This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: September 9
Sep. 9 has brought significant chart successes, legendary performances, and changes in the music business, from soul royalty to era-defining awards shows. This date stands out because it shows the…
Sep. 9 has brought significant chart successes, legendary performances, and changes in the music business, from soul royalty to era-defining awards shows. This date stands out because it shows the genre's growth in real time, from funk roots to rap's rise on the global stage. Each of these events changed the music, shifted the culture, and showed how hip-hop and R&B find new ways to connect with people. Today's snapshot spans James Brown's unstoppable groove, Coolio's crossover moment, Cameo's funk classic, Lauryn Hill's Video Music Awards (VMAs) sweep, and headlines that changed how the business works.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These releases and chart moves pushed hip-hop and R&B culture forward on this date:
- 1967: James Brown's “Cold Sweat—Part 1” sat at No. 1 on Billboard's R&B chart for the issue dated Sep. 9, cementing the Godfather's blueprint for funk and modern hip-hop rhythm.
- 1995: Coolio's “Gangsta's Paradise” (featuring L.V.) hit No. 1 in the U.S., a rare example of a rap single that dominated pop radio while keeping its gritty core.
Cultural Milestones
On this day, these events echoed beyond the stage:
- 1941: Sep. 9 saw the birth of Otis Redding, whose voice anchors the soul canon that hip-hop keeps on sampling and celebrating.
- 1999: At the MTV VMAs in New York, Lauryn Hill took home multiple trophies — including Video of the Year for “Doo Wop (That Thing)” — a watershed moment for hip-hop and R&B artistry on mainstream TV. TLC also snagged Best Group Video for “No Scrubs,” a win that mirrored the song's radio dominance.
- 2007: The VMAs went ultra-slick in Las Vegas with the format — and fallout — making headlines. Kanye West publicly fumed after going home empty-handed, a flashpoint in how artists and award shows navigate TV spectacle.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These key releases and stage moments landed exactly on Sep. 9:
- 1986: Cameo dropped Word Up! — an electro-funk juggernaut whose title track can still be found in DJ crates and sample packs.
- 1999: TLC lit up the VMAs stage with “No Scrubs,” an instant-classic performance fans still replay.
From James Brown's chart-topping “Cold Sweat” to Coolio's crossover No. 1, the Cameo funk bomb, and Lauryn Hill and TLC owning the 1999 VMAs, Sep. 9 keeps showing up with receipts.
Even behind-the-scenes stories, such as the format-shifting 2007 VMAs drama, remind us that the music we love lives inside a bigger machine. For hip-hop and R&B fans, this date is like a tight playlist, full of grooves, sounds, and moments you don't skip.
