Sylvia Robinson Dead at 75

Serving a powerful role at hip hop's inception, legendary music executive Sylvia Robinson passed away today [September 29] due to congestive heart failure reports The Urban Daily.

Robinson co-founded Sugar Hill Records, the label responsible for promoting early hip hop groups The Sugar Hill Gang and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. The record company is famously responsible for releasing the first rap song, "Rapper's Delight," in 1972 and was also behind Grandmaster Flash's classic "The Message" in 1982. 

In addition to her role at the helm of Sugar Hill Records, Sylvia was also credited as a musician and songwriter, famously penning and producing "Love On a Two Way Street" for the Moments in 1970, which was sampled by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys for their "Empire State of Mind."

Robinson was 75 years old at her time of death.

(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)