Legendary hip hop music executive and producer Sylvia Robinson has passed away. If you love the Sugar Hill Gang, you have Sylvia to thank for them. She was the mastermind behind the group — and she went on to work with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five on their release “The Message” which became the first commercially successful hip hop record.

Sylvia, who was often referred to as the “Mother of Hip Hop,” also founded the Sugar Hill Records label, named after the Sugar Hill neighborhood in Harlem, NY.

In addition to her behind the scenes work as a successful producer and record executive, Sylvia also was a singer who released the 1973 song, “Pillow Talk.” The song was originally intended for Al Green who passed on it because its racy lyrics conflicted with his religious beliefs.

Take a look at Sylvia performing the song on Soul Train back in the day: