RTM LTD - ROSTER OF ARTISTS
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The Sugarhill Gang & The Furious 5
The Sugarhill Gang, formed in Englewood, New Jersey in 1979, forever changed music history with their groundbreaking single “Rapper’s Delight.” Widely regarded as the first mainstream rap hit, the track soared internationally—reaching No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 3 in the UK, No. 2 in both Holland and France, No. 3 in Germany, and No. 1 in Spain - ultimately selling millions worldwide. More than a chart success, the song introduced rap culture to a global audience, making Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank, and Master Gee household names. Recognized by the National Recording Registry and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, “Rapper’s Delight” remains a cultural landmark, its influence still resonating across generations of music. The group’s legacy includes a Grammy Hall of Fame induction and influence that paved the way for the global rap phenomenon.
The Furious 5 have toured the world with acts like U2, The Police, The Clash, Prince, and Duran Duran, while their recordings became some of the most sampled in music history. With iconic hits including “Beat Street,” “White Lines,” “New York New York,” “Step Off,” and “Survival,” the group was both a musical and cultural force. Their voices graced Quincy Jones’ Grammy-winning albums Back On The Block and Q’s Jook Joint, as well as Chaka Khan’s “I Feel for You,” earning Melle Mel the first Grammy ever awarded to a rap artist. They also joined Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, Miles Davis, and others on the anti-apartheid anthem “Sun City.”
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"Rappers Delight", "The Message", "White lines", "Step Off (Part 1)", "Pump Me Up".
Performing alongside them, the legendary Furious 5 took hip-hop to new heights. Known for signature song “The Message” alongside DJ Grandmaster Flash — a track hailed by Rolling Stone as the “Number One Rap Song of All Time”— the Furious 5 became the first rap group inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2007). Their socially conscious lyrics and innovative sound provided the blueprint for generations of artists, shaping hip-hop into the multi-billion-dollar global industry it is today.
The The Furious 5 legacy has been celebrated with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2021), a street dedicated on the Bronx Walk of Fame, and the preservation of “The Message” in the Library of Congress for its profound social relevance. As innovators, storytellers, and trendsetters, the Furious 5 are to hip-hop what the Rolling Stones are to rock ’n’ roll.
Together, The Sugarhill Gang and The Furious 5 laid the foundation for hip-hop culture, revolutionizing music and opening doors for the generations of rap artists who followed. Today, they continue to perform their timeless anthems, reminding the world of the roots of a movement that changed popular culture forever.
