How did Keith “Keef Cowboy” Wiggins help popularize the phrase hip-hop?

The most widely accepted explanation for the origin of the term hip-hop involves Keith “Keef Cowboy” Wiggins, a member of the influential group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.12

Wiggins reportedly created the phrase while teasing a friend who had recently joined the U.S. Army. He began chanting the words “hip/hop/hip/hop” in a rhythmic manner to mimic the cadence of soldiers marching. Some accounts suggest that fellow rapper Kevin “Lovebug Starski” Smith was present at the time and assisted in developing the phrase.2

Following its creation, the term was popularized through its inclusion in early rap music, most notably in the Sugarhill Gang’s 1979 hit song, “Rapper’s Delight”.2