The Record, a newspaper in New Jersey’s Bergen County near New York City, said Robinson died of cancer in his town of Tenafly. Along with Michael “Wonder Mike” Wright, they became the Sugar Hill Gang that night and what is widely regarded as the first recorded rap song, “Rapper’s Delight”, was laid down within days.
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Joseph Robinson was a pioneer of hip-hop and owner of Sugarhill Gang Records. Joe died in 2000, Sylvia in 2011.
Joey Robinson Jr, the surviving guardian of Sugar Hill Records which helped bring hip-hop into the mainstream, has died at age 53.
‘This is a major blow to the Robinson family, ‘ states rap recording artist, Juelz Santana.
He and his two younger brothers, Rhondo and Leland, eventually took over the imprint from their parents in the 1980s. He then toured alongside Big Back Hank and various other band members with the group.
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In celebration of Robinson’s contribution to Hip-Hop musically and behind the scenes, check out this Sugar Hill Records playlist, featuring work from label talent like Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Melle Mel, and more. Robinson was primarily responsible for the Sugarhill Music Publishing estate where he worked as the executor, and he looked to keep the legacy of the Sugar Hill Records and the family name, as well as its legacy, prominent in the genre. A funeral will be held July 21 in Englewood, New Jersey, where the Sugarhill Gang was formed.
