The Sugarhill Gang @ Stramash, Edinburgh, 28 Jun

Just a few decades prior to the rise of stars such as Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, young DJs and MCs in the South Bronx of New York City were laying the groundwork of modern hip-hop. Eventually this underground culture reached Englewood, New Jersey, giving birth to the legendary Sugarhill Gang, who would go on to create the first ever commercially successful rap record.

Supporting the hip-hop all stars on their European tour, the funk rock group Dopesickfly are first to take the Stramash stage tonight. Fronted by the enigmatic rapper Ant Thomaz and blues singer Becky Pilcher, Dopesickfly perform a collection of diverse, vibrant tunes. Thomaz ends the set by spitting melodic rhymes as he weaves his way through the audience, occasionally passing them the mic.

Anticipating the arrival of the hip-hop heavyweights, two vinyl decks are set up on stage. Soon a DJ emerges from backstage, asking the crowd to "make some noise if hip-hop is in the building in Edinburgh tonight!" After a raucous build up The Sugarhill Gang make a dramatic entrance, dressed to the nines; Wonder Mike in a black waistcoat and sunglasses, Henndogg brandishing a cane with a skull on the tip, Master G with several chains around his neck and T-Dynasty in a bandana.

The Gang addresses the night as a celebration of old school hip-hop, offering shoutouts to LL Cool J, Run DMC and Eric B & Rakim before throwing out the name of Vanilla Ice. We all laugh, but still sing along to Ice Ice Baby which they immediately drop, followed by a sample medley of Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer and Queen’s We Are the Champions.

Giving credit where credit is due, The Sugarhill Gang leave the stage welcoming hip-hop pioneers Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio, original members of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Melle Mel takes off his shirt and flexes his muscles while Scorpio paces the stage in a red cap and white dressing gown. Their set features a lot of retro turntablism, leaving the audience in awe, while the MC duo have the whole crowd throwing their hands in the air and sliding whichever way they’re told.

Finally, The Sugarhill Gang return to the stage to join Melle Mel and Scorpio for the iconic Rapper’s Delight, complete with a synchronised routine a la the Jackson 5. The Gang has the whole crowd engaged and full of energy as one thriving body; as the show draws to a close, the rappers begin selling merch onstage, soundtracked by an eclectic mix of singalong hits (from Madonna to Nirvana) as the MCs crack open champagne and invite girls to dance on stage with them.

While recent Netflix shows The Get Down and Hip Hop Evolution have brought the origins of the genre back to the cultural forefront, some may feel that the commercialisation of hip-hop has distanced the genre from its humble grassroots origins. Tonight's perfect fusion of a spectacular cabaret performance and a funky club night is proof that the true spirit of hip-hop lives on.