This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: May 27
May 27 has witnessed numerous groundbreaking events. One artist whose birthday falls on this date is the American rapper and singer Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, who was born in 1971….
May 27 has witnessed numerous groundbreaking events. One artist whose birthday falls on this date is the American rapper and singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who was born in 1971. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC. They are known as the greatest female music group of all time. Their most successful album, CrazySexyCool from 1994, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. It remains the best-selling album by a girl group in the U.S.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
This day hosted the release of many charting albums and hit singles in hip-hop and R&B:
- 2008: American rapper Lil Wayne released "Got Money," the third single from his sixth album, The Carter III. The song, which features the American rapper and singer T-Pain, debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at No. 10.
- 2014: Christian hip-hop artist Tedashii dropped his fourth album, Below Paradise. It peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and topped Billboard's Top Gospel Albums chart.
- 2016: American R&B and pop girl group Fifth Harmony released their second album, 7/27, on Syco Music and Epic Records. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, becoming the group's highest-charting entry on the U.S. Albums chart.
- 2016: Music icon Beyoncé dropped "Hold Up" as the third single from her acclaimed visual album, Lemonade. It peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Cultural Milestones
May 27 has witnessed several landmark cultural moments in hip-hop and R&B:
- 1998: American rapper Master P and his No Limit Records label released their first movie, I Got the Hook. The crime-comedy film stars several iconic rappers, including Ice Cube, C-Murder, and Master P himself.
- 2014: American rap icon 50 Cent threw a ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets. The comically off-target pitch, considered one of the worst the game has ever seen, was immortalized in a special baseball card by Topps.
Industry Changes and Challenges
There have been several controversial moments in the industry on May 27:
- 2018: American rap collective BROCKHAMPTON announced the departure of Ameer Vann from the group following allegations of sexual misconduct. He was the first member to depart from the group after the massive success of their Saturation trilogy.
- 2024: Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj announced the rescheduled date for her postponed Manchester concert. The cancellation was prompted by her arrest by Amsterdam police for carrying drugs.
May 27 is a date that hip-hop and R&B fans remember for many reasons. This day has seen the release of several seminal albums and singles, which have had enormous influence on these genres and music at large. It has also included controversies, making May 27 a memorable one in the genre's history.
