Minnie The Moocher:
Herstory

The rich history behind Cab Calloway’s groundbreaking record, Minnie The Moocher, making him the first Black artist to achieve a million copies sold, is a legacy that endures.

The significance of a foxtrot in a minor key, the sensual dance, the call and response that reverberate through generations, and the lasting impact on American entertainment and cultural history have deep roots.

“Minnie the Moocher” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 2019 was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress. It has been argued that the record was the first jazz record to sell a million copies.