The woman who turned such groups as Sugar Hill Gang and Melle Mel into major stars has slapped Blaze magazine with a $15 million defamation suit over an article in its February issue.

Robinson contends the leading hip-bop magazine called her a cheater, swindler and con artist in a roundup of some of the greatest emcees, artists, producers and execs in the hip-hop biz.

The article noted that Robinson "founded the first rap label, Sugar Hill Records. Launched the careers of Sugar Hill Gang, Melle Mel, Furious Five and many others." But, it added, she "jerked many artists — but hey, that's what execs do."

"I didn't 'jerk' anybody," says Robinson, who sold the Sugar Hill label to Rhino Records in 1994.

"It is an untrue statement, and I don't want people believing that about me," she says. "I was always honest in my dealings with artists."

Robinson — who also recorded the 1957 hit "Love Is Strange" as half of the duo Mickey & Sylvia — says that no one from Blaze ever called her prior to publication. "This was a complete surprise to me," she told me from her Englewood, N.J., home.

Robinson says she is suing as opposed to simply asking for a retraction, "because my mother-in-law told me years ago that a spoken word is like a shot owl. You can never take it back. And today, whatever people read they believe."

Robinson's suit says that Blaze "meant and intended to defame" her and has injured her in the music business "by impugning fraud and dishonesty."

Blaze rep Audrey Addison said the magazine "is aware of the suit, but we cannot comment on pending litigation."

-- Midknight - 3/03/99