![]() They were the cool cats, dressed in blazers and wingtips. On May 16, 1981, The Sugar Hill Gang performed Rapper’s Delight and 8 th Wonder on the nationally syndicated television program, Soul Train. Rapper’s Delight was the go-to song that got everyone on the floor and the seminal song in hip hop history. “Wait until you hear this new track,” my uncle would say as I was often trying to get my homework done. I remember Painters Mill Skate Land and Rhythm Skate were only two skating rinks in Baltimore that played hip hop music. I owe my uncle Mark or DJ Slice, as he was known around the local skate culture. The two dimensions commingled with very little hostility. By 1980, hip hop as a culture broke into two different styles, the GQ crowd and the sneaker, break dancing, graffiti and beat artists. It was something people had never seen before. Hip hop in 1979 and the early 80’s was like rock and roll in the 50’s. ![]() My parents often misunderstood our compatibility. In the 70s, hip hop was an underground culture with a unique and special groove that found its way into your neighborhood. Hip hop wasn’t always embraced, especially by R&B. It happened gradually and came down to my relationship and a connection that I felt was easy, natural and organic. ![]() Falling in love with hip hop didn’t happen overnight. It was 1979 in Baltimore and kids dressed to kill, instead of being killed for their dress and shoes. I fell in love with hip hop when I watched the kids bring their best moves to the roller disco. The Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” was the go-to song that got everyone on the floor and became the seminal song in hip hop history.
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