This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: July 9
June 9 is a date that has had a profound impact on hip-hop and R&B. One of America’s greatest R&B and soul singers, Debbie Sledge, was born on this day in 1954….
June 9 is a date that has had a profound impact on hip-hop and R&B. One of America's greatest R&B and soul singers, Debbie Sledge, was born on this day in 1954. She is one of the four sisters in the iconic vocal group Sister Sledge, best known for hits like “We Are Family” and “Frankie.”
Also born on this day, in 1982, is the New Orleans-based rapper Neno Calvin. Although he has been active since the late 2000s, he first gained mainstream attention after featuring on the Birdman tracks “Fuk Em” and “Ms. Gladys.” Other artists he has collaborated with include fellow New Orleans rapper Young Da Truth and the Oakland-born rapper Philthy Rich.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
A number of seminal hip-hop and R&B albums came out on this day.
- 2002: Styles P dropped his debut album, A Gangster and a Gentleman. The album, featuring production by The Alchemist, Swizz Beatz, and DJ Clue, peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the RIAA in October 2002.
- 2013: DJ Tony Touch released his sixth album, The Piece Maker 3: Return of the 50 MCs. The album featured guest appearances from A-list rappers such as Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Prodigy, The Lox, Fat Joe, KRS-One, and Method Man & Redman, among many others. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 175, pushing 2,400 units in its first week.
- 2013: Fabulous released the single “When I Feel Like It” featuring 2 Chainz, as the second single from his sixth album, Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power. It peaked at No. 5 on Billboard's Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart.
Cultural Milestones
July 9 is associated with several watershed moments in hip-hop and R&B.
- 1991: The soundtrack Boyz n the Hood: Music From the Motion Picture was released via Qwest Records. The album, written for the 1991 coming-of-age film Boyz n the Hood, primarily consisted of hip-hop and R&B songs by artists like Ice Cube, Prodigy, and Tevin Campbell. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2021: California rapper Vince Staples released his self-titled fourth album. Entirely produced by Kenny Beats, the record reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and was ranked second on Time's list of the Top 10 Best Albums of 2021.
Industry Changes and Challenges
This day has also been blemished by bad news in the industry.
- 2016: Keyboardist Milan Williams died at the age of 58 following a prolonged battle with cancer. He was a founding member of the R&/funk band The Commodores, with whom he achieved mainstream success in the 1970s and 1980s.
- 2022: New York drill rapper Notti Osama (real name Ethan Reyes) died of stab wounds, aged just 14, following a physical altercation with a rival gang member. He shot to mainstream prominence after featuring on fellow New York rapper Sugarhill Ddot's 2022 breakout single, “Too Tact.”
July 9 is a day that has seen everything from the release of career-defining hip-hop and R&B albums to the untimely death of upcoming and established artists. It's for these reasons and more reasons that it remains a poignant date for many lovers of these popular styles.
