Sugarhill Gang rapper Big Bank Hank dies at age 57

Rapper Big Bank Hank, a member of the Sugarhill Gang group, died Tuesday morning. He was 57 years old.

Hank, who was born Henry Jackson, died around 2 a.m. in New York City after suffering from cancer, reports TMZ. No further details about his death were released.

Wonder Mike and Master Gee, the other members of the group, told TMZ, “So sad to hear of our brother's passing. Rest in peace Big Bank."

As Billboard points out, the Bronx native and the group earned the first rap single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 with “Rapper’s Delight.” It was one of the first rap singles ever released and has had a major influence on the genre. It just celebrated its 35th anniversary last month. The single was released in 1979.

As the group's site notes, "Rapper's Delight" was added to the Library Of Congress National Recording Registry in 2012. The song was also included on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs.

After reports of his death, several other rappers paid tribute on Twitter.

Here’s their iconic single:

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