The Sugarhill Gang, Doug E. Fresh, Nephew Tommy, Marcus D. Wiley, Chante Moore, Julian Vaughn, The Williams Singers, Kierra Sheard, and Gregory Porter

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.

There's an argument to be made that Douglas E Davis is responsible for the term beatboxer becoming an expression at all. It was he who coined the nickname “The Original Human Beatbox” while he was making a name for himself as a rapper and performer around Harlem, and while others might have enjoyed more commercial success than him with their skills, they still own one hell of a debt to Doug E. Fresh. His first recorded appearance was on the Spoonie Gee and DJ Spivey single “Pass The Buddha”, and after that, his most notable early performance was with The Treacherous Three for their track “Beat Street”. This exposure meant that Fresh began building up some hype around himself, and began to release solo singles with the labels Enjoy and Vinetertainment.

By the end of 1985, Fresh was one of the biggest names in hip-hop with his group The Get Fresh Crew (which featured a young Slick Rick in its line up). He was having hits on both sides of the Atlantic with his single “The Show” hurtling into the top ten of the UK singles chart at number 7. By 1988, he had gone some way of earning the title he gave himself on his second solo album “The World's Greatest Entertainer”, which is a title he keeps to this very day. Remaining an influence even today, it was even Fresh's dance moves that inspired the Cali Swag District to record the smash hit single “Teach Me How To Dougie” in 2010, a good couple of decades after Fresh's last charting hit. Some talents never truly die, and as long as true hip-hop is still a cultural force, Doug E. Fresh will still be one of the men to thank for that. Highly recommended.

Born the daughter of a gospel minister, Chante Moore was raised on a solid diet of George Duke and Lee Ritenour. Having been a beauty pageant contestant and model in her younger years, by the age of 22 she had been discovered by MCA Records exec Louil Silas, who subsequently singed her to Silas Records. The singer’s musical debut came singing backup for R&B diva and Moore’s idol Toni Braxton. Moore subsequently featured on El DeBarge’s hit single “You Know What I Like” ahead of releasing her debut album “Precious” in 1992. Whilst the album only reached No. 101 on the Billboard 200, the album’s singles “Love’s Taken Over”, “It’s Alright”, “Who Do I Turn To”, and “As If We Never Met” all charted within the R&B Charts Top 40 significantly raising Moore's profile.

Two years later the singer issued her sophomore album “A Love Supreme” which charted at No. 64 on the Billboard 200. Moore subsequently recorded “Your Home Is in My Heart” with Boyz II Men for the “How Stella Got Her Groove Back" soundtrack, as well as featuring on the American Music Award-winning soundtrack for the 1995 film “Waiting to Exhale”. Following the release of her highest-charting album to date, 1999’s “This Moment Is Mine” Moore was nominated for the Soul Train Music Award for Single of the Year alongside Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Lauryn Hill. Two years later she would win the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single for her song “Contagious” featuring the Isley Brothers.

The Billboard No. 50 charting album “Exposed” appeared in 2000 after which Moore moved to Arista Records to release a duet album with partner Kenny Lattimore entitled “Things That Lovers Do”. The record proved her most successful to date peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard R&B Charts and spawned the follow-up duet album “Uncovered/Covered” in 2006. A year later the singer performed in the stage production of “By Any Means Necessary”, before signing a new solo contract with Peak Records. Moore’s fifth full-length “Love the Woman” was released in June 2008. Led by the single “Ain’t Supposed to Be This Way”, Moore supported the album with a modest U.S. tour, before returning to musical theatre. Her first album release in five years and noted for its stronger jazz influences, Chante Moore’s sixth studio album “Moore is More” was released in July 2013.

Gregory Porter was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Bakersfield, California, where his mother was a minister. A 1989 graduate of Highland High School, his path was originally leading to a career in sports after Porter gained an athletic scholarship to San Diego State University. However after incurring a shoulder injury during his junior year of high school, his football career was not to be.

Porter instead began recording music influenced by his adoration for blues, soul and gospel. His debut album 'Water' was released in 2010 via Motéma Music and gained the singer/songwriter a nomination for Best Jazz Vocal album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. During this time Porter was performing as part of the original Broadway cast of 'It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues'. The second album 'Be Good' was released in 2012 and following his notoriety from critics, it achieved moderate chart success across Europe. Once again critics adored Porter's blues/jazz sound and he picked up his second Grammy nomination, this time for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the album's title track.

The third album 'Liquid Spirit' was released in 2013 after he signed a contract with Blue Note Records (Universal Music Group) and was produced by Brian Bacchus. It was a huge success worldwide, charting within the top 20 of the UK album charts, top 10 in Germany and The Netherlands and cracked the top 200 in the US. This album went on to win Gregory his first Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album supporting the theory 'third time lucky'.