Rapper’s Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang is arguably the Rosetta Stone for rap and hip hop. Released in 1979, the song has sold over 8 million copies and has birthed countless careers. So it was with glee I trekked to Harbor Park to get a glimpse of history. On this evening, original gang member Master Gee is joined by relative newcomer Hen Dog, another rapper on loan from Grandmaster Flash, and MC T Dynasty on samples and beats. The crew has a fleshed out set that doesn’t disappoint. They play secondary hits like Apache and a great rendition of Grandmaster Flash’ The Message. Master Gee hops into the crowd for some fan karaoke of funk and soul chestnuts from the past, James Brown, The Jackson 5, Public Enemy all had the fans singing. Next up was a tribute to fallen rap heroes with tunes by the likes of Biz Markie. A Prince tribute offered a nice take on Purple Rain. The diverse crowd, in age and ethnicity, erupted when Rapper’s Delight emerged. This concert was a free show put on by Manic Productions and was well attended for an unseasonably chilly evening. As I was taking in this show, my mind drifted to the polarization in this country. At Harbor Park, there seemed to be no polarization, in fact peace, unity, and tolerance were in full view. Maybe we should swap out our national anthem, it’s boring, unsingable, and dated and replace it with Brick House by the Commodores.
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