This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: December 28
Dec. 28 has ushered in many genre-shaping events in the hip-hop and R&B industries. On this day in 1978, 13-time GRAMMY winner John Legend was born. While he has amassed…
Dec. 28 has ushered in many genre-shaping events in the hip-hop and R&B industries. On this day in 1978, 13-time GRAMMY winner John Legend was born. While he has amassed many hits over his three-decade career, he reached the height of his commercial success with the 2013 piano ballad "All of Me." The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and received a 14x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
Atlanta rapper Rocko was also born on this day in 1979. He is best known for his 2013 smash hit "U.O.E.N.O." featuring Rick Ross and Future, which reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song famously sparked controversy over a Rick Ross line that appeared to condone date rape, resulting in his entire verse being dropped so the song could receive radio play.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several genre-defining albums from prominent artists have dropped on this date:
- 1999: Jay-Z launched his fourth album, Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 and sold 462,000 copies in its first week. It has also since been certified triple Platinum by the RIAA.
- 2004: John Legend launched his debut album, Get Lifted, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album featured his breakthrough hit single "Ordinary People," which reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned him three GRAMMY nominations at the 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards, including Song of the Year.
Cultural Milestones
Various artists achieved important career milestones on this day:
- 1983: Run-DMC made their Minneapolis debut, performing at First Avenue's Mainroom. The group, which included Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell, was paid $1,150 for the performance.
- 1985: Eddie Murphy's smash hit "Party All the Time" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, written and produced by Rick James, held that spot for three consecutive weeks, only surpassed by Lionel Richie's "Say You, Say Me."
Industry Changes and Challenges
Dec. 28 has also witnessed some tragedies in the industry:
- 1991: A crowd crush happened at the City College of New York during a charity basketball game organized and promoted by hip-hop stars P. Diddy and Heavy D. Nine people were crushed to death during the incident, while another 29 were injured.
- 2013: Up-and-coming Montgomery rapper Doe B was shot and killed at the age of 22. A signee of the Atlanta-based Grand Hustle Records label, he was known for tracks such as "Trap Muzik," "Let Me Find Out," and "2 Many."
For many fans of hip-hop and R&B, Dec. 28 is etched in our cultural memory forever. This day not only saw several artists achieve high points in their careers, but it has also brought unfortunate events whose impacts on the industry still linger.
