With their lush, funky grooves and timeless hooks, the band Chic defined—and transcended—the late-’70s disco era. The group delivered hits like “Le Freak” and “Good Times”, the latter of which played a key role in the development of hip-hop. • The roots of Chic lie in the Big Apple Band, an early-’70s outfit featuring guitarist Nile Rodgers, bassist Bernard Edwards and drummer Tony Thompson. They later added vocalists Norma Jean Wright and Alfa Anderson and changed their name to Chic. • Chic issued their eponymous debut album in 1977. Featuring backing vocals by future R&B star Luther Vandross, the single “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)” topped Billboard’s Dance Club Songs and went Top 10 on the pop and R&B charts. • After Wright’s departure, Chic added Luci Martin for their 1978 sophomore effort, C'est Chic. The album topped the R&B charts, went Top 5 on pop, and spawned the monster hit “Le Freak”, which reached No. 1 on pop and R&B. • Chic’s third album, 1979 Risqué, features “Good Times”, another No. 1 pop and R&B smash. “Good Times” has been sampled and interpolated in countless hip-hop songs, including the Sugarhill Gang’s 1979 landmark “Rapper’s Delight”. • On the side, Rodgers and Edwards wrote and produced major hits like Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” (1979) and Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” (1980). • After Chic disbanded in 1983, both Rodgers and Edwards found success producing for other artists. Rodgers’ A-list clientele included David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran. • The group reunited for the 1992 album Chic-ism. • Edwards died in 1996, followed by Thompson in 2003. Rodgers remained active well into the 21st century, notably co-writing and playing guitar on three tracks off Daft Punk’s 2013 blockbuster Random Access Memories. • As Nile Rodgers & Chic, the group issued 2018’s It’s About Time, a collaborative album featuring the likes of VIC MENSA, Stefflon Don and Lady Gaga.