September 27, 1980 –
Kurtis Blow becomes the first rapper to perform on national television when he does The Breaks on Soul Train.
The Breaks was the first rap song to sell over 500,000 copies, earning a certified Gold record. Rapper’s Delight, released a year earlier, certainly sold a lot more (as Kurtis attests), but that song was released on the independent label Sugar Hill Records, which apparently never sent it to the RIAA for certification. Kurtis Blow was signed to Mercury Records, a major label that followed the standards and used their Gold records for promotion. When Kurtis signed with Mercury in early 1980, he became the first rapper signed to a major label. His self-titled debut album (with The Breaks) was the first rap record released on a major label.
The Haus of Dcaligari 