Thirty years ago this week Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang became the first Hip Hop chart hit. Some will quibble and say the plaudit belongs to the Fatback Band and Hip hop itself is older. Everybody on the scene in the late seventies expected Grandmaster Flash to have the first hit. But let's celebrate by enjoying the video anyway. The BBC have run a good anniversary piece. And there is also a hip hop point and click atlas showing the genre's influence around the world .
Rapper's Delight samples the song Good Times by Chic whose Nile Rodgers I recently interviewed for The Sunday Times. As well as being a brilliant and influential musician (he produced Sister Sledge, David Bowie, Diana Ross aand Duran Duran) he is a thoughtful and politically astute person. Or as another writer tweeted after reading my piece: "Boy Scout, Black Panther and God-like Genuis".
Rodgers has used his wealth to set up the We Are Family Foundation . It brings young people from different cultural backgrounds together in the wake of 9/11, builds schools in the developing world and runs an inspirational teen leadership programme.
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