The Sequence
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hip hop music |
| Founded | 1979 in Columbia, South Carolina, United States |
| Founder | Angie B. (Angela Brown), Blondy (Gwendolyn Chisolm), Cheryl the Pearl (Cheryl Cook) |
| Headquarters | Columbia , United States |
Area served | United States, worldwide |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 3 (members) |
| Parent | Sugar Hill Records |
The Sequence was a pioneering American hip hop ensemble originating from Columbia, South Carolina in 1979, composed of Angie B. (Angela Brown), Blondy (Gwendolyn Chisolm), and Cheryl the Pearl (Cheryl Cook). Their inaugural album, Sugar Hill Presents The Sequence (1980), released under Sugar Hill Records, holds the distinction of being the first hip hop vinyl record by an all-female group. This album included the track "Funk You Up" (1979), notable as the earliest rap hit performed by women and one of the initial commercially triumphant hip hop singles.
During the interval between their first two albums, The Sequence contributed as co-writers and background vocalists on songs for fellow label artists such as West Street Mob’s "Let's Dance (Make Your Body Move)." Their second album, self-titled The Sequence (1982), achieved modest commercial reception, followed by their final release, The Sequence Party, in 1983.
The group is reported to have surpassed one million records sold worldwide, marking them as the first female hip hop act to reach this achievement.
Origins and early development
Angela Brown, Gwendolyn Chisolm, and Cheryl Cook were childhood companions raised in Columbia's Saxon Homes Projects. Brown and Chisolm participated in church choirs and local dance competitions during their youth. After completing studies at C.A. Johnson High School, Chisolm took a position at a neighborhood supermarket. An invitation to attend a Sugarhill Gang concert led them backstage where they encountered Sylvia Robinson, CEO of Sugar Hill Records. Following an audition, they became the label’s inaugural female signing.
1979–1981: Sugarhill Presents The Sequence
In 1979, adopting their stage personas Angie B., Blondy, and Cheryl the Pearl, the trio commenced work on their debut album. Their first single, "Funk You Up", released in December 1979, was among the earliest original hip hop tracks created without sampling. The single reached number fifteen on the Hot Soul Singles chart. Subsequently, The Sequence toured alongside The Sugarhill Gang. Their debut album Sugarhill Presents The Sequence launched in 1980 to favorable critical reception. That year also saw the release of singles "Monster Jam" and "And You Know That." Another single from the album, "Funky Sound (Tear the Roof Off)," a reinterpretation of Parliament’s 1976 hit, peaked at number forty-three on the Hot Soul Singles chart.
In 1981, The Sequence provided songwriting and background vocals for other Sugar Hill Records artists. Notably, they contributed to West Street Mob’s tracks "Sing a Simple Song" and "Let's Dance (Make Your Body Move)," with the latter reaching number eighty-eight on Billboard’s Hot 100 and number eighteen on Hot Soul Singles charts. Additionally, Cheryl the Pearl co-authored The Sugarhill Gang’s "8th Wonder" and Ferrari’s "Let Your Mind Be Free."
1982–1985: The Sequence and The Sequence Party
Their sophomore album, titled The Sequence, was released in 1982 and attained position fifty-one on the Black LPs chart. This collection blended hip hop compositions with ballads. Its lead single "I Don't Need Your Love (Part One)" climbed to number forty on Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles chart. Following another tour with The Sugarhill Gang that year, they issued the single "Here Comes the Bride." In 1983, their third studio album The Sequence Party was released along with the single "I Just Want to Know." The group’s final singles appeared in 1985: "Funk You Up '85" and "Control."
Disbandment and subsequent activities
In 1985, The Sequence chose not to renew their contract amid disputes over royalties with Sugar Hill Records CEO Sylvia Robinson. They claimed that royalties owed for their songwriting had not been paid and alleged that label funds were redirected to support other artists. Additionally, Angie B.’s demand for a $10,000 advance to extend her contract created internal tensions. These issues culminated in the group’s dissolution.
Following their breakup, Blondy transitioned into telemarketing and briefly collaborated with Sugar Hill co-founder Joe Robinson before departing after witnessing a violent event. Cheryl the Pearl left the music business entirely to work in home health care services. Angie B. pursued solo endeavors and worked at New York’s Kiss-FM radio station; she later adopted her married name Angie Stone after marrying Rodney "Lil' Rodney C" Stone. In 1988, she established Vertical Hold, releasing two albums before disbanding in 1996.
Reunions occurred sporadically: Angie Stone and Cheryl the Pearl performed together at the 2008 Essence Festival alongside The Sugarhill Gang; Blondy and Cheryl released a single in 2011 credited as "The Sequence featuring Blondy and Cheryl the Pearl." Angie Stone joined Blondy for a performance at the Capital Jazz Cruise in 2016; subsequently, all three members reunited for shows in 2018 and 2019. Cheryl issued a solo single in 2020 through her label Black Bottom Entertainment. On March 1, 2025, Angie Stone tragically passed away at age 63 due to a car accident near Montgomery, Alabama.
Legacy
The Sequence is acknowledged as history’s first female hip hop group. Their debut track "Funk You Up" has been extensively sampled by prominent artists such as Dr. Dre (1995’s "Keep Their Heads Ringin'"), En Vogue (1997 remix of "Whatever"), Erykah Badu (2003’s "Love of My Life Worldwide"), and Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars (2014’s "Uptown Funk"). In December 2017, they initiated a Federal Copyright Infringement lawsuit against Bruno Mars citing similarities to "Funk You Up."
In 2016, members of The Sequence expressed dissatisfaction over being excluded from VH1’s Hip Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens event which recognized Salt-N-Pepa as the first legitimate female hip-hop group despite The Sequence's earlier emergence.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B/ Hip Hop | |||
| Sugarhill presents The Sequence |
|
— | |
| The Sequence |
|
51 | |
| The Sequence Party |
|
— | |
Compilations
- Funky Sound (1995), P-Vine
- The Best of the Sequence (1996), Deep Beats
- Monster Jam: Back to Old School, Vol. 2 (2000), Sequel
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B /Hip Hop | |||
| "Funk You Up" | 1979 | 15 | Sugarhill presents The Sequence |
| "And You Know That" | 1980 | — | |
| "Funky Sound (Tear the Roof Off)" | 1981 | 39 | |
| "Simon Says" | 1982 | — | |
| "I Don't Need Your Love (Part One)" | 40 | The Sequence | |
| "Here Comes the Bride" | — | The Sequence Party | |
| "I Just Want to Know" | 1983 | — | |
| "Funk You Up '85" | 1985 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Control" | — | ||
| "On Our Way to the Movies" | 2011 | — |