I Want My Name Back

“See I am Wonder Mike, and I like to say hello!” From the number one selling hip-hop single of all time, many of us are familiar with this iconic lyric of the megahit Rapper's Delight—the first ever rap song to hit it big, premiering nationally in clubs in 1979 and selling 10 million records over the past three decades. But how sure are you that the man behind these rhapsodic rhymes is really Wonder Mike? A compelling, and at times infuriating, documentary about the ultimate case of identity theft, I WANT MY NAME BACK tells the sad story of how the original Sugarhill Gang was robbed of their legacy, their money, and their name. Under the scandalous reign of the Robinson family—the original managers and founders of Sugarhill Records—both Wonder Mike and Master Gee lost it all when the Robinsons secretly trademarked their names and music and began performing as a pseudo-Sugarhill Gang. Spiraling into drugs, poverty, and depression, both rap artists left the biz for years. But here they are back with a vengeance, determined to reclaim their place in hip-hop history and sounding better than ever. – M.M.