The Sugarhill Gang: Big Bank Hank, Wonder Mike and Master Gee
Hen Gee, Big Bank Hank, Wonder Mike, Joey Robinson Jr. and Melle Mel
Master Gee and Big Bank Hank
Sugar Hill Gang - 1980
8th Wonder - 1982
Rappin' Down Town - 1983
Livin' in the Fast Lane - 1984
Henry Lee Jackson was born on January 11, 1956 in the Bronx, New York. By his early twenties, Jackson had worked as a manager for rap group The Mighty Force MC's, which included rap pioneer and then teenager Curtis "Grandmaster Caz" Fisher. While working in Englewood, New Jersey's Crispy Crust Pizza, Jackson met Joey Robinson, son of All Platinum Records owners Joe and Sylvia Robinson.
After seeing Kevin "Lovebug Starski" Smith rap and DJ at New York's Harlem World nightclub one night in 1979, R&B singer-turned-record company owner Sylvia Robinson got the idea to record the burgeoning art form. Robinson, who lived in Englewood with husband Joe, encouraged Joey Jr., the oldest of the couple's three children, to find local rappers. Joey discovered Jackson in Crispy Crust that July. Jackson subsequently auditioned for mother and son, still wearing his pizza apron, in the backseat of Robinson's car, during which, New Jersey- native Guy "Master Gee" O'Brien walked by with a friend. After overhearing the discussion revolving around rap, O'Brien's friend, Mark Green, suggested to the Robinsons that O'Brien should audition as well. After O'Brien joined Jackson in the car and delivered his own impromptu raps, the group relocated to the Robinson's home, where Englewood rapper Michael "Wonder Mike" Wright offered to audition as well. When Sylvia, who was interested in signing a solo performer, found that she was unable to choose between the three, she decided to make them a trio.
Joe Robinson borrowed money from music executive Morris Levy, who was also reputed to be working under the auspices of Genovese crime family head Vincent Gigante (3), to finance Sugar Hill Records, which released the newly-formed Sugarhill Gang's first song, "Rapper's Delight". Recorded on August 2, the September 16 (2) release went on to sell 14 million copies. The single's success led to the group serving as the opening act for Parliament Funkadelic within weeks of its hitting record stores.
However, "Rapper's Delight" faced heavy criticism due to its lack of originality. Jackson's verses were taken from Fisher's rhyme book and the music was sampled from disco group Chic's hit "Good Times -- without permission. O'Brien and Wright, however, did write their verses. Chic members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, who composed "Good Times", filed a copyright infringement suit against Sugar Hill Records and were subsequently confronted at a recording studio by four armed men. The two eventually reached a settlement with the label which gave them all of the writers' credits and royalties for "Rapper's Delight".
The record company capitalized on the song's popularity by releasing The Sugarhill Gang's self-titled debut album on February 7, 1980. O'Brien and Wright would write Jackson's lyrics. The group's continued success prompted several other rap groups to sign with Sugar Hill Records, including: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five; Funky Four Plus One; Treacherous Three, which included Kool Moe Dee; Crash Crew; The Sequence, which included future R&B star Angie Stone; and the West Street Mob.
The Sugarhill Gang's sophomore album, 8th Wonder, was released on November 24, 1982, following a European tour. 8th Wonder features the hit "Apache", which would be sampled two decades later on rapper Nasir "Nas" Jones' song "Made You Look".
Despite phenomenal sales, the members of The Sugarhill Gang received a very small fraction of the proceeds. The majority of the profits went to Joe Robinson, who co-owned Sugar Hill Records with Morris Levy, and to Sylvia Robinson, who acted as manager and owned the group's publishing company, Sugar Hill Music Publishing, Ltd.
The group's third and fourth albums, Rappin' Down Town and Livin' in the Fast Lane, were released in 1983 and 1984, respectively. Following financial disputes, O'Brien and Wright quit the group in 1984 and 1985, respectively.
Meanwhile, looking to make up for Sugar Hill Records' waning prosperity, Joe Robinson secured a distribution deal for the label with MCA Records through Gambino crime family associate Salvatore "Sal the Baker" Pisello. The deal, however, bankrupted Sugar Hill, which folded in 1986.
All three members of The Sugarhill Gang reunited in the mid-1990s at the urging of Joey Robinson Jr. However, after two live performances, O'Brien quit again citing an unfavorable contract.
