emcee names we had Hank!

[@kathyullah1619]

Good times

[@jeaneneenglish2321]

OMG!!! Talk about your blast f ett om the past, RAPPER'S DELIGHT, was so damn, AWESOME!!! YOU could dance, skate, and just enjoy that awesome beat!!! Just like Good Times, from CHIC, WOW!!! These song's set the stage, for ALL RAP, as far as I can remember, and believe me, I REMEMBER!!!!♊💋❤🤟

[@bleevr0397]

whats the song at the beginning of the video?

[@Kaya-jz9te]

1979 the best year ever cuz bob's Kaya album came out and rappers delight too .oh yeah and I 👶 also debut in this world 🌎 in 1979

[@BlackyTi]

You got recommended by Polyphonic.

[@TinCanSailor]

MC Bootstrap!

[@mystroceo]

In 1979 a song called The Devil Went Down To Georgia was recorded before this song by a couple of months. It took me this long to realize that the leads on the verse were actually raps over a country track with a country hook. But let it be known that it was a rap. I don't care if you hate that I said that. I'm just speaking objectively. Wouldn't that be crazy?

[@tashkipa]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/roKkmYx-Zsyne9k&ab_channel=domenicocatauro this was the first rap song, in 1972.

[@derekcash3608]

lol...nice try 😂

[@user-rf7uw8wt2x]

Hip hop

[@josiahcole3186]

If you’re gonna rip off polyphonics format at least change the music don’t make it too obvious haha 😆 Really great video 👍

[@darganx]

1979?? For the first rap record, you probably have to go back to Pigmeat Markham, or Rufus Thomas back in the 50s. I remember watching an old MGM musical from the 40s with two brothers rapping

[@TheTrueEmrys]

You dont know what rap is, its not just a black person rhyming 😂 he also talks about it not being the first song ever...you didnt even watch the video just talking smack 🤡

[@darganx]

@@TheTrueEmrys ??

[@DannyLeeTv777]

@@TheTrueEmrysyou are a real life goofy and definitely not like us…you have no say so in The Black American House of Hip Hop.

[@jawwwp428]

It wasn’t hip hop started in the 1930s

[@lcosson640]

Invented in jazz

[@valentinamartinez4213]

so the first hip hop record was birthed by a black woman?! sweet ♥️