This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: January 5
Jan. 5 is an outstanding day in hip-hop and R&B history for many reasons. YrkDaRapper was born on this date in 1998. The up-and-coming rapper and producer has so far…
Jan. 5 is an outstanding day in hip-hop and R&B history for many reasons. YrkDaRapper was born on this date in 1998. The up-and-coming rapper and producer has so far released two full-length albums, Boss in the Kitchen (2018) and Life of Yrk2 (2020). He has also collaborated with various artists, including OG Cuicide, Dre Hill, and Tafia.
Also celebrating today is Chicago-born rapper 2hollis, who was born in 2004. Known for his experimental and genre-blurring style, he was listed among the 26 top artists to watch in 2025 by Ones To Watch.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The industry has welcomed the release of several career-defining albums on this day:
- 2010: Kanye West released his second live album, VH1 Storytellers, through Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam Recordings. Taped at Sony Stages in Los Angeles a year earlier, the record features West performing nine songs from his previous three studio albums, Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), and 808s & Heartbreak (2008).
- 2018: Cupkakke dropped her third album, Ephorize, via TuneCore. It charted at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and No. 18 on the Independent Albums chart. Rolling Stone ranked it No. 195 on its “The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time” list.
- 2024: NLE Choppa and Dj Booker launched their collaborative album, The Chosen Ones, through STREETZRUS and No Love Entertainment. Its standout tracks include “Big Homie,” “Switch the Beat Up,” and “Purge on Em.”
Cultural Milestones
Jan. 5 is associated with some watershed moments in hip-hop and R&B:
- 1965: The Supremes went into the studio at Hitsville U.S.A. for the first recording session for their iconic single, “Stop! In the Name of Love.” Released the following month, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2001.
- 1979: A 20-year-old Prince gave his first solo live performance at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis. His setlist for the night featured several numbers from his debut album, For You (1978), including the title track, “I Am You,” “Soft and Wet,” and “Just as Long as We’re Together.”
- 1980: The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper's Delight” hit No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first hip-hop single to crack the chart’s top 40. It would eventually peak at No. 36.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The industry has also experienced difficulties on this day over the years:
- 2016: Nicholas Caldwell died of congestive heart failure at the age of 71. He was a founding member of R&B group The Whispers, known for the chart-topping singles “And the Beat Goes On” (1979) and “Rock Steady” (1987).
- 2021: TMZ reported that Dr. Dre had been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, after suffering a brain aneurysm. Reports of his illness sparked an outpouring of messages of solidarity from friends and fellow stars, including Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, and Ciara.
Jan. 5 is a day that many hip-hop and R&B fans will remember for a long time to come. From important music releases to trendsetting chart successes and memorable live performances, this day has seen it all.
