(AllHipHop News) The funeral of legendary Sugarhill Records executive Sylvia Robinson will take place on October 11th in Englewood, New Jersey.
Ms. Robinson will be laid to rest at the Community Baptist Church, where her life will be honored during the service, which is expected to be attended by family, friends, artists whom she influenced.
Sylvia Robinson’s influence over pop music goes back to 1956, when she sang on the #1 hit single “Love is Strange,” with partner Mickey Baker.
That song alone, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its influence on pop music.
The song has been a hit for many artists over the years, including Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, Peaches & Herb, Jackson Browne and even B.o.B., who sampled on the song “My Sweet Baby.”
In 1968, Sylvia Robinson started the All Platinum label, which churned out a number of influential soul groups and singles, including The Moments’ song classic “Love On a Two Way Street,” which has also been covered by numerous artists including Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, who sampled it for their hit single “Empire State of Mind.”
In 1979, Sylvia Robinson founded Sugarhill Records with her husband Joe Robinson.
They released a number of influential sides, including Sugarhill Gang’s “Rappers Delight,” Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Fives “The Message,” which is recognized as one of the the first socially conscious Hip-Hop songs to achieve success on record, and West Street Mob’s breakdancing anthem “Break Dancing – Electric Boogie.”
Sylvia Robinson was also a shrewd businesswoman, and acquired the catalog of chess records in the early 1980s, before selling it to MCA records for a hefty profit.
Sylvia Robinson’s funeral will take place at 6:30 PM at community Baptist Church in Inglewood, while the burial will take place at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.
