Sylvia Robinson is one of the most important visionaries of hip-hop culture. On hip-hop’s birthday, here is everything you need to know about hip-hop’s original mogul. She Was Already a Successful Pop & R&B Star​Before she launched a hip-hop empire, Robinson was an acclaimed artist in her own right. She co-founded All Platinum Records with her husband, Joe Robinson, in 1966, releasing successful soul, funk, and R&B records. She Launched Sugarhill RecordsAiming to take rap music to the mainstream, Sylvia and her husband Joe launched Sugarhill Records in 1979.