Rapper’s Delight by The Sugarhill Gang is one of the most important early rap songs. The opening phrase is easy to remember and closely connected with the rise of recorded hip-hop.
Released in 1979, the song brought rap music to radio listeners and helped introduce the style to a wider public.
The disco groove made the song radio-friendly, while the rap verses added a fresh and unique sound. This mix helped the track feel familiar, catchy, and different at the same time.
Let’s Peep into Sugarhill’s Gang
The Sugarhill Gang was an American hip-hop group formed in the late 1970s. The group included Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank, and Master Gee.
They became widely known through Rapper’s Delight, a track that gave many listeners their first experience with rap music on record.
Their sound was fun, rhythmic, and built for party settings, which helped the song gain attention quickly.
Rapper’s Delight at a Glance
“Rapper’s Delight” is a landmark hip-hop track that introduced rap music to a wider audience with its catchy disco groove, playful verses, and unforgettable party energy.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Release Year | 1979 |
| Genre | Hip-hop, disco-rap, funk |
| Label | Sugar Hill Records |
| Producer | Sylvia Robinson |
| Known Search Term | Hip hop hippity hop lyrics |
Complete Lyrics of Song “Rapper’s Delight”
[Chorus: Wonder Mike]
I said a hip-hop, the hippie, the hippie
To the hip, hip-hop and you don’t stop the rockin’
To the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie
To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
[Verse 1: Wonder Mike]
Now, what you hear is not a test, I’m rapping to the beat
And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
You see, I am Wonder Mike and I’d like to say hello
A to the black, to the white, the red and the brown, the purple and yellow
But first, I gotta bang-bang the boogie to the boogie
Say up jump the boogie to the bang-bang boogie
Let’s rock, you don’t stop
Rock the rhythm that’ll make your body rock
Well so far you’ve heard my voice, a but I brought two friends along
And next on the mic is my man Hank, come on, Hank, sing that song
[Verse 2: Big Bank Hank]
Check it out, I’m the C-A-S-AN, the O-V-A and the rest is F-L-Y
You see, I go by the code of the doctor of the mix and these reasons I’ll tell you why
You see I’m six foot one and I’m tons of fun and I dress to a tee
You see, I got more clothes than Muhammad Ali and I dress so viciously
I got bodyguards, I got two big cars, that definitely ain’t the wack
I got a Lincoln Continental and a sunroof Cadillac
So after school, I take a dip in the pool, which is really on the wall
I got a color TV so I can see the Knicks play basketball
Hear me talking ’bout checkbooks, credit cards, more money a than a sucker could ever spend
But I wouldn’t give a sucker or a bum from the Rucker, not a dime ’til I made it again
[Chorus: Big Bank Hank]
Everybody go, “Hotel, motel, whatcha gonna do today?” (Say what?)
‘Cause I’ma get a fly girl, gonna get some spank and drive off in a def OJ
Everybody go, “Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn”
You see, if your girl starts acting up, then you take her friend
[Post-Chorus: Big Bank Hank]
A Master Gee, a my mellow?
It’s on you so what you gonna do?
[Verse 3: Master Gee]
Well it’s on and on and on, on and on
The beat don’t stop until the break of dawn
I said a M-A-S, a T-E-R, a G with a double E
I said I go by the unforgettable name of the man they call the Master Gee
Well, my name is known all over the world
By all the foxy ladies and the pretty girls
I’m going down in history
As the baddest rapper there ever could be
Now I’m feeling the highs and you’re feeling the lows
The beat starts getting into your toes
You start popping your fingers and stomping your feet
And moving your body while you’re sitting in your seat
And then damn, you start doing the freak
I said damn, a right outta your seat
Then you throw your hands high in the air
You’re rocking to the rhythm, shake your derriere
You’re rocking to the beat without a care
With the sure-shot MCs for the affair
Now, I’m not as tall as the rest of the gang
But I rap to the beat just the same
I got a little face and a pair of brown eyes
All I’m here to do ladies is hypnotize
Singing on and on and on, on and on
The beat don’t stop until the break of dawn
A singing on and on and on, on and on
Like a hot ready to pop the pop the pop dibbie dibbie
Pop the pop, pop, you don’t dare stop
A come alive, y’all gimme what you got
I guess by now you can take a hunch
And find that I am the baby of the bunch
But that’s okay, I still keep in stride
‘Cause all I’m here to do is just a wiggle your behind
Singing on and on and on, on and on
The beat don’t stop until the break of dawn
A singing on and on and on, on and on
Rock-rock, y’all, a get on the floor
[Chorus: Master Gee]
I’m gonna freak ya here, I’m gonna freak you there
I’m gonna move you outta this atmosphere
[Post-Chorus: Master Gee]
‘Cause I’m one of a kind and I’ll shock your mind
I’ll put the jig-jig-jiggles in your behind
I said a 1-2-3-4, come on, girls, a get on the floor
A come alive, y’all, a gimme what ya got
‘Cause I’m guaranteed to make you rock
I said 1-2-3-4, tell me Wonder Mike what are you waiting for?
[Chorus: Wonder Mike]
Said a hip-hop, the hippie to the hippie
The hip, hip-a-hop and you don’t stop rockin’
To the bang-bang, the boogie, say up jump the boogie
To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
[Verse 4: Wonder Mike]
A-skiddlee bebop, we rock a scooby doo
And guess what, America, we love you
A ’cause ya rock and a roll with a so much soul
You could rock ’til you’re hundred and one years old
I don’t mean to brag, I don’t mean to boast
But we’re like hot butter on a breakfast toast
We rock it up, a baby bubba
Baby bubba to the boogie, the bang-bang, the boogie
To the beat, beat, it’s so unique
Come on, everybody, and dance to the beat
[Instrumental Bridge]
[Chorus: Wonder Mike]
A hip-hop, the hippie, the hippie
To the hip, hip-hop and you don’t stop
A rock it out, baby bubba, to the boogie, the bang-bang
The boogie to the boogie, the beat
[Verse 5: Wonder Mike]
I say I can’t wait ’til the end of the week
When I’m rapping to the rhythm of a groovy beat
An attempt to raise your body heat
A just blow your mind so a that you can’t speak
A do a thing, but a rock and shuffle your feet
And let it change up to a dance called the freak
And when ya finally do come into your rhythmic beat
Rest a little while so ya don’t get weak
I know a man named Hank
He has more rhymes than a serious bank
So come on, Hank, a sing that song
A to the rhythm of the boogie, the bang-bang, the bong
[Verse 6: Big Bank Hank]
Well, I’m Imp the Dimp, the ladies pimp
The women fight for my delight
But I’m the grandmaster with the three MCs
That shock the house for the young ladies
And when you come inside, into the front
You do the freak, spank, and do the bump
And when the sucker MCs try to prove a point
We’re treacherous trio, a with a serious joint
A from sun to sun and from day to day
I sit down and write a brand new rhyme
Because they say that miracles never cease
I’ve created a devastating masterpiece
I’m gonna rock the mic ’til you can’t resist
Everybody, I say it goes like this
Well, I was coming home late one dark afternoon
Reporter stopped me for a interview
She said she’s heard stories and she’s heard fables
That I’m vicious on the mic and the turntables
This young reporter, I did adore
So I rocked a vicious rhyme like I never did before
She said, “Damn, fly guy, I’m in love with you
The Casanova legend must have been true”
I said, “By the way, baby, what’s your name?”
Said “I go by the name Lois Lane”
And you could be my boyfriend, you surely can
Just let me quit my boyfriend called Superman
I said, “He’s a fairy, I do suppose
Flying through the air in pantyhose
He may be very sexy or even cute
But he looks like a sucker in a blue and red suit”
I said, “You need a man who’s got finesse
And his whole name across his chest
He may be able to fly all through the night
But can he rock a party ’til the early light?
He can’t satisfy you with his little worm
But I can bust you out with my super sperm”
I go do it, I go do it, I go do it, do it, do it
An’ I’m here and I’m there, I’m Big Bank Hank, I’m everywhere
A just throw your hands up in the air
And party hardy like you just don’t care
Let’s do it, a don’t stop, y’all, a tick a tock, y’all, you don’t stop
[Chorus: Big Bank Hank]
It go, “Hotel, motel, a what you gonna do today?” (Say what?)
‘Cause I’m gon’ get a fly girl, gonna get some spank and drive off in a def OJ
Everybody go, “Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn”
You see, if your girl starts acting up, then you take her friend
[Post-Chorus: Big Bank Hank]
I say skip, dive, what can I say?
I can’t fit ’em all inside my OJ
So I just take half and bust them out
I give the rest to Master Gee so he could shock the house
[Verse 7: Master Gee]
It was twelve o’clock a one Friday night
I was rocking to the beat and feeling alright
Everybody was dancing on the floor
Doing all the things they never did before
And then this fly, fly girl with a sexy lean
She came into the bar, she came into the scene
As she traveled deeper inside the room
All the fellas checked out her white Sassoons
She came up to the table, looked into my eyes
Then she turned around and shook her behind
So I said to myself, its time for me to release
My vicious rhyme I call my masterpiece
And now people in the house, this is just for you
A little rap to make you boogaloo
Now, the group ya hear is called Phase 2
And let me tell ya something we’re a hell of a crew
Once a week we’re on the street
Just a cutting the jams and making it freak
For you to party, got to have the moves
So we’ll get right down and give you a groove
For you to dance you got to be hype
So we’ll get right down and make ya rock
Now the system’s on and the girls are there
You definitely have a rocking affair
But let me tell ya something, there’s still one fact
That to have a party, got to have a rap
So when the party’s over you’re making it home
And trying to sleep before the break of dawn
And while ya sleeping, you start to dream
And thinking how ya danced on the disco scene
A name appears in your mind
Yeah, a name you know that was right on time
It was Phase 2 a just a doing the do
Rocking ya down ’cause ya know we could
To the rhythm of the beat that makes ya freak
A come alive, girls, a get on your feet
To the rhythm of the beat, to the beat, the beat
To the double beat-beat that it makes ya freak
To the rhythm of the beat that says you go on
On and on until the break of dawn
Now I got a man coming on right now
He’s guaranteed to throw down
He goes by the name of Wonder Mike
A come on, Wonder Mike, do what ya like
[Verse 8: Wonder Mike]
I say, a can of beer that’s sweeter than honey
Like a millionaire that has no money
Like a rainy day that is not wet
Like a gambling fiend that does not bet
Like Dracula without his fangs
Like the boogie to the boogie without the boogie-bang
Like collard greens that don’t taste good
Like a tree that’s not made out of wood
Like going up and not coming down
Is just like the beat without the sound, no sound
To the beat, beat, ya do the freak
Everybody just rock and dance to the beat
Have you ever went over a friend’s house to eat
And the food just ain’t no good?
I mean the macaroni’s soggy, the peas are mushed
And the chicken tastes like wood
A so you try to play it off like you think you can
By saying that you’re full
And then your friend says, “Mama, he’s just being polite
He ain’t finished, uh-uh, that’s bull”
A so your heart starts pumping and you think of a lie
And you say that you already ate
And your friend says, “Man, there’s plenty of food”
So you pile some more on your plate
But while the stinky food’s steaming, your mind starts to dreaming
Of the moment that it’s time to leave
And then you look at your plate and your chicken’s slowly rotting
Into something that looks like cheese
Oh, so you say that’s it, I got to leave this place
I don’t care what these people think
I’m just sitting here making myself nauseous
With this ugly food that stinks
Oh, so you bust out the door while it’s still closed
Still sick from the food you ate
And then you run to the store for quick relief
From a bottle of Kaopectate
And then you call your friend a two weeks later
To see how he has been
And he says “I understand about the food
Baby bubba, but we’re still friends”
[Chorus: Wonder Mike]
A with a hip-hop, the hippie to the hippie
The hip, hip-hop and you don’t stop the rockin’
To the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie
To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
[Post-Chorus: Wonder Mike]
I said, “A Hank, a can ya rock?
Can ya rock to the rhythm that just don’t stop?
A can ya hip me to the shoobie doo?”
I said, “A come on, make, m-make the people move”
[Verse 9: Big Bank Hank]
I go toot the horns and then ring the bell
Because I am the man with the clientele
And if ya ask me why I rock so well
I’m Big Bank, I got clientele
And from the time I was only six years old
I never forgot what I was told
It was the best advice that I ever had
It came from my wise dear old dad
He said, “Sit down, punk, I wanna talk to you
And don’t say a word until I’m through
Now there’s a time to laugh, a time to cry
A time to live and a time to die
A time to break and a time to chill
To act civilized or act real ill
But whatever ya do in your lifetime
Ya never let a MC steal your rhyme”
So from ’66 to this very day
I’ll always remember what he had to say
So when the sucker MCs try to chump my style
I let them know that I’m versatile
I got style, finesse and a little black book
That’s filled with rhymes and I know you wanna look
But the thing that separates you from me
And that is called originality
Because my rhymes are on from what you’ve heard
I didn’t even bite, not a god**** word
And I say a little more later on tonight
So the sucker MCs can bite all night
A tick a tock, y’all, a beat-beat y’all
A lets rock, y’all, ya don’t stop
[Chorus: Big Bank Hank]
It go, “Hotel, motel, a whatcha gonna do today?” (Say what?)
‘Cause I’ma get a fly girl, gonna get some spank, and drive off in a def OJ
Everybody go, “Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn”
You see, if your girl starts acting up, then you take her friends
[Post-Chorus: Big Bank Hank]
A like that, y’all, a to the beat, y’all
A beat-beat, y’all, ya don’t stop
A Master Gee, am I mellow?
It’s on you, so whatcha gonna do?
[Verse 10: Master Gee]
Well, like Johnny Carson on the late show
A like Frankie Crocker in stereo
A like the Bar-Kays singing “Holy Ghost”
The sounds I throw down, a they’re played the most
Just a like my man, a Captain Sky
Whose name he earned with his super sperm
We rock and we don’t stop
A get off, y’all, I’m here to give you whatcha got
A to the beat that it makes you freak
And come alive girl, a get on your feet
A like a Perry Mason without a case
Like Farrah Fawcett without her face
Like the Bar-Kays on the mic
Like getting right down for you tonight
Like moving your body so ya don’t know how
Right to the rhythm and throw down
Like coming alive to the Master Gee
The brother who rocks so viciously
I said the age of one, my life begun
At the age of two, I was doing the do
At the age of three, it was you and me
Rocking to the sounds of the Master Gee
At the age of four, I was on the floor
Giving all the freaks what they bargained for
At the age of five, I didn’t take no jive
‘Cause with the Master Gee, it’s all the way live
At the age of six, I was a picking up sticks
Rapping to the beat, my stick was fixed
At the age of seven, I was rocking in heaven
Don’t ya know I went off?
I gotta run on down to the beat, you see
Getting right on down, making all the girls
Just take off their clothes to the beat, the beat
To the double beat-beat that makes you freak
At the age of eight I was a really great
‘Cause every night, you see, I had a date
At the age of nine I was a right on time
‘Cause every night I had a party rhyme
We’re going on and on, and on, on and on
The beat don’t stop until the break of dawn
A saying on and on, and on, on and on
Like a hot buttered the pop the pop the popcorn
A going on and on, and don’t ya dare stop
A rock-rock, y’all, a gimme what ya got
‘Cause I’m a hell of a man when I’m on the mic
And I am the definite freak’s delight
I’m a hell of a man when I’m on the mic
I am the definite freak’s delight
They call me the Master Gee, you see
The brother who rocks so viciously
[Outro: Master Gee]
I’m gonna move ya here, I’m gonna move ya there
I’m gonna move you outta this atmosphere
‘Cause I’m one of a kind and I’ll shocks your mind
I’ll put the t-t-tickets in your behind
Said, just rock it to the east and move it to the west
Move it toward the lady you love-love the best
Master Gee, get it on
Taggin’ all the girls, goin’ down
(Gimme time, I’ma shock your mind)
(A come and jig-jig-jigglin’ your behind)
Similar Picks Like Rapper’s Delight
If you enjoyed Rapper’s Delight, here are some similar picks that capture the same old-school hip-hop groove, funky basslines, and party-energy vibe.
1. The Message, Song by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five
A serious early hip-hop track about city life, pressure, and social struggle.
2. Apache song by The Sugarhill Gang
A fun old-school rap track known for its party rhythm and playful performance style.
3. King Tim III Song by Fatback Band
An early rap-funk song that helped introduce rapping into recorded dance music.
4. Planet Rock Song by Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force
An electro-hip-hop track with a futuristic beat and dance-focused sound.
5. White Line Song by Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel
A sharp hip-hop track about addiction, nightlife, and social warning signs.
6. Rapture Song by Blondie
A new wave song that mixed pop, disco, and rap elements for mainstream listeners.
7. It’s Like that Song by Run-Dmc
A direct old-school rap track about real-life problems, money, and society.
Awards and Recognition of The Song
The song’s remarkable success was reflected in the numerous awards and honors it received.
| Recognition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Grammy Hall of Fame | Added in 2014 |
| National Recording Registry | Chosen for cultural importance |
| Music History | One of the first rap records to reach a wide audience |
| Hip-Hop Legacy | Helped bring rap into mainstream music |
Similar Artists to the Sugarhill Gang
These artists are strong choices for listeners who enjoy early rap, funk rhythms, and party-style music.
- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: Pioneering Bronx hip-hop group whose DJ innovations and socially conscious classic “The Message” helped define early rap.
- Run-DMC: Groundbreaking Queens trio that brought hip-hop into the mainstream with hard beats, street style, and rap-rock crossover appeal.
- Kurtis Blow: One of rap’s first solo stars, known for charismatic party rhymes and helping prove hip-hop could succeed commercially.
- Afrika Bambaataa: Visionary DJ and cultural leader who fused hip-hop with electro-funk and helped shape hip-hop’s global, futuristic sound.
- Chic: Stylish disco-funk band led by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, famous for sleek grooves and hugely influential dance-floor production.
- Fatback Band: Funk and disco collective that helped bridge live-band grooves with early rap, especially through pioneering party tracks.
Final Thoughts
Rapper’s Delight remains a key song in hip-hop history because it helped turn rap into a recorded sound that could reach clubs, radio, and home listeners.
Its party rhythm, memorable opening phrase, and group delivery made it easy to enjoy and repeat.
For hip-hop, hip-hop-hippity-hop lyrics, or Rapper’s Delight lyrics, the song offers an important look at how early rap moved from local performance spaces to worldwide attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Story Behind Rapper’s Delight?
Rapper’s Delight, created by the Sugarhill Gang in 1979, became famous for bringing rap from live party culture into recorded music for a wider audience.
Is Rapper’s Delight the First Rap Song Ever?
No, “Rapper’s Delight” is not the first rap song ever, but it is one of the first rap records to become a major commercial hit.
How Long is 4 Bars in Rap?
In rap, 4 bars usually mean four measures of music, which often equals about 8 to 16 seconds, depending on the beat’s speed.