Sylvia Robinson, Mother Of Hip Hop, Dead At 76

Star-Ledger file photo

Sylvia Robinson, the visionary singer-songwriter known as "the mother of hip-hop," has died at the age of 76. She is pictured in this Star-Ledger file photo from 1973.

From The Star-Ledger "Sylvia Robinson, the 'mother of hip-hop,' dead at 76" by Tris McCall:

Sylvia Robinson, singer, songwriter, pop music visionary and entrepreneur, died today of congestive heart failure. The longtime Englewood resident was 76 years old.

Although Robinson, who was born Sylvia Vanterpool in New York City, had hits of her own as a recording artist — including the infectious "Love is Strange," which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004, and the seductive "Pillow Talk" — she’s best known as the producer of the Sugarhill Gang’s "Rapper’s Delight," the first hip-hop hit single.

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