CoronaVinyl Day 360 (Various Artists): Greatest Rap Hits Vol. 2 by Various Artists

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Today's CoronaVinyl category is "Various Artists," and I went with Sugar Hill Records' 1981 Greatest Rap Hits Vol. 2 compilation.

Sugar Hill Records was the preeminent record label for early rap, with artists like the aptly named Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Treacherous Three, Spoonie Gee, and The Sequence.

This album only has three songs per side, and the shortest song is 7:10.  Here's the track listing and some fun facts about a few of the songs:

Side 1
1.  "8th Wonder" by Sugarhill Gang.  Sampled in "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check" by Busta Rhymes (that's where he got the "woo hah!"), "Shake Your Rump" by Beastie Boys, and "Gangster Trippin'" by Fatboy Slim
2.  "Freedom" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3.  "Monster Jam" by Spoonie Gee & The Sequence

Side 2
1.  "Birthday Party" by Grandmaster Flash
2.  "That's the Joint" by Funky Four + One.  Named the #288 song on Rolling Stone's most recent list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time.  Sampled in "Say No Go" by De La Soul and both "Shake Your Rump" and "Shadrach" by Beastie Boys
3.  "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on The Wheels of Steel" by Grandmaster Flash.  This is a live DJ mix of Grandmaster Flash working three turntables, scratching and mixing songs, including every other song on the album but "That's the Joint."

The album isn't on Spotify, but there's a six-hour playlist called The Sugar Hill Records Story that has these six songs (and fifty more!).  It's a good listen if you're looking to get your early rap fix.

Favorite Song on Side 1:  "8th Wonder" by Sugarhill Gang
At a mere 7:26, it's only about half the length of their more famous "Rapper's Delight," but "8th Wonder" is just as smooth and just as much of a party tune.  As I mentioned above, it's got the chorus that Busta Rhymes lifted:  "Woo hah! Got them all in check."

Favorite Song on Side 2:  "That's the Joint" by Funky Four + One
This one clocks in at 9:22, and it's another party song.  The instrumental track samples "Rescue Me" by A Taste of Honey, and the song just has a great flow to it.  The group was pioneering in rap and hip hop for a few reasons.  They were the first to feature a female MC (Sha Rock), and they were also the first rap group to appear on national TV, when they were the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on Valentine's Day in 1981.