Fab 5 Freddy:
"The Sugarhill Gang was orchestrated by the people at Sugar Hill Records. They went and manufactured a group. They bypassed the actual people that were originating it and went the Menudo route. It's a landmark in terms of the development of the culture, but a lot of people were stepped on in the process."
Russell Simmons:
"I remember when Sugarhill Gang's record came on in the Armory. We had DJ Hollywood, Eddie Cheeba, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash, all the real underground hip-hop artists playing. When we heard that record, it made everyone's stomach hurt a little bit. We felt they had taken our rhymes, our songs, our attitude. I didn't realize that it was going to kick the doors open for everybody."
Ed Lover:
"These guys were from Jersey. We was like, ugh, Jersey? C'mon! When their video came out it really didn't mean nothing, cause to us it wasn't real hip-hop. Real hip-hop started when I saw Grandmaster Flash & the Furious 5 get theirs, when Run-D.M.C. started getting theirs, when The Funky 4 came through. That was people that we saw."
Kurtis Blow:
"That record actually enabled me to sign to a major label. When I was running around trying to get a record deal, the Sugarhill Gang's record was No. 1 on every radio station. You have to sign Kurtis Blow! Can't you see what's happening? So I got a record deal because of them."
Fab 5 Freddy:
"The Sugarhill Gang was orchestrated by the people at Sugar Hill Records. They went and manufactured a group. They bypassed the actual people that were originating it and went the Menudo route. It's a landmark in terms of the development of the culture, but a lot of people were stepped on in the process."
Ludacris:
"They're pioneers. When you heard "Rapper's Delight" you automatically wanted to dance. I think there's been like three remakes of that song. Whenever people remake a song it's down, it's history."
Everlast:
"When it was huge, every time I turned on the radio, it seemed like it was on. But that was '79, and I was like nine years old."
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