Is "Rapper's Delight" a freestyle? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

CityOfAngels · 12-19-2005, 02:52 AM

I know the difference between pro rap and freestyle rap, but I just listened to this whole song, "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugar Hill Gang, and I have to say it's a freestyle. I imagine the time it was recorded; probably at a party they were leading, and just the fact that it's sooo long. Nobody can memorize something that long unless they've got some super brain.

What do you think? Is it a memorized pro rap or is it an amazing freestyle to keep a party rollin'?

jwoody · 12-19-2005, 03:04 AM

I think it's a fairly well established hip-hop fact that The Sugar Hill Gang stole the lyrics to Rapper's Delight from other MCs.

Therefore, that song isn't a freestyle rap. It was written down and rehearsed before it was recorded.

Freestyling is making it up on the spot. My mate, Keith, is a master of the art.

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The Cold Crush Brothers were also known for the unwitting role they played in the creation of the Sugarhill Gang's classic hit, "Rapper's Delight." As the story goes, in 1979, record producer Sylvia Robinson (head of Sugarhill Records) walked into a pizza shop and heard an employee (and friend of Grandmaster Caz) rapping along to one of Caz's early practice tapes that was playing on the stereo. Robinson liked what she heard, and the rest is history. The pizza shop employee would soon be known to the world as Big Bank Hank of the Sugarhill Gang, and the lyrics he was reciting (and which Caz had written) would later become an integral part of a song called "Rapper's Delight." Though Big Bank Hank took the credit, it was actually Grandmaster Caz who penned the lyrics to hip hop's first "radio-friendly" song.

Grandmaster Caz now makes a living whining about how The Sugarhill Gang stole his lyrics.

Astrocloud · 12-19-2005, 03:29 PM

Yeah I saw a documentary on this song and they had several interviews. The whole song isn't a "rip off" but rather many songs pieced together. I think I saw the show on VH1 or something -it's probably still out there.

12-19-2005, 02:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
CityOfAngels Oh shit it's Wayne Brady! Location: Passenger seat of Wayne Brady's car.	Is "Rapper's Delight" a freestyle? I know the difference between pro rap and freestyle rap, but I just listened to this whole song, "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugar Hill Gang, and I have to say it's a freestyle. I imagine the time it was recorded; probably at a party they were leading, and just the fact that it's sooo long. Nobody can memorize something that long unless they've got some super brain. What do you think? Is it a memorized pro rap or is it an amazing freestyle to keep a party rollin'?

12-19-2005, 03:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
Astrocloud Apocalypse Nerd	Yeah I saw a documentary on this song and they had several interviews. The whole song isn't a "rip off" but rather many songs pieced together. I think I saw the show on VH1 or something -it's probably still out there.