This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: April 16
Hip-hop and R&B’s rich and colorful history is replete with memorable dates. However, few have had the impact and enduring resonance of April 16. One influential figure whose birthday falls…
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – SEPTEMBER 22: Akon performs on the Mundo Stage during the Rock in Rio festival at Cidade do Rock on September 22, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images)
Hip-hop and R&B's rich and colorful history is replete with memorable dates. However, few have had the impact and enduring resonance of April 16. One influential figure whose birthday falls on this day is the Senegalese-American R&B singer Akon, born in 1973. The five-time Grammy-nominated artist gained prominence with his 2004 single "Locked Up," which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. He has released five studio albums over his two-decade career, with his most successful being his second studio album, Konvicted, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
April 16 has hosted the release of numerous seminal hip-hop and R&B albums and singles:
- 1966: American R&B and Soul legend Percy Sledge's career-defining hit "When a Man Loves a Woman" was released. The song went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B Singles chart.
- 1993: American rapper Suga-T released her debut album It's All Good through Sick Wid It Records. While the album received little attention outside of the Bay area, it spent two weeks on the Top R&B Albums chart, peaking at No. 88.
- 1996: West Coast rap icon Master P dropped his fifth album, Ice Cream Man. The album reached No. 26 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the Top R&B Albums chart.
- 2013: American rapper Kid Cudi released his third album, Indicud, featuring guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, ASAP Rocky, Too Short, King Chip, Michael Bolton, and Father John Misty. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
This day has witnessed remarkable cultural achievements in the hip-hop and R&B industry:
- 2018: Acclaimed Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar won a Pulitzer Prize in Music for his fourth album, DAMN, which he released the previous year. This historic win marked the first time the prize was awarded to an artist outside the classical or jazz genres.
- 2020: American rap veterans Jim Jones and French Montana finally squashed their historic 15-year-long beef during an Instagram Live interview. The two rappers reflected on their long and strained history and revealed they were working on new music together.
Industry Changes and Challenges
April 16 has heralded significant challenges and upheavals in the hip-hop and R&B industry:
- 2003: American legendary R&B singer Luther Vandross suffered a stroke that left him confined to a wheelchair. The Grammy-winning star never fully recovered from the effects of the stroke, and died just two years later.
- 2024: Baton Rouge rapper NBA Young Boy was arrested in Cache County, Utah, on 63 charges, including identity fraud, gun possession, and drug possession. The rapper had been on house arrest for several years awaiting trial on separate charges at the time.
April 16 will forever be an iconic date in music. This day has hosted some of the most genre-defining Hip-Hop and R&B albums of all time and ushered many remarkable cultural moments in popular music history.
