I guess it's debatable whether it would qualify as "hip hop" but it's definitely rap. Rapture by Blondie has a verse of rap in it but I wouldn't consider it a rap song per se. I can't think of any earlier songs that hit #1 that I'd consider rap songs. None of the Beastie Boys or Run DMC songs actually hit #1 though Licensed to Ill was the #1 album for a while in 1986 I'm pretty certain.

Well...one version of the song does have two verses that more-or-less sound like rap, whereas another has voiceovers about Mozart's timeline (including "1773: he writes his first piano concerto..."). Still, I wouldn't consider it a rap song per se... in fact, I'd consider "Rapture" by Blondie more of a rap song because it has two long verses of rapping, and I always thought that one was the first song to feature female rap vocals. But that's basically how I view it.

I always thought that Rapper's Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang, although it was released in 1979, wasn't a huge hit until 1980?

I always thought that Rapper's Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang, although it was released in 1979, wasn't a huge hit until 1980?


I don't think it went anywhere near #1.

I guess Rapture was the first, it has more rap in it than I thought and the Rock Me Amadeus version that charted was not the version with rap. Rappers Delight apparently hit #1 in Canada and Holland in 1980.

I always thought that Rapper's Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang, although it was released in 1979, wasn't a huge hit until 1980?


yes, that was a rap hit and it was a monster hit.

I don't think it went anywhere near #1.


You're right.  It was a hit in 1980 but it wasn't a #1 hit.

In the UK, the first number one single to contain rap was "West End Girls" by the Pet Shop Boys in 1985. Falco's hit was in 1986.

I guess Rapture was the first, it has more rap in it than I thought and the Rock Me Amadeus version that charted was not the version with rap. Rappers Delight apparently hit #1 in Canada and Holland in 1980.


I can confirm that Rapper's Delight was indeed a #1 hit in the Netherlands in 1980.

I guess Rapture was the first, it has more rap in it than I thought and the Rock Me Amadeus version that charted was not the version with rap. Rappers Delight apparently hit #1 in Canada and Holland in 1980.
Blondie's Rapture only reached number five in 1981 in the UK charts.

I can confirm that Rapper's Delight was indeed a #1 hit in the Netherlands in 1980.
...but reached number three in the UK charts in 1979.

I always thought that Rapper's Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang, although it was released in 1979, wasn't a huge hit until 1980?


This one came immediately to my mind as well.  Been listening to it recently. I didn't appreciate it back then ... but quite enjoy it now. This one came out when all the break dancing craze was happening.

Rock Me Amadeus by Falco was rap?  ;D That's news to me. It's a good song, but not rap. It was sung in German.

I guess Rapture was the first, it has more rap in it than I thought and the Rock Me Amadeus version that charted was not the version with rap. Rappers Delight apparently hit #1 in Canada and Holland in 1980.


Blondie had a bit of rap towards the middle of Rapture.

I can confirm that Rapper's Delight was indeed a #1 hit in the Netherlands in 1980.


What was it in The U.S.?  ???

Rock Me Amadeus by Falco was rap?  ;D That's news to me. It's a good song, but not rap. It was sung in German.



Rock Me Amadeus wasn't a rap song at all, It was a song sung in German.

Rock Me Amadeus by Falco was rap?  ;D That's news to me. It's a good song, but not rap. It was sung in German.


Well ... in the loosest sense yes. I don't really think Vanilla Ice deserves to be called rap either and he often gets credit for the first rap to hit #1.  ;D

What if Rock Me Amadeus was sung by a black guy, would it sound different?

What if Rock Me Amadeus was sung by a black guy, would it sound different?
Yes!

What was it in The U.S.?  ???

I'm looking it up right now and it appears to have peaked at #36 on the US charts in early 1980.

Apparently it only topped the charts in Canada and Netherlands.

Yes!


I would love to hear it sung by a black guy one day.

What if Rock Me Amadeus was sung by a black guy, would it sound different?

Well, there are German rappers.

This topic just generalizes a #1 hit.  Here in Canada, Rappers Delight by Sugarhill Gang was the first rap record to reach #1.  In America, it was Rapture by Blondie.  Both in 1980

What if Rock Me Amadeus was sung by a black guy, would it sound different?


Of course it would because it would be someone different singing it.

I guess it's debatable whether it would qualify as "hip hop" but it's definitely rap. Rapture by Blondie has a verse of rap in it but I wouldn't consider it a rap song per se. I can't think of any earlier songs that hit #1 that I'd consider rap songs. None of the Beastie Boys or Run DMC songs actually hit #1 though Licensed to Ill was the #1 album for a while in 1986 I'm pretty certain.
It should be stated of which country you ask for.

This topic just generalizes a #1 hit.  Here in Canada, Rappers Delight by Sugarhill Gang was the first rap record to reach #1.  In America, it was Rapture by Blondie.  Both in 1980


Did The Sugarhill Gang have hits in The U.S. besides Canada? ???

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Rock Me Amadeus by Falco was rap?  ;D That's news to me. It's a good song, but not rap. It was sung in German.


It was sung in part German, part English, like many of Falco's songs.  Rock Me Amadeus was not a rap but Falco was influenced by it.

Rock Me Amadeus technically had rapping in it, but like Blondie's Rapture, was really more of an experimental/novelty new wave song when it came out.  Rapping in popular music was actually not that uncommon throughout the first half of the 80s, just look at Irene Cara's Breakdance or Laura Branigan's Deep in the Dark.  The first song with a true hip hop feel to make it to #1 was Milli Vanilli's Baby, Don't Forget My Number, even though that "group" simultaneously recorded regular pop and new-jack swing music, as well.

It was sung in part German, part English, like many of Falco's songs.  Rock Me Amadeus was not a rap but Falco was influenced by it.

Just like another song of his, the original version of "Der Kommissar" (1982). He primarily sings that one in German, but there are a few English lyrics in it. (After The Fire's cover, on the other hand, is primarily in English.)

Maybe we can differentiate a song which contains rapping and one where all of the words are spoken. I think that means the score does not contain any melody for the lyrics.

Rock Me Amadeus technically had rapping in it, but like Blondie's Rapture, was really more of an experimental/novelty new wave song when it came out.  Rapping in popular music was actually not that uncommon throughout the first half of the 80s, just look at Irene Cara's Breakdance or Laura Branigan's Deep in the Dark.  The first song with a true hip hop feel to make it to #1 was Milli Vanilli's Baby, Don't Forget My Number, even though that "group" simultaneously recorded regular pop and new-jack swing music, as well.


It's interesting, the popular conception is that hip hop came out of nowhere in the early 90s, or maybe 1988-89 at most, but in reality it was something that gradually become more popular, first via influence on non-hip hop artists, then hip hop oriented pop (ie Milli Vanilli and Salt n Pepa) and then actual rappers hitting the charts. The Beastie Boys were the first group that was popular among the mainstream (ie white people), and Will Smith was probably the first solo rapper who really could qualify as a mega-star.

Well ... in the loosest sense yes. I don't really think Vanilla Ice deserves to be called rap either and he often gets credit for the first rap to hit #1.  ;D


According to an episode of Jeopardy! that I watched today, it mentions Ice Ice Baby as the first song by a RAPPER to hit #1. That's not to say that Rapture isn't a rap song Debbie Harry isn't exactly considered a rapper though.

According to an episode of Jeopardy! that I watched today, it mentions Ice Ice Baby as the first song by a RAPPER to hit #1. That's not to say that Rapture isn't a rap song Debbie Harry isn't exactly considered a rapper though.


Blondie never really had one specific genre as they did disco (Heart of Glass), Punk (Atomic), Rap (Rapture), Reggae (The Tide is High) and New Wave (Call Me)

According to an episode of Jeopardy! that I watched today, it mentions Ice Ice Baby as the first song by a RAPPER to hit #1. That's not to say that Rapture isn't a rap song Debbie Harry isn't exactly considered a rapper though.


Debbie Harry is more classic rock mixed in with a bit of R&B.

Just like another song of his, the original version of "Der Kommissar" (1982). He primarily sings that one in German, but there are a few English lyrics in it. (After The Fire's cover, on the other hand, is primarily in English.)


Exactly  :)

Blondie never really had one specific genre as they did disco (Heart of Glass), Punk (Atomic), Rap (Rapture), Reggae (The Tide is High) and New Wave (Call Me)

And they were primarily considered a rock band... although they had a little bit of everything.

Worth mentioning (the sadly almost-forgotten) Louis Jordan, one of the many forefathers of RnB back there in the 1940s - some (not all) of his discs did have a lot of sassy 'jive' talk which, in some cases, was vocalised in a rhythmic, scattergun approach - not unlike some rap deliveries...

If you listen to some of his music that was not released in the U.S. there is quite a bit of rap influence.  Especially his song Egoist. :)

If you listen to some of his music that was not released in the U.S. there is quite a bit of rap influence.  Especially his song Egoist. :)

I have not heard that one, but I googled it just now. Turns out, it was a track from his final album, released shortly after his untimely death in February 1998. :\'(

I have not heard that one, but I googled it just now. Turns out, it was a track from his final album, released shortly after his untimely death in February 1998. :\'(


Yes, it was from the Out of the Dark album.  Another fun rapish song of his is The Sound of Musik. :)

Yes, it was from the Out of the Dark album.  Another fun rapish song of his is The Sound of Musik. :)

I'll have to take a listen to it sometime.