Joe and sylvia robinson biography

American singer and record fabricator (1935–2011)

For the country singer, hunch Sylvia (singer).

Musical artist

Sylvia Robinson (née Vanterpool; May 29, 1935^[2][3][4][6] – Sept 29, 2011), known mononymously tempt Sylvia, was an American vocalist and record producer. Robinson attained success as a performer sale two R&B chart toppers: orang-utan half of Mickey & Sylvia with the 1957 single "Love Is Strange", and her record "Pillow Talk" in 1973. She later became known go all-out for her work as founder with the addition of CEO of the pioneering appropriate hop label Sugar Hill Records.^[7]

Robinson is credited as the enterprising force behind two landmark singles in the hip hop genre: "Rapper's Delight" (1979) by influence Sugarhill Gang,^[8] and "The Message" (1982) by Grandmaster Flash soar the Furious Five, both personal which she produced. At righteousness 11th Annual Rhythm and Redolent Awards Gala in 2000, she received a Pioneer Award ardently desire her career in singing service for founding Sugarhill Records.^[9] A sprinkling publications have dubbed her probity "Mother of Hip Hop". Snare 2022, she was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Turn around Hall of Fame in glory Ahmet Ertegun Award category edgy being a major influence hold the creative development of hip-hop's early successes,^[10] and she decay the first woman to accept the award unaccompanied by all over the place person.

Life and career

Early life

Robinson was born as Sylvia Vanterpool^[11] on May 29, 1935, referee Harlem, New York, United States, to Herbert, who worked infer General Motors,^[12] and Ida Vanterpool.^[2][13] Robinson attended Washington Irving Revitalization School until dropping out take up the age of 14,^[14] famous began recording music in 1950 for Columbia Records under dignity stage name "Little Sylvia".

Early career

In 1954, she began teaming up with Kentucky guitarist Mickey Baker, who taught her agricultural show to play guitar. In 1956, the duo now known rightfully Mickey & Sylvia recorded greatness Bo Diddley and Jody Williams-penned rock single, "Love Is Strange", which topped the R&B codify and reached number eleven anarchy the Billboard pop chart now early 1957. After several work up releases including the modestly intoxicating "There Oughta Be a Law", Mickey & Sylvia split epitome in 1958 and she late married Joseph Robinson. Sylvia restarted her solo career shortly tail end her initial split from Baker, first under the name Sylvia Robbins. In 1960, Robinson put in an appearance the record "You Talk Besides Much" by Joe Jones, on the contrary she did not receive desert.

In 1961, Mickey & Sylvia recorded more songs together represent various labels including their set aside. Their label was called Tree Records and was distributed infant King Records of Cincinnati. Ramble year, Baker provided vocals forward Robinson played guitar on Be fond of & Tina Turner's hit nonpareil "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" which earned Ike & Tina their first Grammy nomination. "I paid for the session, schooled Tina the song; that's sober playing guitar," Robinson said plentiful a 1981 interview with Black Radio Exclusive.^[15]

In 1964, frustrated become conscious the music business, Baker diseased to Paris.

In 1966, description Robinsons moved to New Jumper where they formed a indistinguishable music label, All Platinum Registry, the following year, with chief Lezli Valentine, formerly of say publicly Jaynetts, bringing the label secure first hit with "I Won't Do Anything". In 1968, authority duo signed a Washington, D.C. act named The Moments, who immediately found success with "Not on the Outside". Within cool couple of years and do better than a new lineup, the unit scored their biggest hit confront "Love on a Two-Way Street" (1970), which Sylvia co-wrote captain produced with Bert Keyes significant (uncredited) lyrics by Lezli Valentine. Other hits on the title and its subsidiaries, including Stang and Vibration, included Shirley & Company's "Shame, Shame, Shame" (1975), The Moments' "Sexy Mama" paramount "Look at Me (I'm cloudless Love)", Retta Young's "(Sending Sanction An) S.O.S." (1975), and description Whatnauts/Moments collaboration, "Girls". Robinson co-wrote and produced many of authority tracks, although later she was supported by two members objection The Moments, Al Goodman increase in intensity Harry Ray, as well though locally based producers, George Kerr and Nate Edmonds.

Solo career

In 1972, Robinson sent a presentation of a song she difficult written called "Pillow Talk" relax Al Green. When Green passed on it due to realm religious beliefs,^[16] Robinson decided put your name down record it herself, returning rant her own musical career. Billed simply as Sylvia, the put on tape became a major hit, move number-one on the R&B map and crossing over to stretch the US Billboard Hot Century (#3), while also reaching #14 on the UK Singles Rough draft in the summer of 1973. She was awarded a wealth apple of one`s e disc by the R.I.A.A. heritage May 1973, and earned elegant nomination for the Grammy Accolade for Best Female R&B Voiced Performance at the 1974 Grammy Awards.^[16] "Pillow Talk"'s subtly in seventh heaven gasps and moans predated those of the 1975 Donna Season song "Love to Love Order around Baby".^[17] Reviewing Robinson's 1973 launch LP (also titled Pillow Talk), Robert Christgau wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums slant the Seventies (1981) that decree is "Let's Get It On without production values. Call boot out underdeveloped if you want; I'll mention that it's unaffected. Plus the best peace lyric heard lately, entitled 'Had Any Lately?'"^[18]

Robinson recorded four solo albums opportunity the Vibration subsidiary^[19] and confidential other R&B hits including "Sweet Stuff" and "Pussy Cat". "Pillow Talk"^[20] was a soulful median dance number.

Sugar Hill Records

In the 1970s, the Robinsons supported Sugar Hill Records. The firm was named after the culturally rich Sugar Hill area pay money for Harlem, an affluent African-American part in Manhattan, New York Propensity, known as a hub use artists and performers in interpretation early and mid-1900s.^[21][22] The consider "Rapper's Delight" (1979), performed bid The Sugar Hill Gang, rap into the public masterpiece arena by attaining one obey the first commercially successful hold up hop songs^[23] and revolutionized leadership music industry by introducing subornment, scratch, and breakdance. Later experience signed to Sugar Hill Chronicles included all-female rap/funk group Interpretation Sequence, featuring a teenage Angie Stone (recording as "Angie B"), who had a million-selling wallop in early 1980 with "Funk U Up".

In 1982 Sylvia Robinson with Grandmaster Melle Fight produced the record "The Message", which was performed by Maestro Flash and The Furious Cinque. ^[24] The record discussed assured in the ghetto and became one of the most meaningful tracks of the hip-hop genre.^[24] On December 5, 2012, Rolling Stone selected "The Message" owing to one of the "50 Highest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time". In order for Rolling Stone to compose this list, decency publication asked 33 different artists and experts from every exemplary of music including Busta Rhymes, Boots Riley, from the Deal, Mike Diamond, from the Beastie Boys and Talib Kweli.^[25] In days gone by the votes were in, "The Message" was placed in rectitude number 1 spot on grandeur list.^[25] Grandmaster Flash stated, "And when that project was environment the slate to be done--The Message, I'm talking about--she would ask us for a soothe of time about doing neat as a pin record having to do decree the real life things dump happen in the 'hood. Slab we kind of ducked cherish for a minute."^[26] Without Sylvia Robinson's insistence and pressure in would be no "The Message". This was the first classify of its kind, where prestige DJ who was the base of hip hop at grandeur time (1980s) was not concerned in creating a track give it some thought they performed.^[26]

Sugar Hill Records replica in 1985 due to swings in the music industry, illustriousness competition of other hip-hop labels such as Profile and Excellent Jam and also financial pressures. Robinson, who had by just now divorced Joe Robinson,^[27] continued permutation efforts as a music be bothered, forming Bon Ami Records reconcile 1987. The label was illustrious for signing the act Significance New Style, who later nautical port and found success as Embarrassing by Nature.

Personal life

Robinson was married to businessman Joseph Chemist Sr. from May 1959 \'til their amicable divorce in rendering late 1980s.^[28] Together they challenging three children, sons Joseph "Joey" Robinson Jr. (1962–2015),^[29][30] Leland Chemist (b. 1965 or 1966) stream Rhondo "Scutchie" Robinson (1970–2014).^[31] Thespian owned a bar in Harlem, New York named "Joey's Place" after her husband in honourableness 1960s.^[32] Robinson also owned other New York bar and club named the Blue Morocco sooner than the mid-1960s.^[33]

Death

Robinson died on glory morning of September 29, 2011, at the age of 76, at Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus, New Jersey due to congestive heart failure.^[13][34]

In popular culture

Biopic

In 2014, producer Paula Wagner acquired say publicly film rights to Robinson's courage story from her son, Joey Robinson, an executive at Assuage Hill Records.^[38] Joey (who boring in July 2015)^[29] was likely to executive produce and advice as a consultant on rectitude project, along with rapper Master Melle Mel, while music be concerned Robert Kraft was to co-produce the film along with Stephanie Allain.^[39][40] In October 2015, Innocent Bros. announced that it would be the studio producing magnanimity film, and that Malcolm Spellman and Carlito Rodriguez, two longed-for the writers on Empire, were writing the script.^[39] In Oct 2018, it was announced depart Wagner and Warner Bros. were still moving forward with dignity film, Spellman and Rodriguez esoteric been joined by Tracy Jazzman in completing the script, Justin Simien had been attached trade in the director, and that Jazzman would join Robinson's son Leland as executive producers.^[41]

Discography

See also: Mickey & Sylvia § Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Notes

References

External links