[Ads-l] Better Antedating of "Rap" (Musical Genre)
Bill Mullins
amcombill at HOTMAIL.COM
Sun Apr 12 03:52:58 UTC 2026
> rap (OED, n2, 8.c., 1980)
>
> 1979 Commercial Appeal (Memphis) 4 Nov. 12/2 (Newspapers.com)
>
> The black music scene infected with nauseating "rap" songs by groups like the Sugar Hill Gang.
I could see arguments for each of these being slightly earlier:
1979 NY Daily News 22 Oct 27/2
It's the first "disco rap" record (eat your heart out Sugar Hill Gang).
https://www.newspapers.com/image/396339551/
1979 Kingsport TN Times-News Weekender 26 Oct 12/1
As head of Sylvia, Inc., she made plans to record a rap record, but lost the artist who was to do the rap.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/595765179/
1979 Billboard 3 Nov 64/3 [proquest]
Meanwhile, deejay "Hollywood" is reportedly assembling a rap record.
------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
More information about the Ads-l
mailing list