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Sylvia Robinson, born Sylvia Vanterpool on May 29, 1935, in New York, was an American singer, songwriter, and producer. She began her music career at the age of 14 while attending Washington Irving High School, where her vocal talent led to her first recordings with a blues band. Between 1956 and 1962, she performed as a duo with her former guitar teacher. In 1962, she moved to Paris, ending their partnership. In 1964, Sylvia married musician Joe Robinson and became deeply involved in the music business, running a club in the Bronx. The couple later opened an eight-track recording studio in Englewood, New Jersey, which featured its own house band of backing musicians. In 1968, they formed the All Platinum label, and Sylvia became one of the few female record producers of her time. By the late 1970s, All Platinum faced financial difficulties, partly due to the Robinsons' expensive acquisition of the Chess Records catalogue. However, in 1979, Sylvia's son Joey introduced her to the emerging sounds of the Bronx, leading to the creation of "Rapper's Delight." The track sold 50,000 copies a day, became a top 40 hit in the US, and reached No. 3 in the UK, establishing Sylvia as a significant figure in the rise of hip-hop music worldwide. Sylvia Robinson passed away on September 29, 2011, in New Jersey

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