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From 1964 the band performed at jazz events most notably those which took place in a small theater every Sunday, this was the start of the career for 13 year old Robert Bell, his brother and five of their friends.
Originally the ensemble were called the "Jazzics" but changed their name in 1969 in order to avoid confusion which was caused when they called themselves "Kool and the Flames" which was a name extremely similar to one in which James Brown was using at the time. This then caused the group to rename themselves to "Kool & the Gang". 1969 saw them signed to De-Lite Records under Gene Redd who owned the label.
In 1969 under De-Lite records the band released their self titled debut album "Kool & The Gang". It is considered to be a classic in funk music and has been sampled by over 10 artists since its release.
In 1975 the band released their very well received alum "Light Of Worlds" this received 3.5 stars from rolling stone and contained the very successful song "Higher Plane" this song was able to reach number 1 on the R&B charts.
Many Kool and the gang songs have gone on to feature on multiple platforms. Songs have been used in films such as "Baby Boy", multiple commercials such as a Nike shoe commercial starring LeBron James and even the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
In 1973 New Jersey residents Michael “Wonder Mike” Wright, Henry “Big Bank Hank” Jackson, and Guy “Master Gee” O’Brien were assembled by producer Sylvia Robinson and formed The Sugarhill Gang. Sylvia Robinson and record mogul husband Joe Robinson were also founders of the label Sugar Hill Records named after the Sugar Hill, Harlem, New York neighbourhood.
Sylvia Robinson, aware of the popularity of hip-hop block parties tried to cash in and produce an infectious and catchy hit. The Sugarhill Gang released the single “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979 and became an instant worldwide hit with its notoriously groovy and danceable bass line of Bernard Edwards from Chic’s “Good Times”. “Rapper’s Delight” has gone on to sell over eight million copies worldwide, peaked at No. 3 in the UK singles chart and has been considered the first song to popularise rap in the U.S. and around the world.
Despite their early success, The Sugarhill Gang were unable to capitalise on their popularity with all of their albums failing to perform well commercially and critically. The band released an eponymously-titled debut album in 1980, and a sophomore album titled “8th Wonder” in 1982. After “Rapper’s Delight” the band had a number of moderate hit singles including “8th Wonder”, “Apache” and “Showdown”, although for the most part faded out of public consciousness by the mid-1980s.
The group returned in April 1999 to release the children’s rap album “Jump on It!” through Rhino Entertainment. The album was relatively well-received, featured a child friendly version of “Rapper’s Delight” and maintained the band’s old school hip-hop vibe. In 2014 Big Bank Hank died at the age of 58 after a long battle with lung cancer.
Kool and the Gang and are one the greatest disco bands ever. Their classic brand of jazz, soul, funk and disco never fails to get you dancing. Thankfully, they remain a highly active touring band. Needless to say, though, the band has had numerous line-up changes over their forty-odd year history.
You can imagine my excitement when I got the opportunity to see the legends perform at the Wildflower Festival in Texas this May. The set opened with a rendition of 1985 chart-topper, ‘Fresh.’ ‘We gonna get this party started!’ The front man yelled. ‘Let Me Hear You!’ he shouted to the crowd. We obeyed, yelling and whooping.
Kool and the Gang gave one incredible performance. Musical skill and funky dance moves abounded. They delivered the hits with finesse. It was a thrill to see them perform ‘Jungle Boogie and ‘Get Down on It.’ The evening ended with ‘Good Times.’ We all sang and danced along enthusiastically and the singers pleased the crowd be closing with the lyrics, ‘we hope you had a good time.’ Suddenly it was the end of the gig. The evening had whipped by in frenzy of jazz funk thrill. The only indicator that we’d been there for an hour and a half was the fatigue in our legs from all that dancing. Take any opportunity you get to see Kool and the Gang live!
There are rap legends, and then there’s the Sugarhill Gang. With the old-school classic ‘Rapper’s Delight’ in 1979, the New Jersey outfit basically came to define what hip hop was for future generations, and also displayed a canny bit of forward-thinking in interpolating the Chic track ‘Good Times’ into the song, apparently predicting their recent renaissance decades in advance. ‘Rapper’s Delight’, in 2011, was preserved into the National Recording Registry, telling you all you need to know about its cultural significance. They had a slew of hits since - ‘Apache’ included - but never again quite recaptured the magic that made their biggest hit so genre-defining. Later on, they’d eventually disband in 2007, eight years after releasing their last album, Jump on It!, and continuing to play live sporadically in the interim. They reformed, though, shortly afterwards, and still tour today; they’re on the road in the UK and Europe as I type this, with a recent club show in Manchester meeting with superb reviews - as well as running through their own back catalogue, the group offered their own takes on Run-D.M.C.’s ‘Walk This Way’ and House of Pain’s ‘Jump Around’, making the evening a genuine old-school extravaganza.