While hip-hop was born in the 1970s, it came of age in the 1980s. It was during that decade that it discovered new fashion, new beats, and established new voices. With big names like Run-DMC, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, and others, rap music in the 1980s was flush with style and pizzazz.
But amongst its marquee ranks were a few one-hit wonders, too. You know, those artists who saw songs rise up the charts but who never quite followed it up with the same commercial success. Below, we wanted to explore three examples of just that. Indeed, these are three rap one-hit wonders from the 1980s that we still love today.
“Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang from Sugarhill Gang (1980)
This song may just have been the first major rap hit. Today, it is widely credited with being the first hip-hop track to make it to a wide audience. The iconic offering from the New Jersey-born rap collective known as the Sugarhill Gang hit No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, just cracking the top 40. But that was a major feat for a new song from a new genre at the time. Released on the group’s self-titled 1980 LP, “Rapper’s Delight” will forever be beloved.
“Me Myself and I” by De La Soul from 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
Okay, okay, before you get your britches in a bunch, we know that De La Soul is one of the most appreciated and celebrated rap groups of all time. Known for their smooth, almost effortless flows and their knack for shining a light on the positive side of things, the New York rap trio of De La Soul are a must listen for any hip-hop fan. But it is also true that the group only boasts one song to get into the Billboard Hot 100 top 40, so that’s why they landed on this list. Their legendary song “Me Myself and I” from their indelible 1989 LP 3 Feet High and Rising hit No. 34. But more than any number, the synth-driven tune is just a perfect song.
“Genius Rap” by Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde (Single, 1981)
This rap duo from the 1980s sampled the Tom Tom Club disco song “Genius of Love,” which itself is another one-hit wonder (!), and created this popular 1981 rap song “Genius Rap.” That tune went on to hit No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The offering itself is catchy and has since become almost a time capsule for the era in which it was made. Rap music was just starting to understand itself and it was songs like this that helped the genre get its sea legs.
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