This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: July 29
July 29 is the birthday of several hip-hop and R&B stars. Boyz II Men singer Wanya Morris was born in 1973 and went on to make international hits such as…
July 29 is the birthday of several hip-hop and R&B stars. Boyz II Men singer Wanya Morris was born in 1973 and went on to make international hits such as “End of the Road” and “I'll Make Love to You.” Roswell rapper Kaliii was also born on this day in 2000. She is best known for her 2023 breakout song, “Area Codes,” which went viral on TikTok and eventually peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Many influential hip-hop and R&B albums came out on July 29:
- 1997: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony dropped their third album, The Art of War. It debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 394,000 copies in its first week. This release was their first double album.
- 2014: Dark Lotus released their fourth and final album,The Mud, Water, Air & Blood. It charted at No. 43 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2016: American disc jockey and record producer DJ Khaled released his ninth album, Major Key, through his We The Best label and Epic Records. It debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
Notable Recordings and Performances
July 29 has seen numerous important recordings and performances in the world of hip-hop and R&B:
- 1965: The Supremes opened their highly anticipated three-week run at New York's Copacabana nightclub, a venue famous for showcasing Motown's greatest talents. Their performances during this stint were taped for release as a live album.
- 2022: Beyoncé released her seventh album, Renaissance. It was her seventh consecutive album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was named the best album of 2022 by publications that included Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and NPR.
Industry Changes and Challenges
This day has witnessed difficult moments as well:
- 2020: Malik B. died of undisclosed causes at the age of 47. He was an early member of the influential hip-hop band The Roots, with whom he released four albums. Things Fall Apart, the band's breakthrough record, was their last album, released in 1999. It was their first album to sell 500,000 copies and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 42nd Annual GRAMMY Awards.
- 2023: Rising star 350heem died in a fatal shooting outside the Jade Fox Lounge in Lakeland, Florida, where he was hosting a listening party for his new mixtape, Taking Chances 3. He was 25 years old.
July 29 is a date that has witnessed everything from the release of chart-topping albums to the passing of influential rappers. These events contribute to the date's special significance for R&B and hip-hop fans.
