Today, a musical legend and pioneer passed away today at the age of 75. Her name was Slyvia Robinson, and she was known as the mother of hip hop. She formed the first commercially successful rap group, Sugar Hill Gang, which recorded the popular "Rapper's Delight."
Slyvia Robinson started her career as an R&B singer. When she started witnessing young people rapping over old soul and disco records, she had the vision to record this new artform, which would later be known as hip hop. She formed the legendary hip hop label Sugar Hill Records in 1979. Robinson eventuall signed then unknown Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, who recorded one of hip hop's essential track "The Message."
It is a very ironic that a form of music, that has been known to objectify women, was championed and put on the national spotlight by a woman. RIP Slyvia Robinson. ( via New York Times)
