The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop and Fu… Read Full Bio ↴The Sugarhill Gang:
The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop and Funk group, known mostly for their biggest hit, "Rapper's Delight", the first hip hop single to become a Top 40 hit. The track uses the bass line from "Good Times" by Chic as its foundation. The members, all from New York City, called themselves Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank, and Master Gee. They were assembled into a group by producer Sylvia Robinson who also founded Sugar Hill Records along with her husband record mogul Joe Robinson.
This pioneering group inaugurated the history of recorded hip-hop with their single "Rapper's Delight", a multi-platinum seller and radio hit in 1979. The group was created to profit on a supposed novelty item. New Jersey-based producer and indie label owner Sylvia Robinson had become aware of the massive hip-hop block parties occurring around the New York City area during the late '70s, so she gathered three locals form her town of Englewood, NJ: Guy O'Brien, who was the original Master Gee; another local rapper, Michael Wright, who called himself Wonder Mike, and non-rapper Big Bank Hank. The vocalists were then teamed up with three session musicians, including future Living Color bassist Doug Wimbish. Together, they recorded all the Sugarhill Gang’s work.
"Rapper's Delight" borrowed the main bassline from Chic's "Good Times" and became a worldwide hit, reportedly selling more than eight million copies. For some time, the trio developed a poor reputation within certain social circles: The fact that they were essentially amateurs assembled by Sugar Hill Records upset many hip-hop pioneers who had been paying dues in the street party circuit. According to many, Big Bank Hank’s entire verse on “Delight” was “borrowed” from a notebook of rhymes written by Grandmaster Caz, a local rapper with the Cold Crush Brothers, for whom Hank was the manager. Allegedly, this was done on the promise that he’d help Cold Crush get a record deal. It never happened, and the Cold Crush Brothers were relegated to being a cult phenomenon. Also, Chic’s Nile Rodgers filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement over “Delight” (the first such of legal battles for rap, with many to come); it was settled out of court, leaving Rodgers with a large cut of all future royalties. Despite the embarrassment, the group endured.
Grandmaster Flash:
Joseph Saddler (born January 1, 1958 in Bridgetown, Barbados), better known as Grandmaster Flash, is a hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, becoming the first hip hop artists so honored.[1]
Flash played illegal parties and also worked with rappers such as Kurtis Blow and Lovebug Starski. He formed his own group in the late 1970s, after promptings from Ray Chandler. The initial members were Cowboy (Keith Wiggins), Melle Mel (Melvin Glover) and Kid(d) Creole (Nathaniel Glover) making Grandmaster Flash & the 3 MCs (with Melle Mel being the first rapper ever to call himself an "MC"). Two other rappers briefly joined, but they were replaced more permanently by Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams, previously in the Funky Four) and Scorpio (Eddie Morris, also used the name Mr. Ness) to create Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Soon gaining recognition for their skillful raps, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five pioneered MCing, freestyle battles, and invented some of the staple phrases in MCing. The group performed at Disco Fever in the Bronx beginning in 1978. Cowboy created the term "Hip Hop" while teasing a friend who had just joined the US Army, by scat singing the words "hip/hop/hip/hop" in a way that mimicked the rhythmic cadence of marching soldiers.[citation needed]
Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five were signed to Bobby Robinson's Enjoy Records and in 1979 released the classic "Superrappin'". They later signed to Sugar Hill Records and released numerous singles, gaining a gold disc for "Freedom," and also toured. The classic "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel," released in 1981 was the best display of Flash's skills (combining elements of Blondie's "Rapture," Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache," Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" and Chic's "Good Times." It also marked the first time that record scratching had been actually recorded on a record. The group's most significant hit was "The Message" (1982), which was produced by in-house Sugar Hill producer Clifton "Jiggs" Chase and featured session musician Duke Bootee. Other than Melle Mel, no members of the group actually appear on the record. It went platinum in less than a month. In 1983, Flash appeared in the movie "Wild Style" and sued Sugar Hill over the non-payment of royalties. The group split between Flash and Mel before disintegrating entirely. Flash, Kid Creole and Rahiem signed to Elektra Records and continued on as simply "Grandmaster Flash" while Mel and the others continued on as "Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five."[3] In 1984, Mel released a 12" single, "White Lines," which stole without crediting the bassline to Liquid Liquid's "Cavern" and went on to become one of his signature songs. Although frequently credited on the records, Flash doesn't actually appear on "The Message", "White Lines", or many of the other Furious Five songs (if you don't hear scratching on a track, then Flash isn't on it).[citation needed] Mel notably appeared on Chaka Khan's I Feel for You (winning the first of his three Grammy awards) and both in the movie and on the soundtrack of the film "Beat Street". Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five reformed in 1987 for a charity concert, and in 1988 to release an album that did poorly. Melle Mel closed out the decade by winning two more Grammy awards for his work with Quincy Jones. There was another reunion, of a kind, in 1994, although Cowboy died in 1989.
Grandmaster Flash has a clothing line, "G.Phyre", and has signed a deal with Doubleday who will publish his memoirs. He hosts a show on Sirius Satellite Radio & he recently won the BET I Am A Hip Hop Icon award.
Melle Mel (now known as Mele Mel) has a clothing line with Sedgwick & Cedar. He released the childrens book/cd/dvd "Portal In The Park" in November 2006 and he released his first ever solo album "Muscles" on January 30, 2007. The first single & music video is "M3 (The New Message)", released on the 25th anniversary of "The Message".
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was the first hip-hop/rap group ever inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on March 12, 2007 by Jay-Z.
The Message
The Sugarhill Gang vs. Grandmaster Flash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
Broken glass everywhere
People pissin' on the stairs, you know they just don't care
I can't take the smell, can't take the noise
Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat
I tried to get away but I couldn't get far
'Cause a man with a tow truck repossessed my car
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
Standin' on the front stoop, hangin' out the window
Watchin' all the cars go by, roarin' as the breezes blow
Crazy lady, livin' in a bag
Eatin' outta garbage pails, used to be a fag hag
Said she'll dance the tango, skip the light fandango
A Zircon princess seemed to lost her senses
Down at the peep show watchin' all the creeps
So she can tell her stories to the girls back home
She went to the city and got so-so siditty
She had to get a pimp, she couldn't make it on her own
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
My brother's doin' bad, stole my mother's TV
Says she watches too much, it's just not healthy
All My Children in the daytime, Dallas at night
Can't even see the game or the Sugar Ray fight
The bill collectors, they ring my phone
And scare my wife when I'm not home
Got a bum education, double-digit inflation
Can't take the train to the job, there's a strike at the station
Neon King Kong standin' on my back
Can't stop to turn around, broke my sacroiliac
A mid-range migraine, cancered membrane
Sometimes I think I'm goin' insane
I swear I might hijack a plane
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
My son said, "Daddy, I don't wanna go to school
'Cause the teacher's a jerk, he must think I'm a fool"
And all the kids smoke reefer, I think it'd be cheaper
If I just got a job, learned to be a street sweeper
Or dance to the beat, shuffle my feet
Wear a shirt and tie and run with the creeps
'Cause it's all about money, ain't a damn thing funny
You got to have a con in this land of milk and honey
They pushed that girl in front of the train
Took her to the doctor, sewed her arm on again
Stabbed that man right in his heart
Gave him a transplant for a brand new start
I can't walk through the park 'cause it's crazy after dark
Keep my hand on my gun 'cause they got me on the run
I feel like a outlaw, broke my last glass jaw
Hear them say, "You want some more?"
Livin' on a see-saw
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, say what?
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
A child is born with no state of mind
Blind to the ways of mankind
God is smilin' on you but he's frownin' too
Because only God knows what you'll go through
You'll grow in the ghetto livin' second-rate
And your eyes will sing a song called deep hate
The places you play and where you stay
Looks like one great big alleyway
You'll admire all the number-book takers
Thugs, pimps and pushers and the big money-makers
Drivin' big cars, spendin' twenties and tens
And you'll wanna grow up to be just like them
Huh, smugglers, scramblers, burglars, gamblers
Pickpocket peddlers, even panhandlers
You say I'm cool, huh, I'm no fool
But then you wind up droppin' outta high school
Now you're unemployed, all non-void
Walkin' round like you're Pretty Boy Floyd
Turned stick-up kid, but look what you done did
Got sent up for a eight-year bid
Now your manhood is took and you're a Maytag
Spend the next two years as a undercover fag
Bein' used and abused to serve like hell
'Til one day, you was found hung dead in the cell
It was plain to see that your life was lost
You was cold and your body swung back and forth
But now your eyes sing the sad, sad song
Of how you lived so fast and died so young
So don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under, ha-ha-ha-ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under, ha-ha-ha-ha
The Sugarhill Gang's "The Message" is a pioneering hip-hop track that paints a vivid portrait of life in the ghetto. The chorus of "It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I keep from going under" acts as a refrain that emphasizes the song's bleak theme of struggle and survival in a hostile urban environment. Each verse details a different challenge faced by residents of the ghetto, reflecting the common issues of poverty, lack of opportunities, crime, and drugs. The lyrics vividly describe the conditions of urban blight, with broken glass and garbage on the streets, buildings in disrepair, and alleyways filled with junkies and criminals. The third verse is a cautionary tale, warning about the dangers of aspiring to the criminal lifestyle glamorized in popular culture, and ultimately ending in death and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
It's like a jungle sometimes
The world is chaotic and dangerous
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
I'm amazed that I haven't succumbed to the hardships
Broken glass everywhere
There is destruction and disorder all around
People pissin' on the stairs, you know they just don't care
Individuals disrespecting public spaces and showing no concern for others
I can't take the smell, can't take the noise
The unpleasant odors and loud sounds are overwhelming
Got no money to move out, I guess I got no choice
I don't have the financial means to escape this situation
Rats in the front room, roaches in the back
There are pests infesting my living space
Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat
Drug addicts lurking in dark corners, armed with weapons
I tried to get away but I couldn't get far
I attempted to escape, but my efforts were futile
'Cause a man with a tow truck repossessed my car
My vehicle was taken away by a tow truck operator
Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
Please don't provoke me, as I'm on the brink of breaking down
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
I'm attempting to remain composed, despite the challenges
Standin' on the front stoop, hangin' out the window
I'm standing on the porch, observing from a distance
Watchin' all the cars go by, roarin' as the breezes blow
Observing the hustle and bustle of traffic, with the wind blowing fiercely
Crazy lady, livin' in a bag
An unstable woman dwelling in a state of homelessness
Eatin' outta garbage pails, used to be a fag hag
She scavenges for food in trash cans, having formerly associated with homosexual men
Said she'll dance the tango, skip the light fandango
She claims she can perform extravagant dances with grace and elegance
A Zircon princess seemed to lost her senses
This woman presents herself as a delusional, fake royalty
Down at the peep show watchin' all the creeps
She spends time at an establishment where she observes unsavory characters
So she can tell her stories to the girls back home
She recounts her experiences to her acquaintances
She went to the city and got so-so siditty
She moved to the city and became pretentious and snobbish
She had to get a pimp, she couldn't make it on her own
She resorted to relying on a pimp for survival, unable to support herself independently
My brother's doin' bad, stole my mother's TV
My sibling is engaged in criminal behavior, stealing our own mother's television
Says she watches too much, it's just not healthy
My brother claims our mother's excessive TV consumption is detrimental to her well-being
All My Children in the daytime, Dallas at night
She spends her time watching soap operas during the day and a drama series at night
Can't even see the game or the Sugar Ray fight
We don't have the means to watch sports events or boxing matches
The bill collectors, they ring my phone
Debt collectors constantly call me
And scare my wife when I'm not home
Their persistent calls cause anxiety for my wife when I'm away
Got a bum education, double-digit inflation
I received a subpar education, coupled with high inflation rates
Can't take the train to the job, there's a strike at the station
I can't use public transportation to commute due to a strike at the train station
Neon King Kong standin' on my back
I feel burdened and overwhelmed like a giant, glowing gorilla is on my shoulders
Can't stop to turn around, broke my sacroiliac
I can't even take a moment to pause and reflect, as I've injured my lower back
A mid-range migraine, cancered membrane
I suffer from intense headaches and deteriorating mental health
Sometimes I think I'm goin' insane
At times, I believe I'm losing my sanity
I swear I might hijack a plane
I'm so desperate and frustrated that I would consider resorting to airplane hijacking
My son said, 'Daddy, I don't wanna go to school
My child expressed a lack of desire to attend school
'Cause the teacher's a jerk, he must think I'm a fool'
The teacher is disrespectful and doesn't value his intelligence
And all the kids smoke reefer, I think it'd be cheaper
His peers engage in drug use, and he believes joining them would be more affordable
If I just got a job, learned to be a street sweeper
He believes that becoming a street sweeper would be a better alternative to education and employment
Or dance to the beat, shuffle my feet
He considers pursuing a career in dance, merely going with the flow
Wear a shirt and tie and run with the creeps
He contemplates joining the ranks of shady individuals while maintaining a false appearance of professionalism
'Cause it's all about money, ain't a damn thing funny
He believes that money is everything and there is no humor in life
You got to have a con in this land of milk and honey
He thinks that in this deceptive and promising world, one must possess deceitful tactics to thrive
They pushed that girl in front of the train
Someone intentionally forced a girl onto the train tracks
Took her to the doctor, sewed her arm on again
Medical professionals had to reattach her severed arm
Stabbed that man right in his heart
A man was fatally stabbed in the heart
Gave him a transplant for a brand new start
He received an organ transplant to give him a fresh beginning
I can't walk through the park 'cause it's crazy after dark
It's unsafe for me to stroll through the park during the night
Keep my hand on my gun 'cause they got me on the run
I constantly feel threatened and carry a firearm for self-defense
I feel like a outlaw, broke my last glass jaw
I feel like a rebel, my confidence is shattered
Hear them say, 'You want some more?'
I hear individuals challenging me to endure further hardships
Livin' on a see-saw
I'm stuck in a perpetual cycle of ups and downs
A child is born with no state of mind
Upon birth, a child is innocent and lacks a developed consciousness
Blind to the ways of mankind
Unaware of the complexities and shortcomings of humanity
God is smilin' on you but he's frownin' too
God simultaneously observes one's blessings and disappointments
Because only God knows what you'll go through
The future is uncertain, and only God knows the challenges one will face
You'll grow in the ghetto livin' second-rate
You'll be raised in a disadvantaged neighborhood, experiencing a substandard lifestyle
And your eyes will sing a song called deep hate
Your perspective will be tainted with intense animosity
The places you play and where you stay
The locations where you spend your time and reside
Looks like one great big alleyway
The environment resembles a large, interconnected ghetto
You'll admire all the number-book takers
You'll idolize those involved in illegal gambling activities
Thugs, pimps and pushers and the big money-makers
You'll be impressed by criminals, exploiters, and those who accumulate wealth by any means
Drivin' big cars, spendin' twenties and tens
These individuals flaunt their wealth by driving luxurious vehicles and spending large sums of money
And you'll wanna grow up to be just like them
You'll aspire to emulate their lifestyle
Huh, smugglers, scramblers, burglars, gamblers
You'll be captivated by individuals engaged in smuggling, illicit activities, and risky behavior
Pickpocket peddlers, even panhandlers
You'll be intrigued by thieves, street vendors, and even beggars
You say I'm cool, huh, I'm no fool
You may think I'm impressive, but I'm not naive or easily deceived
But then you wind up droppin' outta high school
However, in the end, you'll likely abandon your education
Now you're unemployed, all non-void
You find yourself jobless, with no purpose or fulfillment
Walkin' round like you're Pretty Boy Floyd
You strut around as if you're a legendary gangster
Turned stick-up kid, but look what you done did
You transformed into a criminal, but is this truly an achievement?
Got sent up for a eight-year bid
You were sentenced to an eight-year prison term
Now your manhood is took and you're a Maytag
In prison, your dignity is stripped away, and you are reduced to a powerless state
Spend the next two years as an undercover fag
You spend the following years hiding your true sexual orientation
Bein' used and abused to serve like hell
You endure mistreatment and exploitation, serving others relentlessly
'Til one day, you were found hung dead in the cell
Eventually, you're discovered dead, having committed suicide in your prison cell
It was plain to see that your life was lost
It was evident that your existence had been tragically wasted
You were cold and your body swung back and forth
Your lifeless body hanged, swaying back and forth
But now your eyes sing the sad, sad song
Your eyes, even in death, express intense sorrow
Of how you lived so fast and died so young
Your life was lived recklessly, resulting in an untimely death
So don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge
Please don't provoke me, as I'm on the verge of breaking down
I'm trying not to lose my head, ha-ha-ha-ha
I'm making an effort to maintain my composure, despite the difficulties
Hear them say, 'You want some more?'
I hear individuals challenging me to endure further hardships
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Clifton Nathaniel Chase, Edward G. Fletcher, Melvin Glover, Sylvia Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@briannk3720
LIFE ISNT EASY .... I don't want to force anything on yall but man I've had so many problems and the only true way to come out of them victorious is thru the Lord God Almighty... I know society makes everyone think being religious is for deluded people but please open your eyes it's not.. I plead to yall just say a prayer to God commit all your worries fears, regrets and deepest problems into his hands.. read the bible and keep praying to him in Jesus Name .. I promise you your life will change for the better I promise you
I was pondering on suicide, I wanted to run away from home but I prayed to the Lord God and all of a sudden ..things started moving forward in my life.. I've done so many evil things in my past.. things that i think any other person would kill me for if they were God but God kept me alive and well
I dont want to be seen as the deluded guy in the comment section but I'm literally pouring my heart out
I thought my sins were too bad and that I will never succeed in my dreams.. but I forgot that in John 3:16 it says "For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life"
Believe that Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins to be forgiven and to give us eternal life in heaven
You may think I'm crazy but I'm begging just try this read the bible pray and watch yourself rise to heights you never expected
Dont fall into the tricks of the world I'm begging
I apologise for this being too long
Imma try and send this out to loads of comments sections.. I hope this touched your soul.. if it did please like the message and comment let's make it togetherr
@Slaker02320
The most important song in the history of rap music.
@duchessofessex2550
Yup
@teeakerestegian5364
@@duchessofessex2550 a
@emperorza5777
No cap
@petebooya7298
Absolutely! No better rap record than this! These things are happening today and this song is 38 years old!
@justincastillogayray
and video when you watch the ending. How much have things changed?
@ferchocomando5429
"a child is born with no state of mind , blind to the ways of mankind "one of the best bars on earth
@antonioeackles5713
yes
@BladeRunner-td8be
Tabula Rasa is a Latin Phrase meaning "Clean Slate" And yes, that was a great, perhaps even best verse in that song.
@justwavs7554
@@BladeRunner-td8be damn I had to look that up...hahaha