This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: April 24
April 24 is an important date in the Hip-Hop and R&B industry. We saw the birthdays of influential artists and the release of culture-defining music. One industry titan who celebrates…
April 24 is an important date in the Hip-Hop and R&B industry. We saw the birthdays of influential artists and the release of culture-defining music. One industry titan who celebrates their birthday on this date is the American R&B singer Kehlani, who was born in 1995. She has released four albums. Her second album, It Was Good Until It Wasn't (2020), was widely regarded as her most successful work to date. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and was ranked 32nd on Billboard's Best Albums of 2020 list.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several genre-shaping albums and best-selling singles were released on this day, including:
- 2007: Brooklyn rapper Joell Ortiz released his debut album, The Brick: Bodega Chronicles. Featuring collaborations with Akon, Rass Kass, Immortal Technique, and Big Daddy Kane, it peaked at No. 23 on the Top Rap Albums chart and at No. 49 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2007: P-Town Ballers dropped their second album, Kingspade. The project debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top Independent chart.
- 1990: American Hip-Hop group X Clan released their debut album, To the East, Blackwards. It reached No. 97 on Billboard's Top Pop Albums chart and peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart.
- 2001: American rapper KRS-One released his fourth solo album, The Sneak Attack, through Koch Records. The album charted on the Billboard 200 at No. 43 and topped Billboard's Independent Albums chart.
- 2012: American rapper Prozak dropped his second album, Paranormal, through Strange Music. The album debuted at No. 90 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2012: Death Grips released their debut album, The Money Store, the follow-up to their debut mixtape, Exmilitary. It reached No. 130 on the Billboard 200 and went to No. 3 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.
- 2020: Baton Rouge rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again released his 14th solo mixtape, 38 Baby 2. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2020: Lil Gotit dropped his third studio album, Hood Baby 2, which featured guest performances from Future, Gunna, Lil Yachty, and Guap Tarantino. It debuted at No. 200 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 2 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.
- 2020: K Camp released his fourth album, Kiss Five, through Rare Sound and Interscope Records. The album peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Many important cultural moments in hip-hop and R&B occurred on this day:
- 1939: R&B singer Ricky Owens was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He was the lead singer of the vocal group The Vibrations and briefly sang with The Temptations.
- 1955: Coke La Rock was born in The Bronx, New York City. He is widely credited as the first MC in hip-hop history and was inducted into the High Times Counterculture Hall of Fame in 2010.
- 1979: R&B and Soul legend Ray Charles' 1960 hit "Georgia on My Mind" became the official state song of Georgia. While the song was written and recorded by Hoagy Carmichael in 1930, it was Charles' 1960 recording that became a Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper.
- 1996: Canadian rapper Yung Tory was born in Toronto, Ontario. He is best known for singles such as “Since I Was Lil,” “I Wanna Rock,” and “Who's He.”
- 2021: Rapper Kanye West and the Sunday Service Choir performed at the rap icon DMX's celebration of life service at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. Industry figures in attendance at the private memorial included Nas, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, and Lil Kim.
Industry Changes and Challenges
This day has heralded various challenges and upheavals in hip-hop and R&B:
- 2001: American singer Al Hibbler died at the age of 85. While he predominantly collaborated with jazz artists, he's widely regarded as a bridge between R&B and traditional pop music.
- 2016: American R&B and Soul singer Billy Paul died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 81. He was best known for the 1972 single "Me and Mrs. Jones," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and earned him a Grammy award for Best R&B Vocal Performance at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards.
April 24 is a memorable date for Hip-Hop and R&B fans globally. This day has been the backdrop to many important moments in the industry, ranging from groundbreaking music releases to the passing of pioneering figures.
