On this day 45 years ago, “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang became Hip-Hop’s first-ever Top 40 hit, marking a transformative moment in music history. Released in August 1979 by the Englewood, ...

The harrowing experience, in which Mr. Thompson had to distill a half century of music—and egos—into 13 minutes, inspired “Hip-Hop Is History” (co-written with Ben Greenman). Mr. Thompson ...