Hip Hop Firsts: 10 Rappers That Made History

1. Kurtis Blow

He became the first rapper to sign a major label record deal (Mercury) and the first rapper to appear on national television (Soul Train).

2. Nicki Minaj

She is the first female MC to chart three successive songs in Billboard’s Top 10 R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list.

3. MC Happer

Hammer is the first rapper to have an album go Diamond.

4. The SugarHill Gang

The Sugarhill Gang anthem is known as the first rap song to get radio play and the first Hip-Hop single to become a Top 40 hit on Billboard.

6. Outkast

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“Hey Ya” became the first song in iTunes’ history to reach one million downloads, making it the first song to achieve platinum status online.

7. Jay Z

In 2009, Jay passed Elvis Presley as the solo artist who has had the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, with 11.

8. Three 6 Mafia

They became the first Hip-Hop group to win an Academy Award for ‘Best Original Song’ with the track, “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp” from the film, Hustle and Flow. – See more at: http://ionehiphopwired.staging.go.ione.nyc/2012/02/28/that-was-me-first-10-rappers-that-made-hip-hop-history/3/#sthash.1TiUOUsj.dpuf

9. RUN DMC

Not only were they the first Hip-Hop artists to have a gold album but they were the first to bring a platinum plaque back to any projects, and the first to go platinum plus. The trio was also the first Hip-Hop group to get a Grammy nomination and appear on American Bandstand. Oh, and, they were the first rap act to have a video on MTV.