All language subtitles for I.Want.My.Name.Back.2011

*

* FIVE, FOUR,
THREE, TWO... *

I REMEMBER DOING A SHOW
AT THE L.A. COLISEUM IN
FRONT OF 18,000 PEOPLE.

THE CROWD WAS GOIN'
CRAZY.

HIP-HOP WAS LIKE ROCK
AND ROLL WHEN ROCK AND ROLL
FIRST CAME OUT--

NOBODY HAD EVER
SEEN IT BEFORE.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
RECORDS OF OUR GENERATION--

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
OF OUR TIME.

AND I'M TALKIN' ABOUT
THE HIP-HOP GENERATION.

THE FIRST IS ALWAYS
THE GROUNDBREAKER.

YOU CAN NEVER COMPARE
ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS
AFTER THAT TO IT,

BECAUSE IT OPENED THE DOOR
FOR EVERYTHING ELSE THAT
HAPPENED AFTERWARD.

( "Rapper's Delight" by
The Sugarhill Gang plays )

Rome:
I WAS THERE IN '79
WHEN THAT SONG BLEW UP,

AND IT CHANGED
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
FOREVER.

WHEN WE WENT ON THE ROAD,
WE OPENED FOR THE BIGGEST
ACTS OF THE DAY--

PLAYING HUGE ARENAS
LIKE THE SPECTRUM
IN PHILLY

AND THE CHECKERDOME
IN ST. LOUIS.

SOME OF THESE ACTS
DIDN'T LIKE US.

THEY WOULD SABOTAGE
THE SHOW

BY TURNING THE LIGHTS
ON IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE PERFORMANCE,

FUCKIN' WITH THE SOUND
AND SHIT.

THEY LOOKED AT US LIKE,
"WHAT ARE THESE GUYS DOIN'?

THEY'RE NOT SINGING.
THEY'RE TALKING OVER
THE MUSIC."

LIKE WE WEREN'T
MUSICIANS.

( music continues )

BUT SIX WEEKS LATER,
WE WERE THE HEADLINERS--

KICKING ASS ON STAGE.

IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING
THING I'VE EVER SEEN.

Man on TV:
HERE'S WONDER MIKE,
HANK, AND MASTER GEE--

THE SUGARHILL GANG!

* THE HIP, THE HIPPIE
TO THE HIP, HIP HOP *

* AND YOU DON'T STOP *

* BREAK IT OUT TO THE BOOGIE
DEE BANG BANG *

* THE BOOGIE TO THE BOOGIE
TO BEAT *

* NOW, WHAT YOU HEAR
IS NOT A TEST *

* I'M RAPPIN' TO THE BEAT *

* AND ME, THE GROOVE,
AND MY FRIENDS *

* ARE GONNA TRY
TO MOVE YOUR FEET *

* YOU SEE, I AM WONDER MIKE,
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY HELLO *

* TO THE BLACK,
TO THE WHITE *

* THE RED AND THE BROWN *

* THE PURPLE
AND YELLOW *

* BUT FIRST, I GOTTA--
BANG, BANG TO THE BOOGIE... *

Michael Wright: SITTIN'
IN THE KITCHEN, THERE'S
A LOAF OF WONDER BREAD...

ON THE TABLE.
AND I'M THINKIN'...

"WONDER MIKE."
CAME TO ME JUST
LIKE THAT, B.

( chuckles )
I SAID,
"WONDER MIKE..."

AND SOME PEOPLE LAUGH,
NOW-- THE YOUNG CATS,

BUT YO, BACK THEN...
BACK THEN.

THAT WAS FLY, 'CAUSE IT WAS
A SUPER-HERO TYPE THING.
RIGHT, RIGHT.

I SAID,
"WONDER MIKE, YEAH."

MASTER GEE.
THE ORIGINAL.
THIS IS HIM.

( laughs )

* THE M-A-S-T-E-R,
A G WITH A DOUBLE-E *

* I SAID I GO BY
THE UNFORGETTABLE NAME *

* OF THE MAN THEY CALL
THE MASTER GEE *

* WELL, MY NAME IS KNOWN
ALL OVER THE WORLD *

* BY ALL THE FOXY LADIES
AND THE PRETTY GIRLS *

* I'M GOIN' DOWN
IN HISTORY *

* AS THE BADDEST RAPPER
THERE EVER COULD BE *

* NOW, I'M FEELIN' THE HIGHS
AND YOU'RE FEELIN' THE LOWS *

* THE BEAT STARTS GETTIN'
INTO YOUR TOES *

* YOU START PUMPIN'
YOUR FINGERS *

* AND STOMPIN' YOUR FEET,
AND MOVIN' YOUR BODY *

* WHILE YOU'RE SITTIN'
IN YOUR SEAT *

* AND THEN DAMN, YOU START
DOIN' THE FREAK... *

Guy O'Brien:
MY GRANDMOTHER USED
TO SEND ME CARDS
FROM CONNECTICUT.

AND WHEN YOU'RE A BOY,
YOU'RE A "MASTER".

WHEN YOU'RE A MAN,
YOU'RE A "MISTER".

SO, I LIKED THE WHOLE
"MASTER GUY O'BRIEN".

I USED TO LIKE HOW THAT
READ WHEN I WOULD SEE
THE CARD.

SO, WHEN I WAS THINKIN'
ABOUT A NAME FOR MYSELF--

"MASTER.
MASTER'S COOL."

SO, I PUT THE "MASTER"
WITH THE FIRST INITIAL
OF MY FIRST NAME,

WHICH IS GUY.
TWO Es ON THE END
OF IT--

AND THAT'S HOW I CAME UP
WITH MASTER GEE.

Rome: I REMEMBER KIDS
ALL ACROSS NEW YORK CITY
AND THE SUBURBS

HAD THEIR BOOM BOXES
AND THEIR RADIOS

AND WERE RAPPIN' AND DANCIN'
TO "RAPPER'S DELIGHT".
IT WAS CRAZY.

THAT'S ALL YOU HEARD
ON THE RADIO.

THAT'S ALL YOU SAW
ON THE STREET.

A LOT OF RECORD EXECUTIVES
DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT

AND RADIO STATIONS
DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT.

THEY THOUGHT HIP HOP WAS
NOTHING MORE THAN A FAD,

LIKE THE PET ROCK
AND MOON ROCKS.

O'Brien:
SO, WE GET OVER
TO NEW YORK.

AS SOON AS WE HIT
125th STREET,

I HEAR MY VOICE.
IT WAS MOM AND POP SHOPS--

ALL UP AND DOWN
125th STREET.

SO, I HEAR THE RECORD,
I HEAR MY VOICE COMIN'
OUT OF ONE PLACE,

AND I LOOK ACROSS THE STREET
AND I HEAR THE RECORD COMIN'
OUT OF ANOTHER PLACE,

WE START GOIN' DOWN
125th STREET,

AND THE ONLY RECORD I HEAR
IS "RAPPER'S DELIGHT."

Rome: "RAPPER'S DELIGHT"
IS THE NUMBER ONE SELLING
HIP HOP SINGLE OF ALL TIME.

IT SOLD WELL OVER
TEN MILLION RECORDS.

FOR AN INDEPENDENT LABEL,
THIS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

THEY WERE SELLIN'
50,000 UNITS A DAY.

I KNOW.
I WAS GOIN' TO
LONG ISLAND CITY

IN JOEY'S 98
TO PICK THEM UP.

THE MUSIC BUSINESS
STARTED PAYIN' ATTENTION.

WONDER MIKE AND MASTER GEE
WERE PIONEERS

WHO OPENED THE DOOR
FOR MANY OTHER ARTISTS.

WE KICKED DOWN THE DOOR,
AND MADE--

AND HELPED EVERYBODY
COME IN SO THEY COULD
GET THEIR RECORD DEALS.

OUR FIRST SHOW?
OH, MY GOD.

WOMEN WERE FAINTIN'
AND THEY WERE PASSIN'
'EM OVER THE CROWD

AND THROWIN' WATER ON 'EM
AND FANNING 'EM AFTER THE...

IT WENT LIKE THAT--
IT WENT ON LIKE THAT FOR
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.

OH, GOD.

IT WAS-- IT'S MEGA.
I MEAN, THEY CHANGED
THE FACE OF HIP HOP

JUST BY BEING, LIKE,
THE FIRST--

NOT THE ONES IN THE BRONX
INTO COOL HURTS--

BUT THE ONES WHO BROKE IT
LIKE MAINSTREAM--

FOR THE WORLD
TO REALLY SEE IT,

SO NO MATTER HOW
YOU LOOK AT IT,

SUGARHILL GANG
WAS DEFINITELY ICONIC.

JUST TO BE ON THE RADIO,
AND-- YOU KNOW, BE ABLE
TO GO GLOBAL

AND GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
THEN ACROSS THE WATERS...
YEP.

"RAPPER'S DELIGHT"
BROKE ALL THAT, YOU KNOW?
THAT'S GREAT.

AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING,
BUT LIKE I SAID, AT FIRST,
IT WAS LIKE,

"WHO THE HECK IS THAT
AND WHERE THE HECK
DID THEY COME FROM?"

EXACTLY.
I WANNA TELL WONDER MIKE,
MASTER GEE--

THANK YOU, BROTHERS,
FOR LAYING THAT FOUNDATION--

FOR NOT ONLY
NAUGHTY BY NATURE,

BUT TONS AND TONS
OF ARTISTS, AND ASPIRING
RAPPERS,

AND PRODUCERS,
AND DJs, AND...

EVERYBODY WHO'S DOWN
WITH HIP HOP.

Ralph McDaniels:
I MEAN, THE SUGARHILL GANG
WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME

PEOPLE OUTSIDE
OF THE HOOD HEARD...

SOMEBODY RAPPIN'
ON A RECORD.

LIKE, THAT WAS THE FIRST
VOICE OF HIP HOP.

ON 34th STREET,
OR 42nd STREET,
IN TIMES SQUARE,

OR UPTOWN,
OR IN BROOKLYN,

OR IN JERSEY--
WHEREVER YOU WAS AT--

AS SOON AS THAT CAME ON,
YOU WERE LIKE, BOOM.
YOU KNEW EVERY WORD.

AND YOUR MOM KNEW
THE WORDS TO THE SONG.

SO... THAT WAS CRAZY.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BEFORE.
NOT IN-- NOT IN BLACK MUSIC.

FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN MY LIFE, I FELT LIKE
I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

( music plays,
crowd cheers )

Rome: FROM 1979
TO 1984,

THE SUGARHILL GANG
TOURED THE WORLD
WITH THEIR HITS--

"RAPPER'S DELIGHT",
"APACHE", AND "8th WONDER".

SONGS LIKE "LIVIN'
IN THE FAST LANE" AND
"THE LOVER IN YOU"

WERE HUGE HITS
IN EUROPE.

THEY WERE BRINGING
HIP HOP TO THE WORLD.

BUT THERE WAS A DARK SIDE
TO THEIR STORY.

YOU KNOW, NEW YORK
HAD ITS SCENE--

YEAH, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S MANHATTAN, AND THAT
SIDE RIGHT THERE IS THE BRONX.

BUT, UM, ENGLEWOOD
IS RIGHT ACROSS
THE BRIDGE.

IT'S THE SECOND EXIT
WHEN YOU COME ACROSS
THE BRIDGE.

IT'S-- I THINK--
A MILE AND A HALF
FROM RIGHT THERE.

FROM MANHATTAN.
AND IT DEFINITELY HAD

ITS OWN ACTIVE
HIP HOP SCENE

FOR A GOOD TWO YEARS
PRIOR TO "RAPPER'S DELIGHT"
COMIN' OUT.

MIKE AND GUY WERE
DEFINITELY IN GROUPS

BEFORE SUGARHILL GANG.
THEY WERE EMCEES BEFORE
SUGARHILL GANG.

AND THEY HAD THEIR NAMES
BEFORE SUGARHILL GANG.

WE INTERVIEWED STEVEN DALY,
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
OF VANITY FAIR MAGAZINE

AND AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE
"HIP-HOP HAPPENS".

Daly: SYLVIA ROBINSON
WAS THE MUSICAL HALF
OF THE PARTNERSHIP.

SHE HAD A LONG HISTORY
OF WRITING, RECORDING,
AND PRODUCING HIT RECORDS

THROUGH SEVERAL ERAS
OF MUSIC,

GOING WAY BACK TO
WHEN SHE WAS IN HER
TEENS IN THE 1950s.

JOE, ON THE OTHER HAND,
WAS A KIND OF HARDSCRABBLE
GUY,

AND A BIT OF A SHADY
CHARACTER, AND, UH--

YOU KNOW, HE WAS BELIEVED
TO HAVE MADE HIS LIVING
THROUGH ILLICIT MEANS.

HE WAS REPUTED TO HAVE
IN HIS DESK DRAWER TWO
PEARL-HANDLED REVOLVERS,

AND I BELIEVE HE HAD
THE DEMEANOR OF A MAN

THAT YOU DON'T
MESS AROUND WITH.

IN THE MID-'50s,
MOE LEVY WAS
THE PROPRIETOR

OF THE LEGENDARY
NIGHTCLUB BIRDLAND--
THE JAZZ SHRINE.

AND HE ALSO HAD A LABEL--
ROULETTE RECORDS.

ROULETTE RECORDS
RELEASED JAZZ RECORDS--

PEOPLE LIKE COUNT BASIE
AND SARAH VAUGHN.

THE LABEL ALSO RELEASED
SEVERAL HIT ROCK AND ROLL
RECORDS.

UM, FRANKIE LYMAN
AND THE TEENAGERS WERE
ON THE LABEL FOR A TIME.

AND SO MORRIS LEVY
HAD A GOOD THING GOING
AT THAT TIME.

MORRIS LEVY WAS PRETTY
FAST AND LOOSE WITH HIS
BUSINESS PRACTICES,

AND HE WOULD LIST HIMSELF
AS A WRITER ON A LOT OF
THE SONGS ON ROULETTE--

MUCH TO THE SURPRISE
OF THE ACTUAL WRITERS.

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
EXAMPLES OF THAT

IS FRANKIE LYMAN
AND THE TEENAGERS'
BIG HIT FROM 1956,

WHY DO FOOLS
FALL IN LOVE?

AS AN ARTIST,
SYLVIA HAD BEEN
RIPPED OFF,

AND JOE WOULD BE AROUND
MORRIS LEVY,

WHO WAS KNOWN TO BE ONE
OF THE SLICKEST RIP-OFF
ARTISTS IN MUSIC.

AND I GUESS WHEN YOU
GROW UP IN THOSE--

I GUESS WHEN YOU'RE
ACCUSTOMED TO THOSE
KIND OF CIRCUMSTANCES

EARLY IN YOUR CAREER,

YOU TEND TO BRING THOSE
HABITS FORWARD WITH YOU
TO LATER.

AND, YOU KNOW,
THE SUGARHILL RECORDS
OF THE 1970s AND '80s

HAD MANY ECHOES OF THE
WAYS THAT RECORD LABELS
WERE RUN IN THE 1950s.

JOE WENT TO AN OLD
ASSOCIATE OF HIS,
MORRIS LEVY,

WHO WAS WIDELY KNOWN
TO BE THE MAFIA'S MAN
IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS.

AND HE VISITED LEVY
ON HIS HORSE FARM
IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

AND ASKED HIM
TO FRONT SOME MONEY
FOR THE NEW LABEL.

AND THIS--
MORRIS LEVY BIT.

I THINK THE ROBINSONS
PROBABLY CAME TO REGRET
TAKING THAT LOAN,

BECAUSE IT CAME
WITH A HEAVY PRICE--

THE INVOLVEMENT WITH LEVY
DRAGGED ON INTO THE '80s,

AND THERE WAS ONLY
GONNA BE ONE WINNER
IN THAT SITUATION.

THEY CREATED A TYPE
OF FAMILY ATMOSPHERE.

TO ANYONE WITH
AN OBJECTIVE EYE,

IT WOULD APPEAR LIKE
A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY.

MY RELATIONSHIP INITIALLY--
IT WAS LIKE ANOTHER FAMILY.

BECAME VERY CLOSE
TO MRS. ROBINSON, YOU KNOW?

HER AND I HAD A VERY,
VERY, VERY MOTHER-SON
KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.

Daly: THE ARTISTS WERE
NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

THEY DID NOT RECEIVE
DETAILED ROYALTY
STATEMENTS.

THEY WERE GIVEN
PRESENTS

IN LIEU OF ROYALTY
PAYMENTS.

AND, UM,
JOE AND SYLVIA,
I THINK,

EXPECTED THEM
TO BE GRATEFUL

FOR GETTING THE CHANCE
TO GET INTO THE RECORDING
STUDIO IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THESE WERE YOUNG ARTISTS.
VERY INEXPERIENCED.

AND THE ROBINSONS COULD
RUN ROUGHSHOD OVER THEM.

YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T
SEND OFF THE SIGNAL TO ME
THAT THEY WERE CROOKS.

YOU KNOW, THEY SEEMED--
SHE WAS GOING TO BIBLE STUDY

AND ALL OF THIS KIND
OF THING,

AND PRAISIN' THE LORD
AND ALL, AND I SAID,

"WELL, THESE SEEM
LIKE CHURCH PEOPLE.
SHE'S OKAY."

I DIDN'T KNOW A LOT
ABOUT HER.

WHEN I THINK BACK
AT ALL THESE PRACTICES,
YOU KNOW--

WRITING DOWN OUR
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS,

WRITING LYRICS OUT
SO THEY COULD--

SO THEY COULD SEND 'EM IN
TO BE COPYWRITTEN--

COME ON.
WE'RE YOUNG IN
THE BUSINESS.

YOU HAD TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE LIKE THAT?

INSTEAD OF THE FULL
WRITERS' CREDITS GOING
TO WHO ACTUALLY WROTE IT,

LELAND'S NAME WOULD
GET THROWN IN, JOEY'S NAME
WOULD GET THROWN IN.

YOU KNOW, MRS. ROB'S NAME
WOULD GET THROWN IN,

AS A CO-WRITER.
"WRITTEN BY".

YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF JUST
"MICHAEL WRIGHT, GUY O'BRIEN",

IT MIGHT BE,
"LELAND ROBINSON,
MICHAEL WRIGHT,
GUY O'BRIEN",

OR "JOEY ROBINSON,
MICHAEL WRIGHT,
GUY O'BRIEN".

THAT'S WHY THEY HAD
TO BE A WRITER.

AND THAT'S WHY EVERYTHING
WENT THROUGH SUGARHILL
PUBLISHING.

THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU NOTHING
ABOUT OPENIN' UP "MASTER GEE
PUBLISHING"

OR "WONDER MIKE PUBLISHING".

IT WAS ALL
SUGARHILL PUBLISHING,
BECAUSE THEY KNEW

THAT WHEN THE RECORD
STOPPED SELLING,

THE PUBLISHING WAS GONNA
LAST FOREVER.

THE RECORD INDUSTRY IN
NEW YORK CITY WAS RUN BY
A MAN NAMED MORRIS LEVY.

AND I KNOW HE HAD MUSCLE
HERE IN NEW YORK.

HE HAD HIS OWN MUSCLE HERE,
THAT HE USED TO GO AROUND

AND MAKE GUYS PLAY RECORDS
OR SELL RECORDS OR
DISTRIBUTE RECORDS.

HE NEEDED SOMEBODY
IN THE HARLEM AREA,

SO HE FOUND A GUY
BY THE NAME OF
JOEY ROBINSON, SR.

AND JOEY, YOU KNOW,
WAS UP IN THE SUGAR HILL
AREA,

AND HE REALIZED
THAT HE NEEDED HIM,

SO HE BASICALLY PUT HIM
UNDER HIS TUTELAGE

AND TRIED TO MAKE HIM
HIS KIND OF URBAN
BLACK PROTEGE.

Daly:
INVOLVEMENT WITH LEVY,

YOU COULD SAY,
RAN THEIR LABEL

IN THE MANNER
OF SMALL-TIME GANGSTERS.

WE WENT UP
TO AMSTERDAM AVENUE.
WOW.

AND OF COURSE,
YOU KNOW, THIS WAS
THE SWEET LIFE--

EVEN IN THE '70s,
IT WAS THE SWEET LIFE.
UH-HUH.

I MEAN, SOME OF THE MOST
FAMOUS BLACK PEOPLE IN
THE WORLD LIVED HERE.

DUKE ELLINGTON...
YOU KNOW, THIS IS--

THIS IS WHERE--
JOE ROBINSON TOLD ME
THAT, YOU KNOW,

THIS IS WHERE HE RAN
HIS NUMBERS AT, TOO.

RIGHT HERE.
RIGHT HERE IN
THIS AREA, YEAH.

SO,
THIS IS AMAZING, MAN.

BEING AT SUGARHILL RECORDS,
WE ALL HAD A SAYING.

WE ALL SAID TO OUR--
ALWAYS SAID AMONGST
OURSELVES

THAT, YOU KNOW,
THAT, UH--

BIG JOE WAS--
HE WAS A CROOK,

BUT HE WAS AN
HONEST CROOK,
YOU KNOW?

IN TERMS OF, LIKE--
HE WOULD TELL YOU WHAT
YOU WAS GONNA GET.

EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT
BE RIGHT, BUT HE WOULD
TELL YOU STRAIGHT UP--

THAT "I'M GONNA TAKE THIS,
AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THIS."

Rome: I THINK THE ROBINSONS

MADE WELL OVER 100 MILLION
DOLLARS OFF OF THEM.

AND I DON'T THINK THE GUYS
MADE MORE THAN $250,000
APIECE IN 30 YEARS.

THAT'S LESS THAN
MINIMUM WAGE, MAN.

YOU KNOW, WE START GOIN'
TO CHECK THE ROYALTY
STATEMENTS,

AND NOW, YOU KNOW--
"YOU'RE IN THE RED."

YOU KNOW,
"YOU'RE IN THE RED."

I'M LIKE, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN
WE'RE IN THE RED?

WE SOLD MILLIONS
OF RECORDS."

THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
THAT WAS COMIN' IN

THAT WAS BEING SPENT
BY JOEY AND THEM,

AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
THAT THE ARTISTS HAD--

YOU COULD JUST SEE
IT WASN'T RIGHT.

MOST-- MOST OTHER PEOPLE,
IF THEY'RE GONNA RIP YOU OFF,

YOU MAKE TEN MILLION,
THEY GIVE YOU A MILLION.

OR A HALF MILLION.
MAKE IT LOOK GOOD.

SO THEY DON'T LOOK
SO DAMN GREEDY.

NOT WITH THESE
MOTHERFUCKERS, B.

MEANWHILE, JOEY'S 17
AND HAS-- LIKE I SAID--

HAS A 98--
UH, THIS IS 1979--
HAS A '79 98.

A '79 CORVETTE STINGRAY.

I THINK THE FERRARI
WAS A '77.

DIDN'T LIKE THE CORVETTE,
GOT RID OF THE CORVETTE
AND HAD A--

HIS MOTHER BOUGHT HIM
A 1980 4-SLC AS
A GRADUATION PRESENT.

SO, ALL OF THIS MONEY
IS BEING SPENT BY THEM,

BUT THE ARTISTS
DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.

I GOT EVICTED FROM
MY APARTMENT,

MY CARS GOT REPOSSESSED--
UH, I WAS-- I COULDN'T--

I MEAN, I WAS JUST
IN DIRE STRAIGHTS, YOU KNOW?

I WAS LIVING ON--
I WAS SLEEPING ON
THIS LADY'S COUCH.

UM, I WAS LIVING FROM
HAND TO MOUTH, KINDA--

JUST KINDA HUSTLIN'
UP GIGS HERE AND THERE

AND PIECING MONEY
TOGETHER.

THEY'RE COMING OFF TOURS,
TWO AND THREE MONTH TOURS,

AND THEY DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING.

YOU KNOW, THEY GOT
A FEW CLOTHES, A LITTLE
BIT OF JEWELRY.

BUT YOU BEEN GONE
FOR THREE MONTHS.

WE HEARIN' YOUR RECORD
25 TIMES A DAY.

AND YOU'RE STILL LIVING
IN THE SAME BUILDING.

AND I WOKE UP ONE MORNING
AND WAS BROKE.

I REALIZED-- I WOKE UP
ONE MORNING AND DIDN'T HAVE
A DIME TO MY NAME.

THAT'S WHEN I--
YOU KNOW, I KNEW
SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

IT WAS JUST-- IT WASN'T
SUPPOSED TO BE THIS WAY,
YOU KNOW?

AND THEN THEY WERE
STILL OKAY, THOUGH.

Rome: THE PIONEERS
OF COMMERCIAL HIP HOP
WERE PART OF A CON

THAT SWINDLED THEM OUT
OF MILLIONS AND TRIED
TO DESTROY THEIR LEGACY.

WE WOULD RELEASE RECORDS
DOMESTICALLY

AND WE DIDN'T HEAR 'EM
ON THE RADIO AND WE DIDN'T
GET A LOT OF PLAY FOR 'EM,

SO WE THOUGHT THE RECORDS
WERE DUDS.

YOU KNOW, I STARTED
QUESTIONING MY ABILITY
TO CREATE.

I STARTED QUESTIONING
MY ABILITY TO PERFORM.

I THOUGHT I DIDN'T HAVE IT,
YOU KNOW?

LIKE ALL I HAD WAS
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT",

"8th WONDER" AND "APACHE"--
THAT WAS ALL WE HAD,

BECAUSE ALL THE STUFF
THAT WE WERE DOING,
SUPPOSEDLY...

IT WASN'T SELLING.
PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE IT.

* BIG BUCKS *

* Y'ALL GONNA PARTY
WITH THE BIG BOYS *

Rome: BY THIS TIME,
THEY DIDN'T TRUST
THE ROBINSONS.

THEY KNEW THEY WERE
BEING ROBBED.

THEY HAD A NEW SOUND THEY
WANTED TO EXPERIMENT WITH,

HAD NEW MATERIAL THAT
THEY HAD WRITTEN,

AND WANTED TO RECORD,

BUT THE ROBINSONS
WOULDN'T ALLOW IT.

THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW 'EM
TO GROW AS ARTISTS.

AGAIN,
WE WERE ALL YOUNG,
SO, YOU KNOW...

NOBODY REALLY KNEW
ABOUT CONTRACTS

AND HOW MUCH MONEY
SHOULD BE BEING MADE,

BUT, UM...

THINGS STARTED TO,
I GUESS, GO SOUTH
WITH THE COMPANY.

THAT'S WHY THEY
WOUND UP-- THEY
WOUND UP LEAVING.

THEY WOUND UP
DISBANDING.

O'Brien:
SO, I WAS AROUND 22,
23 AT THE TIME,

AND IT WAS TOO MUCH
FOR ME TO DEAL WITH.

SO, I WENT FROM BEING
HIGH AS A KITE

TO BEING LOW AS
A SNAKE'S BROTHER.

I FELL INTO A DEEP,
DEEP STATE OF VIOLENT
DEPRESSION.

Rome: WHEN MASTER GEE
WALKED AWAY IN 1984,

HIS DEPRESSION
LED HIM TO DRUGS.

O'Brien:
THE WORST THING TO DO
IS DO DRUGS WHEN YOU'RE
DEPRESSED, YOU KNOW?

AND THAT'S WHAT
I WAS DOING.

THE MORE THINGS GOT WORSE
FOR ME, THE MORE COCAINE
I WANTED TO DO.

Rome: WHEN WONDER MIKE
LEFT THE NEXT YEAR,
HE WAS ANGRY, FRUSTRATED.

I GUESS ALL THE SHIT
THAT WAS GOING DOWN
DIDN'T HELP HIS HEALTH.

HIS ASTHMA STARTED
GETTING WORSE, DIABETES
STARTED GETTING WORSE--

HE STARTED LOSING
HIS SIGHT.

WHEN GUY LEFT IN '84,
I LEFT IN '85.

AND I STAYED AWAY.
I, UH-- I STAYED AWAY
FROM MUSIC.

I STARTED AN INTERIOR-
EXTERIOR PAINT SERVICE.

Rome: TO MAKE A LIVING,
MASTER GEE SOLD MAGAZINES
DOOR TO DOOR.

O'Brien:
I DIDN'T WANT TO BECOME
A COCAINE ADDICT,

SO THE MAGAZINE BUSINESS
ACTUALLY HELPED ME GET
AWAY FROM THAT.

'CAUSE LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING-- THE HARDEST
THING IN THE WORLD

FOR ME TO DO
WAS TO BE ABLE TO COME

FROM BEING AS SUCCESSFUL
AS I WAS AS A MUSICIAN,
AND THEN--

AND--
AND AN ENTERTAINER,

AND TO GO INTO THAT
MAGAZINE SITUATION--

LITERALLY KNOCKING
ON PEOPLE'S DOORS.

GETTIN' DOORS SLAMMED
IN MY FACE, AND CALLED
A NIGGER,

AND THIS AND THAT
AND THE OTHER THING,
AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH--

AND, YOU KNOW,
LIKE I SAID-- A YEAR AGO,

I WAS ONSTAGE IN THE SOUTH
OF FRANCE WITH 20,000 PEOPLE.

Rome: MIKE GOT MARRIED,
HAD A FAMILY.

UNFORTUNATELY,
THINGS DIDN'T WORK OUT
FOR MIKE AND HIS WIFE,

AND IN THE EARLY '90s,
THE MARRIAGE WAS IN TROUBLE.

EVENTUALLY,
MIKE GOT A DIVORCE.

* Y'ALL GONNA PARTY
WITH THE BIG BOYS *

* EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE
GONNA PLAY THIS *

* LITTLE GIRLS WANNA PARTY
WITH THE BIG BOYS *

* EVERYBODY JUMP,
JUMP, JUMP, JUMP *

* Y'ALL GONNA PARTY
WITH THE BIG BOYS *

* EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE
GONNA PLAY THIS *

FAST FORWARD TO MID-'90s,
MID-TO-LATE '90s.

JOEY WANTS TO PUT
THE GROUP BACK TOGETHER.

HE CONTACTS GUY,
GUY DOESN'T WANNA
BE INVOLVED IN IT,

BECAUSE IT WAS BASICALLY
GONNA BE THE SAME THING
AS BEFORE--

WHERE "I'M IN CONTROL
OF EVERYTHING, AND I'LL
GIVE YOU--"

YOU KNOW, "I'LL GET
YOU AN APARTMENT.
I'LL GET YOU A CAR."

AND AT THIS POINT,
PEOPLE ARE GROWN NOW.
THEY'RE GROWN MEN.

"I DON'T NEED YOU
TO GET ME AN APARTMENT
OR A CAR.

PAY ME WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED
TO PAY ME, AND I CAN BUY
MY OWN THINGS."

WHEN MIKE RETURNED
TO SUGARHILL,

HE HAD TO PAINT HOUSES
ON THE SIDE TO MAKE
ENDS MEET.

HE HAD TO SEND MONEY
HOME FOR THE KIDS.

HE LATER CALLED THIS TIME,
FROM '94 TO 2005,

"THE 11 DUMBEST YEARS
OF MY LIFE."

* COME ON, COME ON,
COME ON, COME ON *

* COME ON, COME ON,
LET'S GO! *

* Y'ALL GONNA PARTY
WITH THE BIG BOYS *

* EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE
GONNA PLAY THIS *

* LITTLE GIRLS WANNA PARTY
WITH THE BIG BOYS *

Daly:
JOEY JR.'S AMBITION
KNOWS NO BOUNDS.

UM... HE REPLACED
MASTER GEE,

ONE OF THE ORIGINAL
SUGARHILL GANG,

FOR THE LIVE STAGE SHOWS--
THE REVIVAL SHOW--

WHEN MASTER GEE
WAS NOT INCLINED
TO APPEAR.

AND JOEY MADE HIMSELF
PART OF THE BAND,

AND IN FACT, I BELIEVE
HAS BEEN KNOWN

TO REFER TO HIMSELF
AS "MASTER GEE" AT TIMES,

TAKING ON THE PERSONA
OF ANOTHER PERSON.

I THINK THE FIRST TIME HE
WANTED TO DO MASTER GEE
WAS IN MIAMI, FLORIDA.

WE WERE PLAYING A PLACE
CALLED THE CAMEO THEATRE,

AND NEXT THING I KNOW,
HE'S COMIN' OUT,
DOIN' MASTER GEE.

AND I SAID, "UH,
YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE
YOUR NAME, AREN'T YOU?"

"OH, NO, NO, NO.
WHAT FOR?
WHAT FOR?"

"YOU'RE NOT MASTER GEE,
YO.

YOU CAN DO THE PARTS.
I MEAN, PEOPLE LEAVE,
PEOPLE PASS AWAY..."

THE GROUP I HAD IN MIND
WAS THE TEMPTATIONS.

THEY COME AND REPLACED
DAVID RUFFIN WITH
DENNIS EDWARDS.

DENNIS EDWARDS DON'T
CALL HIMSELF DAVID RUFFIN!

GEE WAS THE SON THAT
SYLVIA NEVER HAD,
YOU KNOW?

THAT'S THE REASON
WHY SYLVIA AND GEE
WERE SO CLOSE.

HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE
LIKE HIM AND STUFF,

SO AFTER GEE LEFT,
THAT WAS HIS GRAND
OPPORTUNITY

TO STEP IN AND TRY TO--
TRY TO--

AND PLUS, YOU KNOW,
BEING THE GREEDY PERSON
THAT HE IS,

HE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GO OUT AND STILL
MAKE MONEY.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
WITHOUT GEE.

WE WAS ON THE ROAD
DOIN' SHOWS AND STUFF,

AND WE STARTED SEEING
THE SUGARHILL GANG

THAT WASN'T
THE SUGARHILL GANG
THAT WE KNEW.

LIKE, OUR OLD CEO
WAS ONSTAGE

RHYMING THE ORIGINAL
RAPPER'S RHYMES.

IT WAS LIKE,
"WHERE THE HELL DID
THIS COME FROM?"

IT'S JUST LIKE
YOU'RE GOING IN FRONT
OF THE CAMERA

AND SAYING THAT,
YOU KNOW...

"OH, HERE, UM, I'M--
I'M 50 CENT."

* BETTER KNOWN
AS THE MASTER GEE *

* THOUSANDS OF BROADS
SINCE THE DAY *

* WHEN WE PERFORM,
I'M THE RAPPIN' PREACHER *

ME, GUY, AND HANK.
THERE'S NO JOEY.

HE WAS NEVER PART
OF THE SUGARHILL GANG.

( church bell rings )

Rome: YOU KNOW,
IN THE EARLY DAYS
AT SUGARHILL,

MIKE AND GUY WOULD SEE
STRETCH LIMOS PULL UP.

GUYS IN SUITS WOULD GET OUT
AND MARCH UP TO JOE SR.'S
OFFICE.

THE WHISPERS WERE THAT JOE
AND THE MOB WERE TIED IN,

AND EVERYBODY KNEW
NOT TO MESS WITH JOE.

WHEN JOE SR. PASSED,
WONDER MIKE AND MASTER GEE

NO LONGER FELT INTIMIDATED
BY THAT STUFF.

WHEN MR. ROBINSON
WAS ON HIS DEATHBED--

IT WAS ABOUT THREE DAYS
BEFORE HE PASSED.

I THINK HE WAS IN
HACKENSACK HOSPITAL.

I WENT UP TO SEE HIM,
AND, UH,

NOBODY HAD KNOWN
I WAS UP THERE.

I WENT IN TO SEE HIM,

AND I SAID,
"I DON'T EVEN KNOW
IF YOU CAN HEAR ME,

BUT, UH, I'D LIKE
TO PRAY WITH YOU."

I SAID A LITTLE PRAYER,
AND, UH-- AND LEFT.

NEXT THING I KNOW,

A FEW DAYS LATER,
HE HAD PASSED.

I THINK THE WHOLE FAMILY
WAS UP THERE WHEN HE PASSED,

BUT... THIS IS
A STRANGE LIFE.

UH, YOU RUN THE, UH--
YOU RUN THE WHOLE GAMUT
OF EMOTIONS,

AND AT THAT TIME,
RIGHT THERE IN THAT
MOMENT,

PRAYING WITH THIS MAN
AND PRAYING FOR THIS MAN,

BUT DISAGREEING WITH SOME
OF THE WAYS THAT THE BUSINESS
WENT DOWN HERE,

IT WAS LIKE, "WOW."

IT WAS LIKE THIS
GIANT CAULDRON OF...
HEATED EMOTIONS.

BUT I COULDN'T BE MAD
AT THAT POINT.

HE WAS,
UH, REALLY SICK,

AND SOME PEOPLE PASS ON,

AND HE WAS GETTIN' READY
TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE,

SO...

Rome:
IT WAS THE PASSING
OF THE OLD-SCHOOL MOGULS.

THE BUSINESS WAS
CHANGING-- EXCEPT FOR
SUGARHILL RECORDS.

SYLVIA WAS SO UPSET
AT JOE'S PASSING,

SHE BASICALLY RETIRED
FROM THE MUSIC BUSINESS.

THAT LEFT JOEY AND LELAND
TO RUN THE COMPANY.

FREE OF JOE SR.
AND MORRIS LEVY,

MIKE AND GUY STARTED
ASKING QUESTIONS,

AND JOEY DIDN'T
LIKE THAT.

( explosion echoes )

( sirens blare )

WHAT CAN YOU SAY

WHEN YOU SEE HISTORY
GO UP IN FLAMES?

ALL THE RECORDS
WERE DESTROYED.

THERE WAS NOTHING
LEFT OF THE BUILDING.

IT SEEMED LIKE
A TORCH JOB.

THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR
SAID THERE WAS NO PROOF
OF ARSON,

BUT THE WORD ON THE STREET
WAS DIFFERENT.

NOT ONLY WERE MANY
GREAT MASTER RECORDS
DESTROYED,

BUT THE FINANCIAL RECORDS
WENT UP IN FLAMES, TOO.

RUMOR IS, THE ONLY THING
THAT SURVIVED THE FIRE

WAS JOE ROB'S URN
HOLDING HIS ASHES.

I HEARD, LIKE,
WHEN IT BURNT DOWN
AND EVERYTHING--

THE NEWS WAS ON,
AND-- YOU KNOW--

IT WAS JUST WHAT IT WAS.
THERE'S SPECULATION HOW
THE FIRE STARTED,

AND ALL THAT,
BUT WE WERE GONE BY THEN.

WE WAS JUST LIKE, "WOW.
PRETTY MUCH THAT'S ALL
I COULD SAY.

"WOW."

'CAUSE THIS WAS
AN HISTORICAL LANDMARK
HERE.

YOU SEE THE LITTLE
BUILDING "HITSVILLE,
U.S.A." IN DETROIT?

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS
TO HIP HOP, MAN.

THIS IS LIKE
AN INTERNATIONAL
LANDMARK

WHICH SHOULD'VE BEEN
PRESERVED AND BEEN LIKE
A HIP HOP MUSEUM, YOU KNOW?

I MEAN, THE SUGARHILL GANG
CAME OUTTA HERE.

YOU KNOW, A WHOLE SLEW
OF HIP HOP'S FOUNDATION
OF RECORDS

CAME OUTTA HERE,
SO-- SAD TO SEE IT GO,

BUT THIS IS THE MEMORIES,
MAN.

WHEN IT BURNED,
I THINK EVERYBODY--

'CAUSE EVERYBODY
IN ENGLEWOOD KNOWS
HOW THEY ARE.

THEY KNOW THEY'RE GRIMY.
THEY KNOW THEY'RE SHYSTY.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT,
YOU KNOW, BASICALLY--

THEIR NICKNAME
IS "ROB-A-NIGGA"
INSTEAD OF ROBINSON.

Wright:
AH, RIGHT!
AND WHEN IT BURNED,

I THINK EVERYBODY,
YOU KNOW, JUST FELT LIKE--

KEEPIN' IT REAL!
KEEPIN' IT REAL.

LIKE THEY HAD SOMETHING
GOOD AND THEY JUST KINDA

ROBBED THE COMMUNITY,
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

YEAH.
LIKE, "YOU HAD SOMETHING
TO DO WITH IT.

RIGHT, RIGHT.
YOU TOOK THIS
FROM US."

HEY.

Man:
HOW'S IT GOING?

DOIN' ALL RIGHT.

OH, THAT'S THE PLACE
THAT CHANGED MY LIFE.

PRETTY MUCH.

THE BUILDING WAS
RIGHT THERE.

OF COURSE, IT'S GONE NOW,
BUT...

THE PLACE CHANGED MY LIFE.
YOU KNOW, LIFE WAS NOT
THE SAME

AFTER I RECORDED
THAT RECORD.

ABSOLUTELY
NOT THE SAME.

THE BITTERSWEET PART
IS THE FINANCIAL PART.

IT COULD'VE BEEN
ANOTHER MOTOWN.

IT COULD'VE BEEN MOTOWN
FOR HIP HOP,

BUT THEY DIDN'T RUN IT
RIGHT.

THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE
SHIT HERE TODAY

BUT A SIDEWALK HIGHER
THAN THE DAMN-- WHERE
THE BUILDING USED TO BE.

IT JUST KINDA PISSES
ME OFF.

BUT IT'S ALL GOOD.

THEY GETTING RICH, AND YOU
CAN'T GO AND BUY A HOUSE
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT--

GOTTA BE FRUSTRATING.
I MEAN, I'M NOT HERE TO
TALK ABOUT WHO GOT WHAT

AND WHO DON'T,
AND WHO'S DOIN' THIS
AND THAT,

BUT I KNOW IT'S GOTTA
BE FRUSTRATING.

I KNOW MY FATHER
GETS REALLY FRUSTRATED
SOMETIMES.

HE HAS TO.

I JUST FEEL LIKE,
THEY DO WHAT THEY GOTTA DO
TO MAKE ENDS MEET--

TO KEEP FOOD ON THE TABLE
AND TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES
AND THEIR CHILDREN.

I DON'T REGRET GROWIN' UP
HOW I GREW UP AT ALL, MAN.

'CAUSE IT MADE ME
RESPECT LIFE, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN?

IT MADE ME LEARN
THE WORLD OF WORK.

AND IT MADE ME DIG DEEP
INSIDE MYSELF AND REALLY...

DO WHAT IT IS THAT I HAD
TO DO IN ORDER TO GET
TO WHERE I'M GOIN'.

LIKE IF I WAS FED
WITH A SILVER SPOON,

I'D BE A PROBABLY
TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON.

NO TELLING WHERE I'D BE AT.

Man: I'M THE KING
OF THE WORLD!

GOT WATCHES, BRACELETS.
MY LIFE IS RIDICULOUS.

THIS IS, WHAT,
50 ALTOGETHER?
$50,000.

IF YOU DON'T DO IT BIG,
THERE'S NO WAY TO DO IT.

THANKS, BERT.
APPRECIATE IT,
MAN.

I NEED $400,000 TODAY.

I SEEN THIS BENTLEY
I'M GONNA WANNA BUY.

* HIP, THE HOP,
THE HIPPIE, THE HIPPIE *

* TO THE HIP HIP HOP
AND YOU DON'T STOP *

SUGARHILL GANG
STARTED HIP HOP.

AH.
KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

( laughs )

( laughs )

( chuckles )

COME ON.

TELL 'EM HOW
YOU REALLY FEEL.

Rome: JOEY TRIED
TO EXTERMINATE THEM
FROM MUSIC HISTORY--

TRIED TO WIPE 'EM OUT, MAN.

TAKING THEIR BAND NAME.
TAKING THEIR STAGE NAMES.

EVEN SAID THEY WERE
DEAD AND SHIT.

WELL, THEY'RE BACK
FROM THE DEAD, AND THEY
WANT THEIR NAMES BACK.

* YO, IT'S YOUR BOY,
T. DYNASTY *

* AND I'M UP IN THE BUILDING
WITH LIVING LEGENDS *

* SUGARHILL GANG
(WHOO) *

* WONDER MIKE, MASTER GEE,
HEN DIGGITY! *

HENRY WAS ON BOARD.
HE LEFT WITH ME.

I ASKED HANK, I SAID,
"COME ON, MAN,
LET'S JUST LEAVE.

"LET'S START OVER.
LET'S DO SOMETHING ELSE
IN MUSIC.

LET'S START OUR OWN
DAMN GROUP."

AND I CALLED GUY
AND I SAID--

"LISTEN, DO YOU WANNA
DO SOME NEW MUSIC?"
I SAID, "YES."

SO, WE STARTED FROM THAT,
AND EVERYTHING ELSE

HAS COME AS A RESULT
OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN
WORKING TO DO--

WHICH IS TO FINISH
THE ALBUM.

* BEEN AROUND THE WORLD,
SEEN A LOT OF THINGS *

* HAD SOME DIAMOND RINGS,
THINGS THAT RAP BRINGS *

I THINK HANK WAS TOO GUTLESS
AND HEARTLESS TO LEAVE.
AND TOO AFRAID.

( mocking voice )
HE WAS AFRAID OF JOEY.
AW, GIVE ME A BREAK.

SO, HE DIDN'T LEAVE,
SO THE DEAL THAT WAS
INHERENTLY IN PLACE

WAS TO CAPITALIZE
ON HIS GUTLESSNESS

AND TO SAY THAT "OKAY,

WELL, UH, AT LEAST WE HAVE
AN ORIGINAL MEMBER."

AND THAT'S HOW THEY
STARTED ADVERTISING.

BUT THEY ADVERTISED
THEMSELVES AS THE REAL GUYS.

AND THEY'RE NOT.

Rome: GUY AND MIKE
WERE ALWAYS IN
COMMUNICATION.

GUY ALWAYS TOLD MIKE,
"IF YOU LEAVE HIM,
YOU AND I CAN TALK."

YOU KNOW, HE NEVER HAD
A PROBLEM WITH MIKE.

"YOU LEAVE HIM,
YOU AND I CAN TALK."

AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW--
PUTTIN' IT BACK TOGETHER
AND DOIN' OUR OWN THING.

SO, WHEN MIKE LEFT
IN '05, HIM AND GUY
HOOKED UP

AND NOW THEY'RE OUT AS
THE REAL SUGARHILL GANG.

THEY ARE THE REAL
SUGARHILL GANG.
MASTER GEE-- GUY O'BRIEN.

WONDER MIKE--
MICHAEL WRIGHT.

AND AS I SAID,
HENRY WILLIAMS-- HEN DOGG,

WHO TOOK BIG BANK HANK'S
PLACE.

THE REAL SUGARHILL GANG.

HE'S NOT ACTING AS THOUGH
HE'S BIG BANK HANK, YOU KNOW?

HE LETS EVERYBODY KNOW.
"I TOOK HANK'S PLACE.
I'M HEN DOGG."

*

THEN THERE'S A FAKE
SUGARHILL GANG OUT THERE.

JOEY ROBINSON,
ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT--

HE'LL BE WONDER MIKE,
BIG BANK HANK,
OR MASTER GEE.

* I AM WONDER MIKE,
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY HELLO *

BUT IF YOU LISTEN CLEARLY,
THE TRACK IS PLAYING.

YOU HEAR THEIR VOICES.
YOU HEAR MIKE'S VOICE,
YOU HEAR GEE'S VOICE.

PLAIN AS DAY.
JUST AS PLAIN AS DAY.

JUST GO TO YOUTUBE.

* LET'S ROCK,
YOU DON'T STOP *

HEAR IT EVERY DAY.
WE HEAR IT EVERY DAY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT
I'M MAKING IT UP.

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU
COULD THROW VOCALS
IN THERE AND SHIT.

GO AHEAD.
A LITTLE CHANT TYPE SHIT.

ALL RIGHT,
LET'S TRY IT AGAIN.

( chattering )

SO, BASICALLY WHAT
HE'S DONE IS TAKEN AWAY
THEIR GROUP NAME,

AND ON TOP OF THAT,
HAS TAKEN AWAY THEIR
STAGE NAMES.

STAGE NAMES THAT THEY
USED-- CREATED--

WELL BEFORE THEY
BECAME MEMBERS OF
THE SUGARHILL GANG.

AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS
CASE ONE OF THE MOST BLATANT
CASES OF IDENTITY THEFT.

I MEAN, THINK HOW YOU FEEL
WHEN YOUR CREDIT CARD
IS FIRST STOLEN,

OR YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE
IS STOLEN, AND YOU JUST
HAVE TO GO THROUGH

THE SIMPLE PAINS OF REPLACING
YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE
AND YOUR CREDIT CARDS,

AND MAKING PHONE CALLS.
NOW, YOU HAVE GUYS
THAT HAVE TO PROVE

THAT THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE
WHEN THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE.

( phone rings )

Man: HELLO?
YEAH, HI,
IS JOEY AVAILABLE?

UH, HE'S NOT
HERE RIGHT NOW.
WHO'S CALLING?

THIS IS JAY BERGER.

OKAY, UH-- DID YOU
GIVE HIM A CALL ON THE
OTHER NUMBER TODAY?

YES, I TRIED HIM,
AND I CALLED HIM
A BUNCH OF TIMES,

AND HE HASN'T
PICKED UP YET.

SO I WAS WONDERING
WHETHER HE'S IN THE OFFICE
OR NOT.

YEAH, HE SHOULD BE.
GIVE HIM, UH--

GIVE HIM A CALL
ON THE OTHER NUMBER.

OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT.
BYE-BYE.

WHICH WE--
WHICH WE JUST DID,
SO...

HOW MANY TIMES
DID WE CALL HIM?

WE TRIED ABOUT...

SINCE MONDAY,
ABOUT SEVEN TIMES.

LeWINTER:
IT WAS ONE THING
TO STEAL THEIR MONEY.

IT WAS ONE THING
TO STEAL THEIR CREDIT.

IT WAS ANOTHER THING
TO TAKE THEIR NAMES,
THEIR GOODWILL,

THEIR--
LITERALLY, THEIR SOULS.

I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT
TWO GUYS WHO REALLY ARE
WONDER MIKE AND MASTER GEE,

AND YOU'VE GOT THESE PEOPLE
OVER HERE WHO ARE PARADING
OTHER PEOPLE AROUND

AS IF THEY WERE WONDER MIKE
AND MASTER GEE,

AND PRESENTING THEMSELVES
AS THEM,

AND LITERALLY LIP-SYNCHING
TO THEIR SONGS.

Rome: BUT YOU NEED MONEY
TO SUE SOMEONE.

ONLY THING THEY COULD AFFORD
WAS FREE LEGAL AID.

THE ROBINSONS--
THEY LIKE TO STRING
YOU OUT

AND WAIT YOU OUT--
KEEP IT IN COURT.

YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD
OFFER YOU A LITTLE
SETTLEMENT,

BUT IT WOULD BE SCRAPS.

THE GUYS SPOKE
TO MELLE MEL,

AND HE SUGGESTED
ARTISTS RIGHTS.

BACK IN THE LATE '70s,
GUY O'BRIEN AND
MICHAEL WRIGHT

WERE ALREADY PERFORMERS.

AND THEY WERE PERFORMING AS
MASTER GEE AND WONDER MIKE.

PROBABLY AT LEAST 22
OR 23 YEARS LATER,

JOSEPH ROBINSON JR.
WENT AHEAD AND TRIED

AND SUCCESSFULLY TRADEMARKED
THE NAMES MASTER GEE AND
WONDER MIKE,

AND HE SIGNED A DOCUMENT
UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY

SAYING THAT THOSE NAMES
DID NOT REFER TO ANY
LIVING PERSON,

WHEN IN FACT HE KNOWS
THAT THEY REFER

TO GUY O'BRIEN
AND MICHAEL WRIGHT.

RIGHT.
RIGHT.

NOPE.
DEFINITELY NOT
AN OPTION.

UM, HE FOUND OUT--
HE BEING JOSEPH ROBINSON,

FOUND OUT THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO PERFORM
IN SEVERAL VENUES--

I THINK ONE IN FLORIDA,
IN JERSEY, POSSIBLY HERE
IN NEW YORK--

THAT THEY WERE GOING
TO APPEAR, AND HAD HIS
LAWYERS

SEND CEASE AND DESIST
LETTERS TO THESE VENUES
AND PROMOTERS,

SAYING THAT HE OWNED--
NUMBER ONE, THE SUGARHILL
GANG TRADEMARK,

AND NUMBER TWO,
THAT HE OWNED WONDER MIKE
AND MASTER GEE.

OKAY, TECHNICALLY SPEAKING,
HE CANNOT BLOCK THEM FROM
USING THE SUGARHILL GANG.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT
STOPS ANYONE FROM USING
A DESCRIPTIVE TERM.

THAT'S LIKE SAYING
I COULD NEVER SAY--
IF I'M PAUL O'NEILL,

I COULD NEVER SAY I PLAYED
FOR THE NEW YORK YANKEES.

IT'S JUST NOT THE LAW.
YOU CAN ALWAYS USE
A DESCRIPTIVE TERM.

THE PROBLEM THAT YOU
HAVE HERE IS THAT,
SURREPTITIOUSLY,

HE WENT AND TRADEMARKED
THEIR NAMES, TOO.

AND THAT'S WHY WE FILED
AN ACTION ON THEIR BEHALF

TO CANCEL THOSE MARKS,
BECAUSE HE HAD NO RIGHT.

HE HAD NO OWNERSHIP
OF THE NAME SUGARHILL GANG,

AND HE HAD ABSOLUTELY
NO OWNERSHIP OF THE NAMES
WONDER MIKE AND MASTER GEE.

THEY TRIED TO INTIMIDATE
PROMOTERS

BY SAYING--
BY CALLING UP AND
THREATENING TO SUE THEM,

BECAUSE
"WE'RE THE REAL ONES.
THEY'RE THE FAKE ONES!"

Rome: PROMOTER JEFF ALLEN
WAS SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT
THE ROBINSONS SUING HIM

FOR BOOKING
THE REAL WONDER MIKE
AND MASTER GEE--

THE REAL SUGARHILL BAND.

HIS LAWYER RESOLVED
THE SUIT JUST MINUTES
PRIOR TO OUR FILMING,

AND JEFF WAS UNABLE
TO SPEAK ABOUT
THE ROBINSONS.

I DON'T KNOW, REALLY--
UNTIL TODAY,

I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW
ABOUT SUGARHILL'S CLAIM

TO THE NAME MASTER GEE
AND WONDER MIKE.

I REALLY DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

WE SUSPECT THEY
SETTLED THE SUIT

UNDER THE USUAL TERMS
FOR PROMOTERS--

YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT
THE SUIT AND YOU CAN'T
BOOK THE REAL GUYS.

AFTER BEING APART
FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS,

THEIR FIRST SHOW
WAS IN ALBUQUERQUE,
NEW MEXICO,

AT A VENUE THAT JOEY JR.
AND THE FAKE BAND HAD
PLAYED ONE WEEK BEFORE.

AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN
TOGETHER ONSTAGE

IN ABOUT 22 YEARS!
OH, YEAH,
RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

NOW, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL
BABY OF THE BUNCH!
( cheers )

HE DON'T WEAR
NO PONYTAIL

LIKE THAT SUCKA
LAST WEEK!

A FAKE PONYTAIL,
AT THAT!

CHECK IT OUT.

* HE GOES BY THE NAME
OF THE M-A-S-T-E-R *

* A G WITH A DOUBLE-E! *

SHOW SOME
ALBUQUERQUE LOVE

( both )
FOR MASTER GEE!

( all )
AND WE ARE THE ORIGINAL
SUGARHILL GANG!

ALL RIGHT, CHILD,
GIVE ME SOMETHING
FUNKY.

GIVE ME SOMETHING
FUNKY TO WORK WITH.

( drum beat starts )

*

( song ends )

( crowd cheers )

YEAH!
THANK YOU, BARCELONA!

I REALLY-- I'M TELLING YOU,
I HAD TO HOLD BACK FROM,
YOU KNOW, CRYING.

'CAUSE I WAS LIKE,
YOU KNOW-- THE JOURNEY
THAT I WENT THROUGH

TO GET TO THAT MOMENT--

JUST TO BE ABLE
TO PUT MY HAND UP
ON STAGE LIKE THAT

AND JUST LISTEN TO 'EM
SCREAM BECAUSE THEY DUG
WHAT WE DID.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS CRAZY.
AND THEN, OF COURSE,

WE PLAYED SOME MORE SONGS
FOR 'EM AND PLAYED SOME
MORE LIVE STUFF FOR 'EM,

AND IT WAS A GREAT SHOW
AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL
NIGHT,

BUT I NEVER TOLD ANYBODY
ABOUT THAT, SO I FIGURE--
YOU HEARD IT NOW.

MIKE AND GUY CONTINUED
TO TOUR AND DO THEIR HITS.

LIFE WAS GOOD
FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

SOMEBODY SCREAM!

( music plays )

WE DOIN' OUR THING.
THAT'S RIGHT.

CHECK THE BUBBLY.
TOUR GOIN' REAL GREAT.

THINGS WERE GOING WELL
UNTIL JOEY JR. HEARD HOW
SUCCESSFUL THEIR TOURS WERE.

HE THEN CONTACTED PROMOTERS
AND THREATENED TO SUE THEM

IF THEY BOOKED
THE REAL SUGARHILL BAND.

Williams: HE CALLED US
TRAITORS, YOU KNOW, AND
"I'M GONNA SUE YOU GUYS.

I HAVE A CONTRACT."
NOT ONCE DID HE SAY,
"YOU CAN'T USE THE NAME."

NOT ONCE DID HE SAY,
"I OWN THE NAMES
WONDER MIKE, MASTER GEE"--

BECAUSE THE CONTRACTS
DIDN'T EXIST.

HE DIDN'T TELL US THAT.
IF IT EXISTED,

IT WOULD'VE BEEN THE FIRST
THING HE WOULD'VE THREW UP
IN OUR FACES.

BUT HE DIDN'T SAY IT
BECAUSE THOSE THINGS
DID NOT EXIST.

WHEN HE FOUND OUT
ABOUT THE TOUR,

THAT'S WHEN HE STARTED
TRYING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS.

BOTTOM LINE, HE CAN'T
STOP US FROM TOURING.

WE'RE THE REAL DEAL.
EVERYBODY KNOWS HE'S NOT.

EVERYBODY KNOWS
HE HAS NO TALENT.

EVERYBODY KNOWS
THAT HE LIP-SYNCHS.

WHEN WE WAS ON TOUR,
HE WOULD EVEN CALL UP
THE PROMOTERS

AND TELL THE PROMOTERS
THAT WE WERE THE FAKE
GROUP--

THAT HE HAD THE REAL GROUP,
BOOK HIM INSTEAD.

WHO?
I SUPPOSE YOU
KNOW, RIGHT?

JOEY?

AH!
I KNOW IT.

DID YOU TELL HIM
TO GO FUCK HIMSELF?

THAT'S RIGHT.
EXACTLY.

EXACTLY.
THERE YOU GO.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
YOU WERE SUPPOSED
TO TELL HIM.

THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU,
MY BROTHER.

THERE YOU GO.
RIGHT, THERE YOU GO!

THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE YOU GO.

WOW!
BULLSHIT.

YEAH.
HOW'S HE GONNA
DO THE SHOW?

HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE
IN ATLANTIC CITY,
DOIN' THE DISCO BALL.

( all laugh )

HE AIN'T THE REAL
MASTER GEE.

HE KNOWS THAT.
HE KNOWS THAT.

YOU NOTICE HE SAID
HE'D BEEN MASTER GEE
FOR 20 YEARS!

YO... YO...
HE KNOWS THAT.

HE KNOWS HE'S NOT ME.
YEAH.

HE CAN'T NEVER BE ME.
YO, AND HANK CAN'T MOVE.

HE COULD NEVER BE ME.

HE AIN'T GOT THE
REAL WONDER MIKE.
THAT'S ME.

HE ONLY GOT HANK.
HANK CAN'T MOVE,

'CAUSE HE TAKES
TOO MUCH FUCKING CRACK,
THIS GUY.

ASK HIM,
IS HIS VOICE
ON THE RECORD?

AND HE CAN'T
MOVE AROUND!

AND PEOPLE SEE
PAST THAT,

AND HE DOESN'T HAVE
A LEGAL LEG TO STAND ON,

AND WE END UP DOIN'
THE SHOWS ANYWAY.
WE ROCKED THE HOUSE.

WE HEAR ABOUT THEM
DOIN' THEIR SHOWS,
AND THEY'RE TERRIBLE.

PROMOTERS HAVE HIRED US
AFTER THEM

AND SAID, "MAN, I SWORE
NOT TO MESS WITH SUGARHILL
EVER AGAIN."

BECAUSE THE SHOW SUCKED
AND PEOPLE WANTED THEIR
MONEY BACK.

( laughs )
IT WAS CRAZY.
BUT NOT WITH US.

*

( "Rapper's Delight" starts )

* THE HIP, HOP,
HIP A HOP *

( audience sings along )

Rome: EXPECTATIONS WERE HIGH

THAT WONDER MIKE
AND MASTER GEE

WOULD GET SOME RECOGNITION

ON THE 30th ANNIVERSARY
OF THE LEGENDARY HIT
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT".

THESE ARE SOME
OF THE HIGHLIGHTS

AND EVENTS OF THAT YEAR
AS WE FOLLOWED THE BAND.

WHAT WE WANT YOU
TO UNDERSTAND IS,

BEFORE ANY OF THIS
RAP MUSIC RECORD
BUSINESS

WAS OUTTA THE GATE,

IT WAS TWO TURNTABLES
AND A MICROPHONE.

THAT'S HOW IT GOT
STARTED.

* AND A MICROPHONE *

SO, WHAT WE GONNA DO
TONIGHT

IS WE GONNA TAKE YOU
BACK INTO TIME.

BACK TO THE OLD SCHOOL
BLACK POWER, OKAY?

( cheers )

SO, HOW MANY OLD SCHOOL
HIP HOP FANS

DO WE HAVE IN
THE HOUSE TONIGHT?

( loud cheers )

THAT'S ONE.
OKAY.

HOW MANY SUGARHILL
GANG FANS DO WE HAVE
IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT?

( cheers, whoops )

OKAY, THIS IS
YOUR PARTY TONIGHT!

SOMEBODY SAY
"ALL RIGHT!"

Audience:
ALL RIGHT!

ALL RIGHT!
ALL RIGHT!

Audience:
ALL RIGHT!

NOW, SOMEBODY--
YEAH?

ANYBODY--
YEAH?

EVERYBODY SCREAM!

Voicemail: HEY,
YOU JUST REACHED JOEY.

LEAVE YOUR NAME AND NUMBER
AND I'LL PROMISE TO GET
RIGHT BACK WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.

( beeps )
HEY, JOEY.

IT'S JAY BERGER.
HOW ARE YOU?

LISTEN, I'VE BEEN CONTACTED
BY A FILM COMPANY THAT'S
DOING A DOCUMENTARY

ON THE 30-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
OF "RAPPER'S DELIGHT".

AND THEY WANT TO KNOW
IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE A PART
OF THE DOCUMENTARY

AND DISCUSS SUGARHILL
RECORDS' 30-YEAR INVOLVEMENT
WITH THE SUGARHILL GANG

AND WHAT'S HAPPENED
OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS.

UH, GIVE ME A CALL
AND LET ME KNOW.

I MEAN, THEY'RE WILLING
TO FILM IT ANYWHERE,
WHETHER IT'S IN YOUR OFFICE,

OR EVEN IF YOU WANT
TO COME TO MY OFFICE.

BUT GIVE ME A CALL BACK
AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN DOING IT.

HAVE A GOOD DAY.
TAKE CARE.
BYE-BYE.

* Y'ALL GONNA PARTY
WITH THE BIG BOYS *

* EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE
GONNA PLAY THIS *

WOW, THE 30th ANNIVERSARY
OF THE SUGARHILL GANG

AND "RAPPER'S DELIGHT".

I REMEMBER THE FIRST
TIME THAT I HEARD
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT",

'CAUSE I WAS A DJ,

AND THEY USED THAT CHIC
"GOOD TIMES" SAMPLE,

SO WE HAD BEEN ALREADY
CUTTIN' THAT RECORD UP
IN CLUBS.

AND THEN SUGARHILL CAME OUT,
AND I WAS LIKE,

"OKAY, THIS SOUNDS
PRETTY GOOD."

AND IT WAS KIND OF
A COMPILATION OF A LOT
OF--

SOME RHYMES THAT
I HAD HEARD BEFORE,

BUT SOME THAT I HAD NEVER
HEARD BEFORE,

BUT IT WAS ON--
IT WAS ON A RECORD.

AND I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME
IT GOT PLAYED ON THE RADIO,

AND WHEN I HEARD IT
ON THE RADIO,

I WAS LIKE, "OH,
THIS IS GONNA BE BIG."

IT MIGHT'VE BEEN
FRANKIE CROCKER

OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT
AT THAT TIME WHO PLAYED
THE RECORD.

AND I SAID, "WOW...
THEY'RE PLAYING THIS
RAP RECORD,

"AS LONG AS IT IS,
ON THE RADIO...

LIKE, A LOT."
AND I KNEW IT WAS
GONNA BE A BIG RECORD.

O'Brien: HERE WE GO!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...

1979!
GETTIN' READY TO DO IT
FOR YOUR MIND!

LET ME HEAR YOU SAY HEYO!

( audience cheers )

THAT'S IT.
HERE WE GO!

* PUT YOUR HANDS UP,
PUT YOUR HANDS UP *

* PUT YOUR HANDS UP,
PUT YOUR HANDS UP *

COME ON!
COME ON!

* PUT YOUR HANDS UP,
PUT YOUR HANDS UP *

WE GO ONE, TWO,
ONE, TWO, THREE...

Woman: HOW WAS
THE CROWD TONIGHT?
WAS IT GOOD?

IT'S A GREAT CROWD.
I MEAN, WELL, CROWDS--

WE'RE PLAYING ONLY
THE GREATEST RECORD
IN HIP HOP,

"RAPPER'S DELIGHT",
SO IT AIN'T LIKE YOU CAN
REALLY LOSE WITH THAT,

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

LIKE, RULE NUMBER ONE,
YOU KNOW, WHEN IN DOUBT,

IF THE REST DON'T WORK,
THAT'S WHAT YOU PLAY.
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT".

* HIP, HIP A HOP,
AND YOU DON'T STOP *

* TO THE BANG BANG BOOGIE,
SAY UP JUMP THE BOOGIE *

* TO THE RHYTHM
OF THE BOOGIE, THE BEAT *

SING IT!
* WHAT YOU HEAR
IS NOT A TEST *

* I'M RAPPIN'
TO THE BEAT *

* ME, THE GROOVE,
AND MY FRIENDS *

* ARE GONNA TRY
TO MOVE YOUR FEET *

* SEE, I AM
WONDER MIKE *

* AND I'D LIKE
TO SAY HELLO *

HAVE YOU GUYS
EVER HEARD OF THE
SUGARHILL GANG?

YES!
OF COURSE.
MELLE MEL.

ALL THOSE GUYS.
OF COURSE.

OF COURSE!
MASTER GEE, ALL OF 'EM.
YEAH.

* I SAID M-A-S-T-E-R,
A G WITH A DOUBLE-E *

* I GO BY THE
UNFORGETTABLE NAME *

* OF THE MAN
THEY CALL THE MASTER GEE *

* WELL, MY NAME IS KNOWN
ALL OVER THE WORLD *

* BY ALL THE FOXY LADIES
AND THE PRETTY GIRLS *

* I'M GOIN' DOWN
IN HISTORY *

* AS THE BADDEST LITTLE
RAPPER THERE COULD EVER BE *

Rome: WE TOOK WONDER MIKE
AND MASTER GEE

BACK TO THE SITES THAT WERE
INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT".

IT WAS A PRETTY
KNOWN THING THAT THERE
WAS A BIG BLACK GUY

FROM THE BRONX
THAT MADE PIZZAS
IN HERE...
RIGHT.

AND THEN HE'D RAP.
PEOPLE AROUND HERE
KNEW, THOUGH--

BUT IN THE BRONX,
THEY KNEW HANK
AS HANK.

OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT WAS JUST BRONX.
RIGHT.

YEAH, BUT HERE
IN ENGLEWOOD--

HE WAS KNOWN.
HE WAS THIS GUY
FROM THE BRONX

THAT RAPPED
AND MADE PIZZAS.

Rome: ONE OF WONDER MIKE'S
FELLOW EMCEES, CASPER,

WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
EMCEES APPROACHED BY
SYLVIA AND JOEY JR.

ONCE CASPER--
ONCE CASPER
TURNED 'EM DOWN.

ACROSS THE STREET,
TOO.

RIGHT.
RIGHT ACROSS
THE STREET.

JOEY PULLED
A U-TURN.

AND THEY BUSTED
A U-TURN, AND THEY
PARKED RIGHT HERE.

AND THEN OF COURSE,
THEY CAME AND BROUGHT
HIM OUT.

HE WAS IN THE CAR
A FEW MINUTES,

AND A FEW MINUTES AFTER
HE CAME IN THE CAR,

THAT'S WHEN I CAME
DOWN THE STREET.

I WAS COMING FROM
THIS DIRECTION,
WALKING WITH MARK GREEN,

AND THEN I HEAR THEM--
I OVERHEAR THEM TALKING.

I HEAR THEM TALKING
ABOUT DOING A RECORD.

"MY MOTHER'S LOOKING
FOR PEOPLE TO DO RECORDS"
AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.

AND I HEARD 'EM SAYING--
I HEARD MARK SAY,

"OH, YOU LOOKING FOR
PEOPLE WHO CAN RAP?"

SO HE LOOKED OVER
HERE AT ME,

TALKIN' ABOUT,
"MY MAN'S ALL RIGHT,

BUT YOU NEED
TO LISTEN TO MY MAN.
HE'S VICIOUS."

THEY WERE LIKE,
"COME ON OVER.
COME ON OVER."

SO, OF COURSE,
I GOT IN THE BACK
OF THE CAR,

AND, UM--
HANK WAS IN THE CAR.
HANK WAS IN THE CAR.

HE WAS IN THE CAR
WITH THE PIZZA STUFF
ALL OVER HIM

AND ALL OF THAT KINDA
THING, YOU KNOW?
YEAH.

( chuckles )

THEN THEY WAS LIKE,
"WELL, LET'S GO UP
TO THE HOUSE."

SO, WE ENDED UP GOIN'
UP TO SYLVIA'S HOUSE.

I WAS UP THERE, LIKE,
ACCOMPANYING MY DJ.

WE WENT UP THERE,
SAID, "YEAH, MRS. ROB,
I CAN RAP."

"YEAH, OKAY, I MEAN,
WHAT YOU GOT?"

* I SAID A HIP, HOP,
THE HIPPIE, THE HIPPIE *

STARTED DOIN' IT.

Rome: IT'S BEEN 30 YEARS
SINCE WONDER MIKE

AND MASTER GEE WALKED
THROUGH THOSE DOORS.

THE MANSION THAT
"PILLOW TALK" BOUGHT

WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FOR
THESE YOUNG GUYS FROM THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS.

THE ROBINSONS LIKED
TO PUT ON A SHOW
OF WEALTH--

"SEE WHAT I GOT?
MAYBE YOU CAN
GET IT, TOO."

WHEN THE MANSION
SERVED ITS PURPOSE,

THEY DUMPED IT
IN THE '90s FOR
A HANDSOME PROFIT.

JUST LIKE THEY DUMPED
THEIR ARTISTS.

HOW THE HELL DID I
END UP HERE?

OH, BOY.
WOW.

OUI, OUI.
DAMN.

YO, THIS IS A LITTLE
STRANGE.

I KNOW.

LET ME SEE
IF I GOT, UH...

WHAT IS IT, LIKE, 30...?

I HIT ONE
OF THESE DAMN
COLUMNS.

30 MINUTES AFTER I GOT...
OH, WOW.

OH, MY GOD.

I DIDN'T GO
IN HERE MUCH.

I NEVER WENT IN THERE.
ONE OF THESE ROOMS

WAS LIGHT GREEN...
THE SOLARIUM.

THIS WAS THE SOLARIUM
BACK THEN.

LIGHT GREEN VELVET
FURNITURE OR SOMETHING.

YEAH, THE SOLARIUM.

SEE, THEY GOT THIS HALL
TO TAKE YOU TO THE SOLARIUM.

WOW, THIS IS CRAZY.

THIS IS IT RIGHT HERE.
THAT SHOULD BE
THE ROOM RIGHT THERE.

IT'S RIGHT HERE, MIKE.

( inaudible )

IT'S CRAZY.
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D
BE BACK IN THIS ROOM.

ME NEITHER.
EVER...

AGAIN.
ME NEITHER.

HOW DOES
IT FEEL?
CRAZY.

IT'S LIKE, UH,
30 YEARS

KINDA JUST
WHIZZED BY.

I FEEL LIKE,
TO A CERTAIN
DEGREE,

I COULD FEEL
THAT ENERGY

THAT I FELT
THAT NIGHT

JUST KINDA BY
SITTIN' HERE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
I SPENT-- WE SPENT--

WE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE
FOR A WHILE AFTER THAT.

WE ATE HERE AND THIS
AND THAT,

SO A LOT-- THERE'S
A LOT OF SPIRITS
IN THIS ROOM.

WHEN WE WERE STANDING
IN THAT STAIRWAY,
I REMEMBER--

I REMEMBER SEEING
MR. ROB GO UP THOSE
STAIRS, YOU KNOW?

AND OF COURSE,
HE'S GONE, TOO,
NOW.

I WAS ALREADY UP HERE,
BUT WHEN GUY AND HANK
GOT UP HERE,

THEY WERE AT JUST
ABOUT THE SAME PLACE.

AND MRS. ROB WAS
STANDIN' IN THAT
CORNER,

I WAS SITTIN'
ABOUT RIGHT HERE,

AND AT ABOUT 2:00
IN THE MORNING,

MRS. ROB DECIDES,
"WELL, THAT WAS
PRETTY GOOD.

I THINK I'M GONNA USE
BOTH OF Y'ALL."
RIGHT.

AND SOMETHING TOLD ME--
"SPEAK THE HELL UP!"
( laughs )

I MEAN, YOU IN THIS BIG,
GIANT-ASS HOUSE,

AND YOU KNOW SHE USED
TO SING "PILLOW TALK".
RIGHT.

SO, YOU KNOW,
I'M NAIVE, I'M THINKING,
"WOW, ONE HIT RECORD,

YOU CAN BUY BIG
GIANT HOUSES."

SO-- I DIDN'T KNOW
NOTHIN' ABOUT THE MOMENTS,
NONE OF THAT.

SO I SAID,
"MRS. ROB,
I CAN RAP."

AND SHE SAID,
"WELL, LET ME HEAR
WHAT YOU GOT."

* I SAID A HIP, HOP,
THE HIPPIE *

* THE HIPPIE
TO THE HIP, HIP HOP... *

MAN, I STARTED GOING
THROUGH EVERYTHING.
MY REPERTOIRE.

I DID "THE CHICKEN
TASTES LIKE WOOD",
ALL OF THAT.

STARTED TALKING
ABOUT THE BOOKS,
HER DOG-- MUTTSY?

YEAH, MUTTSY.
OH, GOD.
THIS DOG.

HE DIDN'T HAVE FUR.
HE LOOKED LIKE
A WALKING HAIRBRUSH.

SHE LOVED THAT DOG,
THOUGH, BOY.

OH, MAN.
NO, LIKE A BARBEQUE
GRILL BRUSH, OR SOMETHING.

LIKE A BRILLO.
BUT SHE SAID,
"OH, MAN, I LIKE THAT."

YOU COME IN.
MM-HMM.

GUY SAID,
"M-A-S-T-E-R"...

"NOW, HANK,
YOU DO THE
'HOTEL-MOTEL'...

NOW, YOU GO BACK
TO THE 'HIP, HOP,
THE HIP'..."

AND WE WENT UNTIL
LIKE 4:00 AM

JUST DOIN' THAT
BACK AND FORTH.

SHE SAID, "WELL,
I'M NOT GONNA DECIDE
BETWEEN ALL Y'ALL.

"I'LL TELL YOU WHAT
I'M GONNA DO.

SHE DID, LIKE, THIS SHIT.
"I'M GONNA MARRY Y'ALL, YO.

MAKE ONE GROUP."
YUP.

AND IT WAS
"COME IN MONDAY AND
WE'LL START RECORDING."

'CAUSE THAT WAS
A FRIDAY NIGHT.
RIGHT, RIGHT.

FREESTYLING.
YEAH, I'M UP HERE--

I MEAN, I'M FREESTYLING.
I'M COMIN' OFF THE TOP
OF MY HEAD,

COMIN' OFF THE DOME,
SAYIN' THIS AND THAT,

COMIN'-- I'M GIVIN' UP
MY BEST STUFF.

AND EVERY TIME--
ELEGANZA.

YEAH, I MEAN,
IT'S MY THING,
RIGHT HERE.

AND EVERY TIME
I GIVE IT BACK
TO HIM,

HE KEPT SAYING
THE SAME THING!
( laughs )

SO, I'M THINKING,
WELL, OKAY...

MAYBE THAT'S HIS
BREAD AND BUTTER,

SO HE'S DOIN' IT
OVER AND OVER AGAIN,

BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE
THAT WAS WORKING.

BUT LIKE I SAID,
LATER ON, OF COURSE,
WE FOUND OUT--

THE REASON WHY HE KEPT
SAYING THE SAME THING
IS HE HAD NO RAPS.

HE WAS RECITING RAPS
THAT HE REMEMBERED.
RIGHT.

THAT HE HEARD
SOMEBODY ELSE DO.

* MY MAN HANK,
COME ON *

* HANK, SING THAT SONG *
* CHECK IT OUT *

* WELL, I'M IMP THE DIMP,
THE LADIES' PIMP *

* THE WOMEN FIGHT
FOR MY DELIGHT *

* BUT I'M THE GRANDMASTER
WITH THE THREE EMCEES *

I'M THE GRANDMASTER
WITH THE THREE EMCEES.
RIGHT.

LET ME SHOW YOU HOW--
LET ME SHOW HOW THIS
SHIT CAME--

HOW IT'S FUNNY, RIGHT?
FIRST OF ALL...

"I'M THE C-A-S-A-N-O-V-A"?

YOU'RE NOT THE C-A-S.
THAT WAS MY NAME.

CASANOVA FLY WAS MY NAME
BEFORE I SHORTENED IT
TO GRANDMASTER CAZ.

WHEN I WAS A B-BOY,
MY NAME WAS CASANOVA FLY.

SO, WHEN HANK
USED THE RHYME--

NOW, ANY EMCEE-- IF YOU
IN A REGULAR GHOST WRITING
SITUATION,

WHERE WE KNOW THAT THIS
IS GOING DOWN...
RIGHT.

I WOULD'VE SAID,
"ALL RIGHT,
FIX THIS, HANK.

"SAY 'I'M THE B-I-G
H-A-N-K'..."

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
RIGHT, RIGHT.

BUT HE WAS SO MUCH
NOT AN EMCEE,

HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ENOUGH
TO CHANGE THE SHIT TO PUT
HIS OWN NAME IN IT!

OH, BOY...
AND THE MOST IRONIC
PART IS, LIKE,

WHATEVER YOU DO
IN YOUR LIFETIME...

( all )
"YOU NEVER LET AN EMCEE
STEAL YOUR RHYME."

OH, MY GOD!
THAT'S THE CRAZIEST
PART OF THE WHOLE SHIT.

OKAY?
AND HE SAID SOME
STOLEN SHIT.

PEOPLE WHO KNOW
REAL HIP HOP,

THEY KNOW THAT
CAZ WROTE RA--

UH, HANK'S RHYME
IN "RAPPER'S DELIGHT."

SO, EVERYBODY
WHO THINKS--
EVERY... SINGLE...

WORD, LETTER,
PERIOD, COMMA...
RIGHT.

SO, EVERYBODY
THINK THAT--
YOU KNOW,

THAT MIKE AND GEE
DIDN'T WRITE THEIR
PART EITHER.

MIKE AND I,
WE WROTE EVERYTHING.

EVERYTHING THAT WE SAID
ON "RAPPER'S DELIGHT"
WAS WRITTEN--

HIS STUFF, HE WROTE
EVERY WORD.

MY STUFF, I WROTE
EVERY WORD.

I WANTED TO EXPLAIN
WHAT WE WERE DOING,

AND I BORROWED
A LITTLE SOMETHING FROM
THE OUTER LIMITS.

"SAY, NOW, WHAT YOU HEAR
IS NOT A TEST."

OKAY, WHAT IS IT?

"I'M RAPPIN'
TO THE BEAT."

WHO ARE YOU?
WHAT IS RAP?

"ME, THE GROOVE,
AND MY FRIENDS

ARE GONNA TRY
TO MOVE YOUR FEET."

NOW, THAT'S RHYTHMIC.
THAT'S, IN A NUTSHELL,

EXPLAINING
WHAT I'M DOING.

WELL, WHO THE HELL
ARE YOU?

"I AM WONDER MIKE,
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY
HELLO."

OH, WHAT'S UP, PLAYER?
AND IT WAS ALL GOOD
FROM THERE, BROTHER.

AND I PASSED THE MIC
TO HANK,

HE DID CAZ'S RHYME--
I MEAN, HE DID "HIS"
RHYME...

( chuckles )
NO, HE DID CAZ'S RHYMES.
KEEP IT REAL.

( music plays )

* CAZ, CAZ *

* WHO'S THE GRANDMASTER
WITH THE THREE EMCEES? *

* CAZ, CAZ *

* CHECK IT OUT *

* I'M THE C-A-S-A-N-O-V-A *

* AND THE REST IS F-L-Y *

* THE CAT WHO BIT THIS
RHYME WAS MY MANAGER *

* THE O.G.'S AND I
WILL TELL YOU WHY *

* 'CAUSE HE'S SIX FOOT ONE,
TWO TIMES A BUCK *

* HE CAN'T DRESS
TO A T *

* HE AIN'T GOT NO CLOTHES,
MUCH LESS NO HOES *

* HE AIN'T EVEN
NO EMCEE, WORD *

* NO BODYGUARDS
AND NO TWO CARS *

* LINCOLN
AND A CADILLAC *

* HE SAT UP
IN THE STALLS *

* WHILE THEY WERE
SHOOTIN' SOME BALL *

* THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
HE PROBABLY PAID FOR THAT *

* WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL,
HE THOUGHT I WAS COOL *

* AND THAT WAS
REALLY OFF THE WALL *

* HE MADE A DEAL WITH
THE SUGARHILL GANG TO RAP *

* AND WEEKS LATER
GAVE ME A CALL *

* HE SAID, "I NEED SOME RHYMES
TO RAP ON GOOD TIMES" *

* I SAID, "WHY?
YOU AIN'T NO EMCEE" *

* HE SAYS THESE PEOPLE
IN JERSEY GOT TWO *

* BUT THE GUY NEEDED
A THIRD SO THEY PICKED ME *

* I GAVE IT TO
MY MANAGER *

* NO CREDIT CARD,
NO MONEY *

* THAN THE SUCKER
COULD EVER SPEND *

* BUT I NEVER MADE MY MILLION
ON WHAT I COMPOSED *

* HE WAS SUPPOSED
TO BE MY FRIEND *

YEAH, THAT WAS HANK.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

THE REST OF THESE CATS,
THEY WAS EMCEES AT
THE TIME, SO--

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
THEY WAS JUST DOING
WHAT THEY WAS DOING.

IT'S THE OTHER NIGGA
THAT ROBBED ME,
ALL RIGHT?

TRUTH!
HE'S THE ONE WHO
TOOK MY LYRICS

AND SANG THEM ON THE SONG
LIKE THEY WAS HIS OWN
LYRICS, OKAY?

BUT NOW-- NOW, THINGS
HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE,

AND HE'S OUT
AND I'M BACK IN.

I'M IN, YOU UNDERSTAND
WHAT I'M SAYING?

AND WE GONNA DO THIS THE
WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE!

YOU KNOW HE
DID WRONG.
THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU KNOW YOU DID WRONG,
AND YOU PERPETRATED

ONE OF THE BIGGEST FRAUDS
IN THE HISTORY OF HIP HOP.

YOU SULLIED THE REPUTATION
OF YOUR WHOLE GROUP.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
AND, WITH "RAPPER'S DELIGHT"
BEIN' THE FIRST OF ITS KIND,

TO HAVE THOSE KIND
OF DARK SHADOWS
BEHIND IT...

WITH JOEY AND THE COMPANY,
AND HANK'S CHICANERY
AND SHIT--

IT JUST CASTS A FUCKIN'
BAD SHADOW

ON SOMETHING THAT WAS,
YOU KNOW, MOMENTOUS!

EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

WE-- WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE
BEEN THE SUGARHILL GANG.

THAT'S WHAT
I'M SAYING.
WHAT MANAGER--

WHO HAS ONE OF THE
BEST RAPPERS OR EMCEES
IN THE GAME,

IS NOT GONNA TELL YOU,
"WELL, LISTEN,
I DON'T RAP,

"BUT I REPRESENT.
I'M THE MANAGER

OF ONE OF THE BADDEST
CATS OUT THERE!"

THAT'S WHAT HE WAS
SUPPOSED TO DO!

THAT'S WHAT HE WAS
SUPPOSED TO DO.

MY NAME NEVER CAME UP
IN SUGARHILL.

WHY NOT?
WHY NOT?

WELL, IT IS
A PERFECT MATCH,
YOU KNOW--

THE ROBINSONS' FATE...
THE COMPANY'S FATE.

BUT LIKE I'M SAYING,
Y'ALL WASN'T FAKE.

AND "RAPPER'S DELIGHT"
AIN'T FAKE, YOU KNOW
WHAT I'M SAYING?

IT'S A MOMENTOUS RECORD.
IT'S MONUMENTAL.

IT'S THE FIRST,
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

AND-- AND SAY WHAT YOU WANT,
WHETHER IT'S THE GOODEST--

AND I WAS ITS WORST
CRITIC AT ONE TIME,

BUT I WASN'T CRITICIZING
THE RECORD OR THE GROUP.

I WAS CRITICIZING HANK,
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M
SAYING?

'CAUSE IN ALL ACTUALITY,
ME, MIKE, AND GEE

IS SUPPOSED TO BE
THE SUGARHILL GANG.

GRANDMASTER CAZ!
COME ON, CAZ!

* I'M C-A-S-A-N-O-V-A,
AND THE REST IS F-L-Y *

* YOU SEE, I GO BY THE CODE
OF THE DOCTOR OF THE MIX *

* AND THESE REASONS
I'LL TELL YOU WHY *

* I'M SIX-FOOT-ONE
AND I'M TONS OF FUN *

* AND I DRESS TO A T *

* GOT MORE CLOTHES
THAN MUHAMMAD ALI *

* AND I DRESS
SO VICIOUSLY *

* I GOT BODYGUARDS,
I GOT TWO BIG CARS *

* THAT DEFINITELY
AIN'T WACK *

* I GOT A LINCOLN
CONTINENTAL *

* AND A SUNROOFED
CADILLAC *

* SO, AFTER SCHOOL,
I TAKE A DIP IN THE POOL *

* WHICH IS REALLY
ON THE WALL *

* I GOT A COLOR TV
SO I CAN SEE *

* THE KNICKS
PLAY BASKETBALL *

* HEAR ME TALKIN' ABOUT
CHECKBOOKS *

* CREDIT CARDS,
MO' MONEY *

* THAN A SUCKER
COULD EVER SPEND *
EVERYBODY!

* BUT I WOULDN'T GIVE
A SUCKER *

* OR A BUM FROM
THE RUCKER *

* NOT A DIME
TILL I MADE IT AGAIN *

* EVERYBODY GO,
HO-TEL, MO-TEL *

* WHAT YOU GONNA DO TODAY?
(SAY WHAT?) *

* GONNA GET A FLY GIRL,
GONNA GET SOME SPANK *

* DRIVE OFF
IN A DEF O.J. *

* EVERYBODY GO,
HO-TEL, MO-TEL, HOLIDAY INN *

* AND IF YOUR GIRL
STARTS ACTIN' UP *

* THEN YOU TAKE
HER FRIEND *

NOW, I'M DOWN
WITH THE WRITERS.

I'M DOWN WITH THE WRITERS.
I DON'T HAVE NO LOVE
FOR JOEY,

( laughs )
NO LOVE FOR HANK,
NO LI'L STOOKY, SHOOKY--

WHATEVER NOBODY
OVER THERE.
I DON'T KNOW THEM.

THEY DON'T KNOW ME
AND THEY DON'T CARE
ABOUT ME,

AND I DON'T CARE
ABOUT THEM.

AS FAR AS THIS RECORD
IS CONCERNED, THIS IS
OUR RECORD.

BUT I NEVER,
NEVER MAKE EXCUSES

FOR BEING THERE
AT THE RIGHT TIME,
BECAUSE AT THE TIME,

I WAS ASSED OUT.

ASSED OUT!
( laughs )

YO, WHEN WE RECORDED
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT",

I WAS GONNA GET MY
SLEEPING PLACE IN THE PARK.

AFTER "RAPPER'S DELIGHT"
WAS RECORDED.

AND I-- GODDAMN IT,

I SAID I WASN'T GONNA
SAY THAT SHIT IN THIS
THING,

BUT THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED.

I WAS HUNGRY THAT DAY, B.
I WAS NOT GOING BACK
TO THE PARK.

BUT WE FOUND OUT
AT ONE OF THESE SHOWS--

HE WAS DOING
AN INTERVIEW,

AND THE GUY SAID,
"WHERE'S MIKE AND GEE?"

AND HE SAID,
"OH, THEY DIED."

WOW.
THAT'S DIRTY AS HELL.

THAT CHAPTER OF OUR LIFE
IS DONE.

IF I LIVE TO BE 90
YEARS OLD,

I WILL NEVER
BE IN A GROUP

WITH HANK JACKSON
AGAIN.

O'Brien: YOU KNOW,

IT WASN'T REALLY
HEAVILY PRODUCED.

YOU KNOW,
LIKE THE SONGS
LATER ON--

IT WASN'T EVEN
PRODUCED, REALLY.
NO.

REALLY, IT WAS KINDA
LIKE THEY JUST WANTED

TO HEAR WHAT WE WERE
GONNA DO.

WE GOT THERE,
TOOK OFF OUR
JACKETS,

WENT IN THAT BIG ROOM.
NO BOOTHS.

NO PARTITIONS.
NOTHIN'.

JUST THREE MICS SET UP
NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

AND HEADPHONES.
THREE MICS,
THREE HEADPHONES.

I WAS TO THE LEFT,

HANK WAS IN
THE MIDDLE,

AND GUY WAS ON
THE RIGHT.
YEP.

Man: AND YOU
JUST RECORDED
THAT ONE SONG.

YEP.
YEAH.

THE SONG IS 15
MINUTES LONG,

AND WE RECORDED
THE VOCALS
IN 17 MINUTES.

WE ONLY STOPPED
ONE TIME, AND THAT
WAS WHEN, UH...

I PASSED IT TO HANK
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
RIGHT.

"COME ON, HANK,
SING THAT SONG."

HE WAS SO MENTALLY
SHARP, HE...
HE DIDN'T GET IT.

WHICH IS ANOTHER
TELL-TALE SIGN

THAT HE WASN'T
A RAPPER.

I'M PASSING IT
TO YOU, BRO!
BECAUSE WHEN--

BECAUSE WHEN--
WHEN I FINISHED,

I PASSED IT BACK
TO HIM,

AND HE KEPT GOING
BECAUSE WE KNEW

THAT THAT'S HOW YOU
GOT THE MIC TO
THE NEXT PERSON.

BUT WHEN WE PASSED IT
TO HANK, HE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT TO DO.

THE END OF
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT"

IS NOT THE END
OF THAT RECORDING--
THAT VOCAL SESSION.

IT GOES ON FOR ABOUT
ANOTHER MINUTE, BUT IT'S
FADED OUT BEFORE THAT.

YEAH, THEY FADED IT.
BUT THERE WAS NO
STOPPING

TO DIRECT US
OR PRODUCE US--

NOTHING.
NOTHING.
AND, AND--

PUSH RECORD,
AFTER HANK STARTED...
FINISHED.

IT'S BULLSHIT.
HER NAME AND THEIR NAME
IS ON EVERYTHING.

AND THEY DIDN'T WRITE A WORD.
THEY DIDN'T WRITE A STITCH.

OR CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING
TO THE RECORD.
RIGHT.

OR ANY OF THE RECORDS,
FOR THAT MATTER, AS FAR
AS I KNOW.

I KNOW THEY AIN'T WRITE
NONE OF FLASH AND THAT
SHIT.

NO, NO WAY.
THEY KNOW WHO WROTE
ALL THAT.

EXACTLY.
SO WHY IS HER NAME
ON EVERY RECORD?

I DIDN'T EVEN
GET MY NAME ON
SOME OF THAT SHIT.

OKAY, SO WHY IS
SYLVIA ROBINSON'S NAME
ON EVERYTHING?

OR JOEY.
OR JOEY'S, NOW.

Rome: SUGARHILL RECORDS
NEVER CONTACTED NILE RODGERS

AND BERNARD EDWARDS,
WHO WROTE THE SONG
"GOOD TIMES"

WHICH WAS THE TRACK UNDER
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT".

AFTER THE ATTORNEYS
TALKED,

JOE SR. HAD GIVEN AWAY
THE WRITERS' CREDITS

TO NILE AND BERNARD
WITHOUT EVER CONSULTING

WITH MASTER GEE
AND WONDER MIKE.

IF YOU BUY A RECORD
OF "RAPPER'S DELIGHT"
TODAY,

YOU WON'T SEE
THE ORIGINAL WRITERS
CREDITED.

THIS HAD A DEVASTATING
EFFECT ON GUY AND MIKE.

THIS WHOLE ISSUE
WITH JOEY...

I HEARD FROM WHAT SOMEBODY
SAID TO SOMEBODY

THAT HE'S PUT SOMEBODY
OUT ON THE STREET,
HE WANTS TO COME AT ME,

'CAUSE HE THINKS THAT
IF HE CAN SHUT ME DOWN,

HE'S GONNA SHUT THEM DOWN.

MY CONCERN-- NOT THAT
I'M WORRIED ABOUT
WHAT HE CAN DO.

BUT SOMEBODY LIKE THAT,
WHO'S DESPERATE,

I DUNNO WHO HE'S
GONNA TALK TO,
OR WHO HE MIGHT SAY,

"LOOK, DO ME A FAVOR.
HERE'S, YOU KNOW,

"HERE'S A STACK
OR SOMETHING.

GO DO SOMETHING AND TALK
TO THIS GUY ED ALBOWITZ."

AND I'M WORRIED
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF
I'M OUT WITH THE GUYS,

WE'RE DOING A SHOW,
MAYBE WE HAVE AN
INTERVIEW SOMEWHERE,

AND IT CAUSES
A BIGGER DISTURBANCE
THAN IT SHOULD.

NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
WE GET BAD PUBLICITY,

AND THE GUYS DON'T
NEED IT, YOU KNOW?

AND YOU FEEL THAT
THEY'VE RETALIATED

BECAUSE THERE'S TWO
SUGARHILL GANGS?
RIGHT.

*

FOR SOME REASON,
THE ROCK AND ROLL
HALL OF FAME

WANTED A SUGARHILL
GANG TO PERFORM,

BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
THEY DIDN'T GET THE
REAL SUGERHILL GANG.

WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHO PERFORMED,

WE DON'T KNOW IF ANY
ORIGINAL MEMBER
WAS THERE,

BUT WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT
WONDER MIKE AND MASTER GEE
WERE NOT THERE.

SO, THE ROCK AND ROLL
HALL OF FAME

GAVE CREDENCE
TO A FAKE GROUP.

EXACTLY, BUT WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO--

LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE
THIS DOCUMENTARY

EXPLAINING WHAT THEY'VE
GONE THROUGH

WITH THIS NEW MUSIC
THAT'S COMING OUT.

WE BELIEVE IT'S GONNA
HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL

AND HAPPY ENDING,
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

BUT WE WANTED TO SEE
IF IT WAS POSSIBLE

JUST TO GET THE ROCK
AND ROLL HALL OF FAME'S
TAKE ON THE SITUATION,

AND EVEN SEE IF THERE
WAS AN OPPORTUNITY--

YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE
TO PROVE TO YOU

THAT THERE WAS NO
LEGAL RAMIFICATION
ON YOUR PART,

TO MAYBE HAVE THE GUYS,
YOU KNOW--

THE ABILITY TO POSSIBLY
PERFORM THERE AT SOME POINT.

Terry: OH, WELL,
WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.

*

* MIKE D, I NEED
TO GET YOUR HANDS UP *

* COME ON,
HUH, UH, UH *

* RIGHT HERE, I NEED
TO GET YOUR HANDS UP *

* COME ON, UH,
COME ON, UH *

* MIKE D, I NEED
TO GET YOUR HANDS UP *

THEY DESERVE IT.
I MEAN, THEY PUT IN
THAT WORK--

OPENED SO MANY DOORS
FOR HIP HOP AS A WHOLE,
MAN.

IT'S LIKE, IF THEY DON'T
DESERVE TO BE THERE,
I DON'T KNOW WHO DOES.

FOR THE ROCK AND ROLL
HALL OF FAME--

I KNOW THAT JOEY
AND HIS PEOPLE HAVE
BEEN IN CONTACT

WITH THE ROCK AND ROLL
HALL OF FAME

IN AN EFFORT
TO DISINTEREST THEM

FROM HOLDING THE EVENT--
THE TRIBUTE WEEKEND.

JOEY'S REPUTATION
PRECEDES HIM,

AND PEOPLE,
WHEN THEY HEAR ABOUT
THE SUGARHILL GANG,

OR WHEN WE'RE ATTEMPTING
TO MAKE CONNECTIONS,

OR HAVE EVENTS, OR EVEN
ARTISTS THAT WE'RE TRYING
TO BOOK FOR THE EVENT,

IT'S LIKE, "WELL,
THE SUGARHILL GANG
WASN'T INTERESTED IN US."

OR, "YOU GUYS CAUSED
TROUBLE IN THE PAST,

SO WE'RE REALLY NOT
TRYING TO BE ASSOCIATED."

AND IT'S LIKE, WELL,
JOEY IS HIS OWN PERSON,
AND WE ARE OUR OWN SET.

SO, TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY
TO UNDERSTAND THAT...

IT'S TWO SEPARATE THINGS...
IS REALLY HARD.

Rome: DESPITE ALL
THE COURT CASES
AND OBSTACLES,

WONDER MIKE AND MASTER GEE
CONTINUED TO PERFORM
AND CREATE NEW MUSIC.

THERE WAS ALSO
A 30th ANNIVERSARY
TRIBUTE CONCERT

TO BE PERFORMED
AT GUY'S HIGH SCHOOL.

THE BAND OFFERED
TO TEACH A MASTER CLASS

AND PERFORM THE CONCERT
FOR FREE.

IT WAS CANCELLED
BY THE ENGLEWOOD
BOARD OF EDUCATION

AT THE LAST MINUTE
BECAUSE IT COST TOO MUCH.

Wildes:
I'M-- I'M DISAPPOINTED
IN THEIR JUDGMENT.

THE SUGARHILL GANG
IS AN EXPERIENCE

THAT WAS BORN AND BRED
WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS
OF ENGLEWOOD.

TO NOT AFFORD THE YOUTH
OF OUR COMMUNITY

THE OPPORTUNITY
TO MEET THEM FIRSTHAND

AND TO SEE
A SUCCESS STORY--

A SNAPSHOT OF AMERICA,
IF YOU WOULD--

IS JUST INEXCUSABLE
AND POLITICAL.

Berger:
JOEY DECIDED TO BRING
A LIST OF PROBABLY 10
OR 15 PROMOTERS

INTO THE LAWSUIT--
PROMOTERS THAT BOOK US,

AND SUE THEM
FOR BOOKING US.

AND THAT PRETTY MUCH
SHUT US DOWN.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
NOVEMBER, DECEMBER,

JANUARY, FEBRUARY--
IT'S BEEN DRY SEASON
TO THE POINT

WHERE YOU HAVE FOUR GUYS
AND THEY'RE NOT BRINGING
IN INCOME.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN
TIMES WE'VE SAT DOWN

AND HAD TO HAVE
A REAL DISCUSSION
ABOUT "WHAT DO WE DO?"

DO WE PUT IT ON HOLD?
AND EVERYBODY TRIES
TO FIGURE OUT--

GET ANOTHER JOB,
TRY TO FIGURE OUT
A WAY TO MAKE MONEY?

AND I THINK WE'VE
BEEN VERY LUCKY.
GOD'S BLESSED US.

HE'S BEEN ON OUR SIDE
AND HE'S ALLOWED US

SOME WAY TO FIND A WAY
TO GET THROUGH IT,

WHETHER GUY HAS TO BORROW
FROM A FRIEND MONEY TO PAY
HIS MORTGAGE

ON HIS HOUSE IN L.A.,
OR WHETHER, YOU KNOW,

MIKE'S GOTTA BORROW
A FEW BUCKS TO BE ABLE
TO GO BUY GROCERIES.

I GOTTA TELL YOU,
WHEN I TOLD MY FRIENDS

THAT I WAS GONNA HAVE
THE SUGARHILL GANG

AT MY "KISS CANCER
GOODBYE" EVENT,

EVERYBODY STARTED
SINGING THE LYRICS
BACK TO ME.

* HIP, HOP,
THE HIPPIE *

WE ARE SO EXCITED
TO HAVE THEM HERE,

BECAUSE WE GREW UP
ON THEM, AND I--

WE JUST CAN'T BELIEVE
THAT THEY CAME TO MY
EVENT IN KINNELON.

( cheering )

T. Dynasty:
TELL ME SOMETHING!
WHEN I SAY SUGAR,

Y'ALL SAY HILL!
SUGAR!

Audience: HILL!
SUGAR!

HILL!
WHEN I SAY SUGAR,
BABY,

Y'ALL SAY HILL.
SUGAR!

HILL!

SUGAR!
HILL!

Y'ALL GIVE IT UP FOR
THE ONE AND THE ONLY--

ORIGINAL SUGARHILL GANG!

( cheers )

WHAT'S UP, Y'ALL?
I'M THE MASTER GEE.

THAT'S WONDER MIKE.
THAT'S HEN DIGGITY.

THAT'S MY MAN
T. DYNASTY.

COME ON!
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.

* LA LA
LA LA LA LA *

THIS IS A NEW SONG
WE DOIN' IN L.A. AND
ALL OVER THE WORLD.

COME ON,
DO IT, DO IT!

PUT YOUR HANDS UP!

I AM MASTER GEE
OF THE SUGARHILL GANG,

AND I'M HERE TO DO
THE "LALA" VIDEO

WITH MY MAN BOB SINCLAR.

WHAT'S HAPPENIN', MAN?
THIS IS HEN DOGG.

SUGARHILL GANG, BABY.

AH, ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY.
BOB SINCLAR.

OH, YEAH, WE GOIN'
BACK IN THE DAY, PLAYERS.
IT'S ALL GOOD, COME ON.

Rome: IT QUICKLY ROSE
TO NUMBER ONE

IN A NUMBER
OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

THEY TRIED TO FIND
A U.S. DISTRIBUTOR,
WITHOUT ANY LUCK.

UM, SERGIO AND JOE

ARE PROMOTION-MARKETING
GUYS THAT WORK WITH ME

ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PROJECTS, 'CAUSE WE'RE
ALL INDEPENDENT,

AND I SAID
THE SONG WAS GREAT.
I SENT IT TO SERGIO,

HE LOVED IT,
AND WE TOLD ED,
BASICALLY,

THAT WE SHOULD DO
A LITTLE PROMOTION ON IT

AND START WORKING IT
TO THE DJ PANELS.

Berinato: THE LAST SONG
THEY HAD ON ANY CHART--

THE HOT 100
OR THE BILLBOARD
CLUB CHART--

WAS IN 1982 WITH A SONG
CALLED "APACHE".

WE'RE GOIN' NUMBER ONE.
WE'RE GONNA GO
NUMBER ONE.

WE'RE GOIN'.
WE'RE GOIN' FOR NUMBER ONE.

IF IT'S THE SECOND WEEK
AT THE TOP THAT THEY DO--

IT'S A GOOD SIGN.
THAT'S A REALLY
GOOD SIGN.

Rome: "LALA SONG" WAS
GUY AND MIKE'S FIRST
HIT IN 25 YEARS.

* THEY START TO GO
DELIRIOUS *

* WORK IT,
LET'S WORK IT *

* LET'S WORK IT,
WORK IT, WORK IT *

* NOW SOMEBODY,
ANYBODY, EVERYBODY SCREAM! *

* LA LA
LA LA LA LA *

* LA LA LA *

* YEAH, JUST DO IT,
DO IT, DO IT *

* LA LA LA
LA LA LA *

* ALL RIGHT,
NOW SOMEBODY *

* ANYBODY,
EVERYBODY SCREAM *

* LA LA LA LA
(YEAH) *

* NOW, WAVE YOUR HANDS
FROM SIDE TO SIDE *

* HEY, HO,
HEY, HO *

* HEY, HO, HEY, HO *

* JUST ON AND ON
AND ON AND ON *

* I LIKE THAT,
WE LIKE THAT *

* OH, HERE,
COME ON *

* ONE, TWO,
THREE, FOUR *

* STEP ON UP
TO THE MASTER GEE SHOW *

* ONCE UPON A TIME,
NOT LONG AGO *

* WHEN THERE WAS
NO RAP STARS ON TV SHOWS *

* NO MOVIE DEAL,
COMMERCIALS *

* RUSSELL SIMMONS WAS
JUST STARTIN' TO GROW *

* IN THEM DAYS WHEN
YOU TOOK UP THE ART *

* YOU DID IT SECOND
FOR THE MONEY *

* AND FIRST
FOR THE HEART *

* BACK THEN YOU HAD
TO BE A TRUE BELIEVER *

* EVERYONE HUNG
AT DISCO FEVER... *

Rome: "LALA SONG"
WAS RELEASED IN
THE U.S. MARKETS

WITH NO BUDGET.
IT CLIMBED THE CHARTS

'CAUSE THE DJs
LOVED THE BEATS

AND IT MADE PEOPLE DANCE
AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT
THEMSELVES.

* THIS SONG IS DEDICATED
TO THE FACT *

* THAT YOU GOT TO RECOGNIZE
THE PIONEERS OF RAP *

* LA LA
LA LA LA LA *

* LA LA LA *

* YEAH, JUST DO IT,
DO IT, DO IT *

* LA LA
LA LA LA LA *

* ALL RIGHT, DOG,
COME ON! *

* NOW SOMEBODY, ANYBODY,
EVERYBODY SCREAM! *

* LA LA LA
LA LA LA *

* YEAH, JUST DO IT,
DO IT, DO IT *

* ROCK THAT BODY,
MOVE THAT BODY *

* MOVE THAT BODY,
COME ON *

* LA LA LA
LA LA LA *

* JUST ON AND ON
AND ON AND ON *

* I LIKE THAT,
YEAH *

* YEAH... *

*

Rome: THE JUDGE WAS
TO DECIDE WHETHER
THE ROBINSONS

COULD NOT ONLY OWN
THE TRADEMARK

ON THE NAME
THE SUGARHILL GANG,

BUT ALSO THE TRADEMARK
ON THE INDIVIDUAL NAMES

MASTER GEE
AND WONDER MIKE.

GUY AND MIKE AND THE BAND
WERE IN DESPERATE NEED
OF MONEY,

AND IN DANGER OF HAVING
THEIR UPCOMING EUROPEAN
TOUR CANCELLED.

THE GUYS WERE BUSTED.

THE EUROPEAN TOUR
WAS STARTING AT
THE END OF THE WEEK.

JOEY THREATENED TO HAVE
THE TOUR CANCELLED.

COME ON, MAN, LOOK
AT THE THREE ALBUMS.

JOEY WAS NEVER A MEMBER
OF THE SUGARHILL GANG.

JOEY'S STRATEGY
WORKED PERFECTLY.

HIM AND HIS ATTORNEYS WOULD
STRING IT OUT IN COURT,

WAIT FOR YOU
TO RUN OUT OF MONEY,

AND THEN GET YOU TO
SETTLE WITHOUT A TRIAL.

THIS IS THE FIRST VOICE
EVER HEARD ON A RAP RECORD

ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!

BECAUSE YOU GOT
TO UNDERSTAND,

SUGARHILL GANG
IS THE FIRST GROUP

EVER TO PUT OUT
A RAP HIT ANYWHERE!

( cheers )

SO, DO ME A FAVOR

AND SHOW YOUR LOVE
FOR MY MAIN MAN,
WONDER MIKE!

Wright:
NOW, RIGHT THERE,

WE GOT THE MAN HOLDIN'
IT DOWN, WILL GUARANTEE
YOU'LL BREAK IT DOWN.

AND ACCORDING TO LEGEND,

HE'S A DEMON ON THE MIC!

AND ACCORDING TO
THE BIG-ASS RECORD
"RAPPER'S DELIGHT",

HE GOES BY THE NAME--

HE GOES BY THE NAME--
HE GOES BY THE NAME--

* OF THE M-A-S-T-E-R,
A G WITH A DOUBLE-E *

SHOW SOME LO-LO-LOVE

TO THE MASTER GEE!

( cheers, applause )

*

* FILTHY ROCKING! *

* BACK IN '79 WHEN
I FIRST SPIT ON A RECORD *

* I THOUGHT I'D
GET SOME SHINE *

* AND BE STACKIN'
UP THE CAKE *

* BUT THE LABEL
THAT I SIGNED WITH *

* WAS GRIMEY
AND SHYSTY *

* SMILIN' AT MY FACE *

* BUT THEY WAS DIRTY
OUT THE GATE *

* STARTED ALL RIGHT,
EVERYTHING WAS COPACETIC *

( inaudible )

* MY POCKETS WERE JAMMED *

* JEWELRY SPORTING
ON EVERY HAND *

* LIKE A HARD DAY'S NIGHT,
WE WAS CHASED BY THE FANS *

* LIKE ROLLING STONES, BABY,
ROCKING THIS HEAT *

* TRY TO MAKE US STOP,
THEY GET HELL TO BEAT *

* TRY TO TAKE OUR LEGACY
AND LIVE OUR DREAM *

* DON'T YOU EVEN TRY
TO FUCK ME *

* 'CAUSE YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN *

* (WHOO!)
I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* YOU GONNA GIVE ME
MY NAME *

* THIS TIME, WE PUSHIN'
BRAND-NEW RHYMES *

* HOLLERIN' AT THE CUTIES
ON THE 1-2-5th *

* (HEY, YEAH)
PASSIN' A HARD HIT *

* FRESH CUTS
LINED UP *

* CHALKY OUTLINE
UNDER IT *

* WE ROCK DICK CLARK,
WE ROCK THE SOUL TRAIN *

* WE WENT AROUND THE WORLD
ON THIS HIP HOP THING *

* THREE YOUNG BROTHERS
GETTIN' DEEP WITH THE GAME *

* BUT WHERE THE HELL'S
THE PAPER *

* WHEN YOUR CHECKS
CAME, HUH? *

* OH, MY,
COLD SHOULDER *

* HE WAS PLOTTIN'
AND SCHEMIN' *

* TRIED TO PICK US OFF *

* THEY GETTIN' FAT
OFF THE GREED *

* TRY TO TAKE
OUR LEGACY *

* AND LIVE OUR DREAM *

* DON'T YOU EVEN
TRY TO FUCK US *

* 'CAUSE YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN *

* OH! *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* YOU GONNA GIVE ME
MY NAME *

* AS FOR ME AND GEE,
WE FOUND A WHOLE NEW CREW *

* HEN DOGG, T. DYNASTY
AND THE NOIZE, TOO *

* WE HIT IT HARD
WHEN WE KICK IT *

* LIKE WE KICK IT
ON THIS TUNE *

* AND NOW WE FIGHTIN'
FOR THE NAME, TOO *

* SO DAMN *

* THAT'S RIGHT,
TRY TO GET ON *

* MIMICKING THE HITS THAT
ME AND GEE ALREADY SPIT ON *

* HAD TO CUT OFF
BUT OUR DJ'S REAL, SON *

* THE FAKE PERPETRATOR
IS A RAT IN THE DUNG *

* COLD SHOULDER, AND HE'S
PLOTTIN' AND SCHEMIN' *

* TRIED TO PICK US OFF *

* THEY GETTIN' FAT
OFF THE GREED *

* TRY TO TAKE
OUR LEGACY *

* AND STEAL OUR DREAM *

* DON'T YOU EVEN
TRY TO FUCK US *

* 'CAUSE YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* YOU GONNA GIVE ME
MY NAME *

* WHOO! *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* YOU GONNA GIVE ME
MY NAME *

OH, YES...

NOW, THAT'S THAT
FUNKY STUFF.

* CAN'T GET ENOUGH *

* OF THAT FUNKY STUFF *

NOW, CHECK IT OUT.

WHEN I WROTE
THIS SONG,

I HAD TO GET A LOT
OFF MY CHEST

ABOUT A 33-YEAR BATTLE

WITH THIS DAMN
RECORD COMPANY.

NOW, IT'S CALLED
"I WANT MY NAME BACK",
OF COURSE,

AND WHEN WE DID THE SONG--
DID THE DOCUMENTARY,

WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF
OFF OUR CHESTS.

IT WAS VERY CATHARTIC.

NOW, IN THIS WORLD
TODAY,

EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM,
IN THIS STATE, COUNTRY,

AND ON THIS PLANET,

IS GOING THROUGH
SOMETHING.

EVERYBODY'S FIGHTING
THE BIG GUY.

IT'S THE LITTLE GUY
AGAINST THE BIG GUY.

WE DIDN'T GIVE UP.
WE DON'T WANT YOU
TO GIVE UP.

I WANT US TO GEL--

STRENGTHEN OUR
SOLIDARITY IN OUR
OWN PERSONAL FIGHT.

AND NOW I SAY
THAT TO SAY THIS.
CHECK IT OUT.

IF YOU LOST
YOUR HOME,

YOU WANT
YOUR HOME BACK.

IF YOU LOST
YOUR COLLAR, YOUR JOB--

YOU WANT THEM BACK.

YOU MIGHT'VE LOST
YOUR HUSBAND OR WIFE

IN SOME KIND OF AFFAIR.
YOU WANT THEM BACK.

YOU'RE FIGHTIN'
WITH YOUR KIDS AND
YOU WANT THEM BACK.

EVERYBODY WANTS
SOMETHING BACK.

WELL, WE'RE GONNA
HAVE YOU SING THE HOOK
TO THE SONG.

BUT INSTEAD OF PUTTIN'
YOUR BUSINESS OUT
ON THE STREET,

WHATEVER YOU WANT BACK,
JUST REPLACE IT WITH
THE WORD "NAME".

"I WANT MY NAME BACK."

NOW, CHECK IT OUT.
ALL YOU GOTTA DO
IS FOLLOW US, BABY.

WE GONNA SHOW YOU HOW
TO GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST
AND AIR IT OUT.

GIMME THAT MUSIC.
AW, YEAH.

CHECK IT...

* I WANT MY NAME BACK! *

* COME ON, SING IT *
Audience:
* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* YEAH, YEAH, YEAH,
I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* SING! *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

WHOO!
I LOVE IT.

* I WANT MY NAME BACK,
SING! *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

WHOO!

* I WANT MY NAME BACK,
SING! *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

WHOO!

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

KEEP ON SINGING!

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

* I WANT MY NAME BACK *

WHOO!

* I WANT MY NAME BACK! *
( song ends )