A Complete Introduction To Sugar Hill Records

VARIOUS ARTISTS
A COMPLETE INTRODUCTION TO
SUGAR HILL RECORDS

Release Date: July 26th 2010

Cat No: 2736484

Label: Sanctuary / Castle / Universal Music

Format: 4CD Hardcover book / Digital

Retail: £19.99

ESSENTIAL BOX SET CHRONICLES THE CLASSIC HIP-HOP LABEL

The latter months of 1979 witnessed a phenomenon, as radio stations the world over played and played again a strange dance record out of New Jersey that sounded familiar, yet totally unlike anything that anyone had heard before. Over a rhythm track lifted from Chic’s ‘Good Times’, men with New York accents ran through a story in rhyme. It was the first moment in the spotlight for a musical culture that had been bubbling up nicely in the Bronx and Harlem over the previous six or seven years. The record was “Rappers Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang. This was the first ever Hip-Hop single recorded that became a multi platinum Top Hit released on a label called Sugar Hill Records.



The story of hip-hop’s early years on record is without a doubt that of Sugar Hill Records. Rap’s remarkable history is presented here on A Complete Introduction to Sugar Hill Records, the ultimate one stop collection of the first and finest artists who pioneered this extraordinary genre, chronicling the birth of a musical revolution. This comprehensive 4CD package gathers together the important recordings by the iconic innovators such as the powerful anthem “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five Feat. Melle, The Sugarhill Gang’s party anthem “8th Wonder” and the infectious “Apache”, Positive Force’s dance floor hit “We Got The Funk” plus many other classics from The Sequence, Busy Bee, Crash Crew and West Street Mob to mention but a few. All of the influential artists featured on this momentous box-set took hip-hop from the streets into the studio and out to the world.



Also included is a historic overview on the formation of Sugar Hill Records, extensive chronological sleeve notes, detailed annotation unfolding how each track broke through to the mainstream, as well as stunning photos that capture the dynamic gritty energy and vibrancy of New York’s rap movement from the late ‘70s to ‘80s. This set pays homage to all the original breakers, the b-boys, the fly b-girls, energetic MCs, the Adidas Superstars to twisted baseball caps, the graffiti tags that adorned the city Subways and all the euphoric all night block parties.



Most people figured rap would be for a short-lived trend. Today, just over 30 years later, Hip Hop culture is everywhere - not just on the records of multi-million selling rap artists like Jay-Z or Eminem but in the raps that appear in pop culture. An Introduction to Sugar Hill is very much an essential introduction to how rap music began.

TRACK LISTING



DISC ONE



1. THE SUGARHILL GANG - RAPPER’S DELIGHT (Long Version)

2. POSITIVE FORCE - WE GOT THE FUNK (12" Mix)

3. THE SEQUENCE - FUNK YOU UP (12" Version)

4. SUPER WOLF SUPER - WOLF CAN DO IT

5. THE SUGARHILL GANG - HOT HOT SUMMER DAY

6. THE SEQUENCE - AND YOU KNOW THAT

7. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE - FREEDOM

8. THE SUGARHILL GANG - 8TH WONDER

9. SPOONIE GEE MEETS THE SEQUENCE - MONSTER JAM

10. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE - BIRTHDAY PARTY



DISC TWO



1. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE - THE ADVENTURES OF GRANDMASTER FLASH ON THE WHEELS OF STEEL

2. FUNKY 4 plus1 - THAT’S THE JOINT (Long Version)

3. THE SUGARHILL GANGMEETS - THE FURIOUS FIVE SHOWDOWN

4. WEST STREET MOB - LET’S DANCE (MAKE YOUR BODY MOVE)

5. SPOONIE GEE - SPOONIE IS BACK

6. FINE QUALITY FEAT. CUZ - AHH DANCE

7. CRASH CREW - WE WANT TO ROCK

8. THE SUGARHILL GANG - APACHE

9. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE - IT’S NASTY (GENIUS OF LOVE)

10. WEST STREET MOB - SING A SIMPLE SONG

11. THE SUGARHILL GANG - THE LOVER IN YOU



DISC THREE



1. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE FEAT. MELLE MEL & DUKE BOOTEE - THE MESSAGE

2. FUNKY FOUR - DO YOU WANT TO ROCK

3. CRASH CREW - SCRATCHIN’

4. BUSY BEE - MAKING CASH MONEY

5. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE - SCORPIO

6. REGGIE GRIFFIN - MIRDA ROCK

7. MELLE MEL & DUKE BOOTEE - MESSAGE II (SURVIVAL)

8. CRASH CREW - BREAKING BELLS (TAKE ME TO THE MARDI GRAS)

9. THE TREACHEROUS THREE - YES WE CAN-CAN

10. GRANDMASTER FLASH & THE FURIOUS FIVE - NEW YORK, NEW YORK

11. THE SUGARHILL GANG - KICK IT LIVE FROM 9 TO 5

12. WEST STREET MOB - BREAK DANCE - ELECTRIC BOOGIE



DISC FOUR



1. GRANDMASTER FLASH & MELLE MEL- WHITE LINES (DON’T DO IT) (Long Version)

2. FUNKY FOUR - FEEL IT (THE MEXICAN)

3. THE SUGARHILL ALL STARS - MALCOLM X - NO SELL OUT

4. CRASH CREW WE ARE KNOWN AS - EMCEES (WE TURN PARTY’S OUT)

5. THE TREACHEROUS THREE - TURNING YOU ON

6. GRANDMASTER MELLE MEL & THE FURIOUS FIVE - JESSE

7. GRANDMASTER MELLE MEL & THE FURIOUS FIVE WITH MR. NESS & COWBOY - BEAT STREET

8. THE SUGARHILL GANG - LIVIN’ IN THE FAST LANE

9. WEST STREET MOB - I CAN’T STOP

10. THE FURIOUS FIVE FEAT. COWBOY,MELLE MEL & SCORPIO - STEP OFF

11. BUSY BEE - BUSY BEE’S GROOVE

12. THE TREACHEROUS THREE - TURN IT UP

13. THE SUGARHILL GANG - THE DOWN BEAT