This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: August 11
Aug. 11 is a significant date in music, as it’s universally accepted as the birthdate of hip-hop, the genre that has dominated popular culture for nearly half a century. Numerous…
Aug. 11 is a significant date in music, as it's universally accepted as the birthdate of hip-hop, the genre that has dominated popular culture for nearly half a century. Numerous genre-shaping events have also happened on this day.
One iconic rapper whose birthday lands on this date is Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly, who was born in 1978. He was one half of the American hip-hop duo Kriss Kross alongside Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith. The pair is best known for their debut single "Jump" (1992), which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks. Aug. 11 is also the birthday of the Philadelphia-born rapper Tierra Whack, born in 1995. Her 2018 debut mixtape, Whack World, was named the best album of the year by Dazed and Noisey.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Various artists dropped career-defining albums and mixtapes on Aug. 11:
- 1992: Prince Markie Dee from the hip-hop trio the Fat Boys released his debut solo album, Free. While it failed to chart on the Billboard 200, it peaked at No. 47 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1998: DJ Funkmaster Flex released The Mix Tape, Volume III: 60 Minutes of Funk (The Final Chapter). It was his most commercially successful mixtape release, peaking at No. 2 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2009: Slaughterhouse, comprising Royce da 5'9", Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Joell Ortiz, released their self-titled debut album. It reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2023: Trippie Redd dropped his sixth mixtape, A Love Letter to You 5. With features from The Kid Laroi, Lil Wayne, Bryson Tiller, Tory Lanez, and Roddy Ricch, it peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and debuted at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Aug. 11 has hosted many defining cultural moments in hip-hop and R&B:
- 1969: The newly signed Jackson 5 performed at a private showcase event at Daisy's Club in Beverly Hills, California. Their setlist included popular numbers such as the Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You" and Allie Wrubel's "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah."
- 1973: While performing at a dance party in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc (born Clive Campbell) used two turntables to create extended break beats that he would then rap over. His technique became the foundation of hip-hop music, explaining why this party is widely considered the genre's birthplace.
- 2020: XXL magazine revealed its 2020 Freshman Class. It featured the rappers NLE Choppa, Fivio Foreign, Jack Harlow, Polo G, Rod Wave, Lil Tjay, Baby Keem, Chika, Mulatto, and 24kGoldn.
- 2023: The Hip-Hop 50 Live Concert was held at Yankee Stadium in New York to commemorate the genre's 50th birthday. The event was headlined by the seminal hip-hop group Run-DMC. Other prominent artists who performed at the cultural extravaganza included Snoop Dogg, Nas, Fat Joe, Ice Cube, Lil Wayne, T.I., Lauryn Hill, Common, Lil' Kim, Wiz Khalifa, and Lupe Fiasco.
Aug. 11 will forever be a memorable date in hip-hop and R&B. Besides being the official birthdate of hip-hop, this day has hosted numerous culture-shaping moments, including the releases of iconic albums and landmark concerts.
