Sylvia Robinson's creative instinct has kept her on the cutting edge of the music business. She also understands the importance of having your own and has worked toward helping other independent entrepreneurs to maintain their own as well.

Sylvia was bom in New York City. Her musical talents were recognized by her parents at an early age. She learned piano as a child and at the age of 12 was recording for Savoy Records. In high school she was taught guitar by Mickey Baker. At 16, she teamed up with Baker to record the hit single "Love Is Strange." They continued as a duo until Baker moved to France. By that time Sylvia had met Joe Robinson. Their alliance evolved into a marriage and business partnership. In the early '70's they formed All Platinum Records. It was here that Sylvia honed in on her writing and producing skills. Her biggest successes came with the Moments ("Not On The Outside," "Sexy Mama") and her own rendition of "Pillow Talk." She would produce another top 10 hit with Shirley Goodman's "Shame Shame Shame," which became one of the first disco hits.

All Platinum acquired the Chess catalogue in 1975. They were able to reissue some of the Chess classics before running into financial problems in 1978. In the autumn of 1979 Sylvia came up with an idea that would change the music business forever. While attending a disco party she happened upon these guys who were rapping into a microphone. Her instinct told here that this was an idea, and as she says, "the rest is history."

This concept gave birth to the Sugar Hill Record Company. They released "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugar Hill Gang, which became an underground hit and a number one song in many countries. Sugar Hill went on to record hits by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Melle Mel, Sequence and other rappers.

Sylvia made another controversial move when she released the Sugar Hill hits to the smaller distributors and mom-and-pop stores before shipping them to the larger chains. By this time her three sons had joined the family business. Their efforts helped to keep the music young and alive. Sugar Hill kept the hits coming while critics believed rap would not last. It would take five years for the major labels to take rap seriously.

Sylvia continues her revolutionary concepts under her new record label, Diamond Head Records. She has just released a song by Kyro and is working with a group called New Breed of Funk. Sylvia's earlier songs can still be heard via samples on current rap records. Ice Cube and Dr. Dre have both used her music.

Sylvia lives in Englewood, New Jersey where her children and grandchildren are all nearby. She knows that she is best remembered for her contribution to rap but says there is a lot more to her.