This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: August 17
August 17 is an extraordinary date in hip-hop and R&B for a myriad of reasons. Soundcloud rap phenom Lil Pump was born on this day in 2000. He shot to…
August 17 is an extraordinary date in hip-hop and R&B for a myriad of reasons. Soundcloud rap phenom Lil Pump was born on this day in 2000. He shot to the limelight with his 2017 smash hit “Gucci Gang,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. His self-titled debut album, released later the same year, reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Another prominent artist born on this date is the Australian rapper The Kid Laroi, who was born in 2003. His debut mixtape, F*ck Love, peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200, becoming his first chart-topping record in the U.S.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Many prolific artists have released high-charting albums on this date.
- 1993: Scarface released his second album, The World Is Yours. It reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and topped Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1999: Mobb Deep dropped their fourth album, Murda Muzik. One of their best-selling records to date, it debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. It received a platinum certification from the RIAA in October 1999 for selling over a million copies in the U.S.
- 2004: Hip-hop trio 213, comprising Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and Warren G, released their only album, The Hard Way. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, with 95,000 copies sold in its first week.
- 2018: YSL Records dropped its debut collaborative compilation album, Slime Language. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 8, garnering 41,000 album-equivalents in its opening week.
Cultural Milestones
August 17 has witnessed numerous landmark moments in hip-hop and R&B.
- 1987: The Beastie Boys and Run-D.M.C. wrapped up their Together Forever tour with a performance at New York's Madison Square Garden. The latter encouraged fans to prioritize their education and avoid drugs.
- 2002: Nelly topped the Billboard Hot 100 with his smash single “Dilemma,” featuring Kelly Rowland. It dethroned another of his singles, “Hot in Herre,” for the top spot, making Nelly the first artist to replace himself atop the chart.
Industry Changes and Challenges
This day has also been sullied by bad news in the hip-hop and R&B world.
- 1973: Paul Williams, the founding frontman of the Motown act The Temptations, was found dead in a Detroit alley, from a self-inflicted gunshot injury to the head. The singer had reportedly expressed suicidal thoughts prior to his tragic passing. He was only 34.
- 2018: Young Thug was jailed on a weapons charge, following his arrest at a Dave and Buster's in Hollywood. The “Best Friend” hitmaker was hosting an overnight birthday party and listening party for his newly released album when he was taken into custody.
August 17 will go down as one of hip-hop and R&B's most consequential dates. Many significant events occurred on this day, including the record-breaking chart success of an iconic rapper and the passing of one of classic R&B's greatest voices.
