Angie Stone appeared on a recent episode of VladTV where she discussed her role in early rap records with her group The Sequence.

"I have paid my dues," the Columbia, South Carolina singer and rapper said. "My group the Sequence made the first original rap record by a female group with 'Funk You Up'. Dr. Dre used it for 'Keep Their Heads Ringing,' Erykah did it with 'Love Of My Life,' Bruno Mars did it with 'Uptown Funk' all derivatives of the song we wrote."

Angie also spoke on The Sequence and their early arena tours with legendary R&B acts. "There were no Hip-Hoppers on the road at the time, but in 1979 when it was still happening in the parks we were on the road with The Gap Band, Confunkshun, and Parliament Funkadelic. We were from the south, and we laid the blueprint for Hip-Hop rapping and singing. Lauryn Hill came and tipped the scales and did what we did and took it to the next level. There was no singing on rap records and I asked Mrs (Sylvia) Robinson if could I sing, because I wanted to one day graduate to being a singer. They never ever give us our props. Y'all need to stop that."

The Sequence was the second group (after the Sugar Hill Gang) on Sylvia Robinson's newly formed Sugar Hill Records where in addition to 1979's "Funk You Up" they released three full-length albums and the singles "Funky Sound," "And You Know That," "Monster Jam" featuring Spoonie Gee, and "Rappers Reprise" featuring The Sugar Hill Gang."

Blondy, Cheryl The Pearl and Angie B were also writers and background singers on the label writing songs for The Sugar Hill Gang and providing background vocals for The West Street Mob. Angie B. and Rodney Stone (Lil Rodney C) of The Funky 4 who were labelmates with The Sequence, were actually one of Hip-Hop's first couples. When they married in the 1980s, Angie B. became Angie Stone. In the 1990's, Angie fronted the neo-soul group Vertical Hold and wrote and produced with D'Angelo before enjoying a successful solo career of her own.