This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: December 22
Dec. 22 is an unforgettable date for many R&B and hip-hop fans, and deservedly so. DaBaby was born on this date in 1991. He initially garnered mainstream attention with his…
Dec. 22 is an unforgettable date for many R&B and hip-hop fans, and deservedly so. DaBaby was born on this date in 1991. He initially garnered mainstream attention with his debut album, Baby on Baby, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned his first U.S. top 10 hit, "Suge," which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. His second album, Kirk, was released the same year and debuted atop the Billboard 200, earning him his first U.S. No. 1 album.
DaBaby shares a birthday with Latto, born in 1998. She's best known for her 2021 smash hit "Big Energy," which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several artists have dropped groundbreaking records on this day over the years:
- 1992: Heavy D & the Boyz released their fourth album, Blue Funk, through Uptown Records. Featuring the singles "Truthful" and "Who's the Man?," it peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1993 for selling half a million units in the U.S.
- 1998: DMX's second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, was released just seven months after his seminal debut, "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot." Its debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 made DMX the second artist to have two albums released within the same calendar year debut at the top of the chart.
- 2017: Gucci Mane dropped his El Gato: The Human Glacier mixtape. Produced by Southside and Jake One, it charted at No. 28 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 61 on the Canadian Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
This day has been the backdrop to a number of culture-defining moments in the industry:
- 1995: The Forest Whitaker-directed romantic comedy film, Waiting to Exhale, starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett, opened at the box office. It would be Houston's second big screen performance following her 1992 debut in The Bodyguard.
- 2016: Beyoncé's Lemonade emerged as the critics' album of the year after it topped a poll compiled by the BBC. The politically charged visual album edged out other critic favorites, such as David Bowie's Blackstar and Frank Ocean's Blonde, for the title, with the latter two coming in second and third, respectively.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Several notable industry figures sadly died on this day:
- 2022: GRAMMY-winning songwriter and producer Thom Bell passed away at the age of 79 following a long illness. One of the most prolific R&B songwriters and producers of all time, he wrote and produced hits for seminal '70s groups, including The Spinners, The Stylistics, and The Delfonics.
- 2022: Big Scarr died from an accidental prescription drug overdose at the age of 22. The up-and-coming Memphis rapper signed with Gucci Mane's 1017 Records label in 2020. Big Scarr dropped his debut mixtape, Big Grim Reaper, in 2021, charting at No. 25 on the Billboard 200.
It's easy to see why Dec. 22 remains such a memorable day in hip-hop and R&B. It has not only welcomed the release of chart-topping records but has also seen prominent artists strike important career milestones.
