Wonder Mike

{{Use American English|date=August 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist |name = Wonder Mike |image = Wonder Mike (cropped).jpg |background = solo_singer |birth_name = Michael Anthony Wright |alias = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|4|30|mf=y}} |birth_place = Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |death_date = |genre = Hip hop |occupation = Rapper |years_active = 1972–present |label = {{hlist|Kid Rhino|Sugar Hill}} |current_member_of = The Sugarhill Gang |website = }}

'''Michael Anthony Wright''' (born April 30, 1957), known professionally as '''Wonder Mike''', is an American hip hop recording artist and member of the Sugarhill Gang. The group was part of the hip hop movement in the 1970s and 1980s.<ref name="Simpson">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/may/02/sugarhill-gang-how-we-made-rappers-delight-interview|title=Sugarhill Gang: how we made Rapper's Delight|last=Simpson|first=Dave|date=May 2, 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=April 4, 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

== Career == Wonder Mike is best known for being a member of the Sugarhill Gang, the first hip hop act to produce a record, the 1979 single "Rapper's Delight".<ref>{{Cite journal|date=August 17, 1988|title=Is Rap Music Here To Stay?|journal=Jet|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|volume=94|issue=12|issn=0021-5996|page=57}}</ref>

As of 2019, Wright and the other members of the Sugarhill Gang continue to perform in '80s nostalgia shows.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Raesman |first1=Bryan |date=September 27, 2019 |title=The Motels, The Sugarhill Gang & O.G. MTV VJs Unite for NostalgiaCon '80s |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Promethesus Global Media LLC}}</ref>

== Personal life == Wright is a born-again Christian who enjoys painting, reading the Bible, sketching and writing poetry.<ref name= jump>{{cite web|title= The Jump Off – Wonder Mike – The First Recorded Emcee |url= http://www.thafoundation.com/wonmike.htm | author= JayQuan| website= thafoundation.com|publisher= JAH Holdings |access-date=April 17, 2015}}</ref> He has suffered from asthma at times.<ref name= jump />

On July 11, 2013, Wright's daughter Carmen Delgina auditioned for the thirteenth season of the American televised singing competition ''American Idol'' with "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell and was unanimously sent through to the Hollywood round, as shown in the episode that aired on January 29, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mansfield|first=Brian|title='American Idol' in Utah: It's another Tiquila sunrise|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/idolchatter/2014/01/29/american-idol-salt-lake-city-recap/5043455/| work= USA Today |access-date=January 30, 2014}}</ref> However, during the "group round" stage of Hollywood Week, she was eliminated at the end of her group's performance.

He is known for his large stature, standing {{height|ft=6|in=5}}.<ref name="Simpson" />

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links ==

*{{Discogs artist|Wonder Mike}}

Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:African-American male rappers Category:Rappers from New Jersey Category:The Sugarhill Gang members Category:21st-century American rappers Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:21st-century African-American musicians Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:20th-century American rappers Category:American Christians