Rapper's Delight

If you don’t know what this track is, here’s a piece on it at National Public Radio. Rapper’s Delight pumps me up for a lot of different reasons. There’s nostalgia; since I remember when it was new, when I hear it now, those neurons in my brain fire right up. This is barely a song: it has no bridge, chorus or any real structure; it’s just a bunch a guys talking shit over a bunch of other guys playing a snippet or two of music over and over — for 15 solid minutes. On top of that, it was recorded in one take. What the fuck?!? Who even thinks of doing that? It wouldn’t surprise me to find out The Sugarhill Gang recorded it directly to gramophone disc using a Mr. Microphone. Put aside a quarter of an hour today and blow your mind.