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National Association of Broadcasters
94: 'Rapper's Delight,' by The Sugar Hill Gang is Arguably First Rap Song to Be Played on Radio (1979)
1979

'Rapper's Delight,' by The Sugar Hill Gang is Arguably First Rap Song to Be Played on Radio

The Sugar Hill Gang’s 12-inch single "Rapper's Delight" - released in 1979 - became the first rap song to be played on the radio. The 15-minute song was edited down to six and a half minutes and reached Number 36 on the pop charts, making it the first hip-hop single to become a Top 40 chart hit. “Rapper’s Delight” made the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 4 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song is widely credited with launching rap as a viable genre for recorded music.


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