Rapper's Delight
The Sugarhill Gang Lyrics


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I said a hip hop, the hippie, the hippie
To the hip hip hop-a, you don't stop
Rock it out, baby bubba to the boogie, the bang-bang
The boogie, to the boogie, the beat

Now, what you hear is not a test I'm rappin' 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
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 but I brought two friends along
And the next on the mic is my man Hank
C'mon, Hank, sing that song

Check it out
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 MC's try to prove a point
We're treacherous trio with a serious joint
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 an interview
She said she's heard stories and she's heard fables
That I'm vicious on the mic and the turntable
This young reporter I did adore
So I rocked some vicious rhymes 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
Flyin' 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 has 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
And I'm here and I'm there, I'm Big Bad Hank, I'm everywhere

Just throw your hands up in the air
And party harder like you just don't care
Let's do it, don't stop, y'all, a-tick tock, y'all, you don't stop
A-go hotel, motel, whatcha gonna do today? (Say what?)
Yes, I'm gon' get a fly girl, gonna get some spankin'
Drive off in a def OJ
Everybody go, "Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn"
You say if your girl starts actin' up, then you take her friend
I say skip, dive, what can I say?
I can't fit 'em all inside my OJ
So I just take half and bust 'em out
I give the rest to Master Gee so he can shock the house

I said M-A-S, 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 goin' down in history
As the baddest rapper there ever could be
Now I'm feelin' the highs and you're feelin' the lows
The beat starts gettin' into your toes
You start poppin' your fingers and stompin' your feet
And you're movin' your body while you're sitting in your seat

And then damn, ya start doin' the freak
I said, bam, right outta your seat
Then you throw your hands high in the air
Ya rockin' to the rhythm, shake your derriere
Ya rockin' to the beat without a care
With the sureshot 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
Singin' on-and-and-on-and-on-on-and-on
The beat don't stop until the break of dawn
Singin' on-and-and-on-and-on-on-and-on
Like a hot buttered pop-da-pop-da-pop, dibbie dibbie
Pop-da-pop-pop, you don't dare stop
Come alive, y'all, gimme whatcha 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 wiggle your behind
Singin' on-and-and-on-and-on-and-on
The beat don't stop until the break of dawn
Singin' on-and-and-on-and-on-on-and-on
Rock, rock, y'all, throw it on the floor

I'm gonna freak you here, I'm gonna freak you there
I'm gonna move you outta this atmosphere
'Cause I'm one of a kind and I'll shock your mind
I'll put the ji-ji-jiggles in your behind, a-said
One, two, three, four, come on, girls, get on the floor
A-come alive, y'all, a-gimme whatcha got
'Cause I'm guaranteed to make you rock
I said one, two, three, four
Tell me, Wonder Mike, what are you waiting for?

Said-a hip hop, the hippie, to the hippie
The hip hip 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

A skiddleebebop, we rock, a scooby doo
And guess what, America? We love you
'Cause you rocked and a rolled with so much soul
You could rock 'til a hundred and one years old
I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast
But we like hot butter on our breakfast toast
Rock it out, 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

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 all mushed
And the chicken tastes like wood
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"

So your heart starts pumpin' and you think of a lie
And you say that you already ate
And your friend says "Man, there's plenty of food"
So he piles some more on your plate
While the stinky food's steamin', your mind starts to dreamin'
Of the moment that it's time to leave
And then you look at your plate and your chicken's slowly rottin'
Into something that looks like cheese

Oh, so you say, "That's it, I gotta leave this place
I don't care what these people think
I'm just sittin' here makin' myself nauseous
With this ugly food that stinks"
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 two weeks later
To see how he has been
And he says, "I understand about the food
Baby Bubba, but we're still friends"

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

Overall Meaning

The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" was one of the first mainstream rap hits, reaching No. 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1980. The song opens with the iconic line, "I said a hip hop, the hippie, the hippie to the hip hip hop," introducing a playful, rhyming flow that would become a defining element of rap. The song's three verses are delivered by different members of the group and touch on topics such as boasting about their rap skills, getting attention from women, and enjoying good food.


The song's opening line, "I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie/To the hip hop, a you don't stop", suggests the influence of African American street culture, particularly the call-and-response interactions that were a feature of early rap performances. The lyrics make reference to a number of other cultural touchstones, including Wonder Mike's line "hotel motel Holiday Inn", which has become one of the most well-known lines in hip-hop history.


But "Rapper's Delight" was not without controversy. Hip-hop pioneers such as Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa accused the Sugarhill Gang of stealing their rhymes and using pre-existing tracks without permission. Despite the controversy, "Rapper's Delight" paved the way for the mainstream success of rap music, helping to establish rap's massive impact on popular music and culture.


Line by Line Meaning

I said a hip hop, the hippie, the hippie
I am introducing the genre of hip hop, expressing its coolness and uniqueness


To the hip hip hop-a, you don't stop
Hip hop is a continuous, unstoppable force


Rock it out, baby bubba to the boogie, the bang-bang
Let's dance and have a good time with the energetic and rhythmic music


The boogie, to the boogie, the beat
The groove and rhythm are essential elements of hip hop


Now, what you hear is not a test I'm rappin' to the beat
I want to clarify that what you're hearing is real, not a trial or experiment


And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
My friends and I, along with the music, aim to make you dance and enjoy yourself


You see, I am Wonder Mike, and I'd like to say hello
I am Wonder Mike, introducing myself and extending greetings to everyone


To the black, to the white, the red and the brown
Regardless of race or ethnicity, I want to connect with and entertain people from all backgrounds


The purple and yellow, but first, I gotta
Even people with unique identities and backgrounds, like purple and yellow, are included, but before we proceed


Bang bang, the boogie to the boogie
Get ready for the intense and lively rhythm of the music


Say up jump the boogie, to the bang-bang boogie
Join in and dance enthusiastically to the energetic beats and rhythm


Let's rock, you don't stop
Let's have a great time dancing and enjoying ourselves, and the fun never ends


Rock the rhythm that'll make your body rock
The rhythm of the music will cause your body to move and groove


Well, so far you've heard my voice but I brought two friends along
Until now, you've only heard my voice, but I have two friends joining me now


And the next on the mic is my man Hank
The next person on the microphone is my friend Hank


C'mon, Hank, sing that song
Hank, it's your turn to perform and entertain with your singing


To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
Continue dancing and enjoying the music with the exciting rhythm and beat




Lyrics © Boa Musica Europa, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Bernard, Giles Goodman, Mark Summers, Nile Rodgers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@fabiocampagnoli

they didn't know they were making history......

@MCAkbar

Fabio Campagnoli haha yeah word

@kimkelly1755

These guys KNEW they were onto something big, I think 😃

@rickcoona

By blatently RIPPING OFF the solo bass track form Chic's 1979 hit Good times?
give it a listen for yourself and draw your own conclusions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=humibwm_-8s
at the 3:23 mark tell me if sugarhill did NOT do a blaithen Rip Off?
--Rick

@jeansymone4988

Crazy

@littlecheese5281

Original rap.

330 More Replies...

@hughjanus2

Little did they know they’d become pioneers for a whole genre of music

@garypautard1069

Yes and I hit the the dance floor when this song was new. But I am sad to say that the Sugar Hill Gang spawned a whole lot of cheap imitators using computer tracks and political lyrics to promote their music. I believe Rap has taken black music back to the Stone Age. In response to any critics - look at other black musicians playing music during the 1970s and 1980s, look at the quality dance floor tracks they produced.

@guitarmansam2661

@@garypautard1069 There was a whole lot of imitators of this sound that you dont remember from the early 80s. And if you know where to look theres plenty of clean conscious rap or dance music that even a Boomer can enjoy, Same as any other genre or time period. Go ahead look at the top 100 from the 60s 70s 80s you gonna see a whole bunch of stuff that is crap and not remembered.

And I remind you that this song uses a sample; aka they made it using the computers/ music production of the time and that your parents wouldve derided this song for not using live instruments.

@mitchross4002

But really they were just imitating the true pioneers, namely Grandmaster Caz.

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