This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: July 13
July 13 is a day that has brought many changes to the hip-hop and R&B scene. For starters, the British-American rapper MF Doom was born on this date in 1971….
July 13 is a day that has brought many changes to the hip-hop and R&B scene. For starters, the British-American rapper MF Doom was born on this date in 1971. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential alternative rappers in the history of hip-hop. Besides his solo work, he released several collaborative albums with top producers and MCs, including Madlib, Danger Mouse, and Czarface. He shares his birthday with the East Coast rap heavy-hitter Saigon, born in 1977, who is best known for his acclaimed The Greatest Story Never Told album trilogy.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
A number of hip-hop and R&B artists dropped albums and singles on this day.
- 1989: G funk rap phenom The D.O.C. released his debut solo album, No One Can Do It Better. The album, which featured guest appearances from his long-time collaborators, N.W.A., peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 and went to No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2004: The Roots dropped their sixth album, The Tipping Point. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 4, pushing 109,000 copies in its first week, and reached the top 20 in the U.K., Canada, and Norway.
- 2007: Joe released “If I Was Your Man,” the second single from his sixth album, Ain't Nothing Like Me. The track peaked at No. 3 on the Adult R&B Songs chart, becoming the singer's highest charting single since his 2002 hit, “What If a Woman.”
- 2012: Public Enemy released their eleventh studio album, Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp. Critics praised the album's signature Bomb Squad production and its politically conscious lyricism.
Cultural Milestones
Several noteworthy cultural moments occurred on this date.
- 2012: Nas dropped his tenth album, Life Is Good. With guest appearances from Rick Ross, Mary J. Blige, and Miguel, it debuted atop both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album also reached the top 10 in the U.K., Switzerland, and Canada.
- 2018: Wiz Khalifa released his sixth album, Rolling Papers 2, the follow-up to his 2011 major-label debut, Rolling Papers. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, also reaching No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Industry Changes and Challenges
July 13 has also seen remarkable transformations and difficulties in the hip-hop and R&B scene.
- 2015: 50 Cent filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after losing a multi-million dollar lawsuit. The rapper, who shot to mainstream prominence with his critically-acclaimed 2003 debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', had been ordered to pay $5 million in damages for leaking a woman's sex tape without her consent.
- 2024: Up-and-coming Oakland rapper Tan DaGod (real name Alliauna Green) was gunned down during a meet-and-greet session with fans at a beauty store opening event. A second victim was injured during the shooting, but they survived.
July 13 has witnessed everything from celebrity birthdays and major album releases to the slaying of a rising star rapper. It's not hard to see why this day is so memorable for many lovers of hip-hop and R&B.
