Cheryl The Pearl and the Families of Angie Stone and Blondy Chisolm Gather at NMAAM on Saturday, April 25, for a Celebration of the First Queens of Hip-Hop
NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 21st, 2026 — The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) will present Funk You Up: Honoring The Sequence, a special exhibition unveiling and moderated program celebrating the legacy of The Sequence — the first female hip-hop group to commercially record and release an original rap record. The event will take place Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at NMAAM, 510 Broadway, Nashville, Tennessee.
The program brings together Cheryl The Pearl; the children of Angie “Angie B” Stone, Michael Archer II, and Diamond Stone; the sister of Gwendolyn “Blondy” Chisolm, Monica Scott; and The Sequence’s longtime DJ, Deltonia Cannon, in a powerful tribute to three women who changed music before the world fully understood their impact. Moderated by Erica D. Baker, Esq, the event marks the first public in memoriam tribute to Gwendolyn “Blondy” Chisolm following her passing on April 6, 2026, while honoring the enduring legacy of Angie Stone.
In 1979, The Sequence — Angie B. (Angela Brown, later known as Angie Stone), Blondy (Gwendolyn Chisolm), and Cheryl The Pearl (Cheryl Cook) — became the second group signed to Sugar Hill Records, following The Sugarhill Gang. Their debut single, “Funk You Up,” was certified gold and made history as the first rap record by a female group to sell 500,000 copies of a 12-inch single in just three weeks. Predating Salt-N-Pepa by seven years, The Sequence sold over one million records worldwide, becoming the first female hip-hop act to reach that milestone. ”Funk You Up” has since been woven into the fabric of popular music, with elements sampled and interpolated by artists including Dr. Dre, Erykah Badu, En Vogue, Trina, Katy Perry, Mark Ronson, and Bruno Mars.
The Sequence is not a footnote in the story of hip-hop. They are the opening chapter. NMAAM’s April 25 program places them exactly where history demands. 
EVENT PROGRAM
12:00 PM — Welcome remarks, Roots Theater
12:05 PM — Video tribute featuring archival recordings, performances, and interviews
12:20 PM — Fireside Chat and Q&A with Cheryl The Pearl, moderated by Erica D. Baker, Esq.
1:00 PM — Exhibition artifact unveiling with remarks from Monica Scott, DJ Deltonia Cannon, Diamond Stone, and Michael Archer II, Main Concourse
1:30 PM — Reception and Heartbeat Saturdays, Amplify Lounge
Free and open to the public. Registration required at: https://71931.blackbaudhosting.com/71931/Funk-You-Up-Honoring-The-Sequence
STATEMENT FROM WILLIAM JEFFRIES III, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NMAAM
“The Sequence made history in 1979, and NMAAM’s responsibility is to make sure that history is felt, not just filed. These three women from Columbia, South Carolina, walked into Sugar Hill Records and built the foundation that generations of artists have stood on. We are honored that Cheryl, Deltonia, Monica, Michael, and Diamond are bringing this story into our walls. This is exactly what this museum was built to do.”
STATEMENT FROM DYANA WILLIAMS, CO-FOUNDER, BLACK MUSIC MONTH, AND NMAAM BOARD MEMBER
“The Sequence released ‘Funk You Up’ before most of the names the world credits as female hip-hop pioneers had ever stepped into a recording studio. I have spent my career ensuring Black women in music receive the cultural authority they have always earned. NMAAM amplifying The Sequence’s legacy — with Cheryl in the room and Angie and Blondy in our hearts — is the kind of moment this institution exists to create. Music started here long before anyone gave it that name.”
ABOUT THE SEQUENCE
The Sequence was founded by childhood friends in Columbia, South Carolina, who originally established themselves as “Sequence” — the name they continue to identify with — before the group was commercially released as The Sequence by Sugar Hill Records. On October 20, 1979, the group made their way backstage at a Sugarhill Gang concert at the Township Auditorium in Columbia, South Carolina, where they performed their original song “Funk You Up” for Sylvia Robinson, founder and CEO of Sugar Hill Records. Impressed by their talent, Robinson brought the group to New Jersey within a week to begin recording. As the second act signed to the label, The Sequence released their debut single, “Funk You Up,” which became a certified hit, peaking at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.
In 1980, the group toured nationally with pioneering hip-hop acts including The Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Funky Four Plus One, The Crash Crew, Treacherous Three, and Kevie Kev, while also sharing stages with R&B and funk legends such as Con Funk Shun, The Gap Band, The O’Jays, Parliament Funkadelic, The Jones Girls, Sister Sledge, and Evelyn “Champagne” King. The Sequence released three albums on Sugar Hill Records and sold over one million records worldwide, becoming the first female hip-hop act to reach that milestone.
Angie Stone went on to a celebrated solo career as a Grammy-nominated R&B artist and pioneer of neo-soul, founding member of Vertical Hold, and enduring voice in Black music. She passed away on March 1, 2025. Gwendolyn “Blondy” Chisolm passed away on April 6, 2026. Cheryl “Cheryl The Pearl” Cook carries their shared legacy forward.
ABOUT NMAAM
The National Museum of African American Music — the only institution dedicated to the music that became America’s soundtrack. Located in Nashville, Music City. Home of Black Music Month.
510 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 | nmaam.org | @thenmaam | https://www.nmaam.org/
#FunkYouUp #TheSequence #Sequence #SugarHillRecords #MusicStartsHere #NMAAM #HeartbeatSaturdays
Media Contact:
Sydnie Davis
Marketing Manager
National Museum of African American Music
marketing@nmaam.org
629-234-8718
