This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: May 4

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1993: American hip-hop group Run-DMC released their sixth album, Down With the King, through Arista Records. It debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 1993: Masta Ace Incorporated dropped their debut album, SlaughtaHouse, via Delicious Vinyl. The project reached No. 134 on the Billboard 200 and No. 32 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. 
• 1993: Los Angeles-based hip-hop group Funkdoobiest released, Which Doobie U B?, their debut album. It spawned arguably their most successful hit, “Bow Wow Wow,” which peaked at No. 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 34 on the UK Singles chart. The album itself went to No. 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 56 on the Billboard 200. 
• 1999: American actor and R&B/pop singer Jennifer Lopez released her debut single, "If You Had My Love," produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. It debuted at No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 before climbing to No. 1, making Lopez the first artist to have a chart-topping debut entry since Britney Spears's "... Baby One More Time" four months earlier.
• 1999: Kool Keith released his third album, First Come, First Served, which would be his first release under the moniker Dr. Doom. With guest features from Motion Man and Jacky Jasper, it peaked at No. 48 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.
• 1999: The compilation album Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 - Still Smokin' was released by Death Row Records. The album, featuring performances by 2Pac, Scarface, Soopafly, E-40, Daz Dillinger, Outlawz, and Top Dogg, peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200.
• 2004: Petey Pablo dropped his sophomore album, Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry, through Jive Records. It featured the hit single, “Freek-a-Leek,” which charted at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. The album also performed well on the charts, reaching No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200. 
• 2010: American hip-hop group Bone Thugz-N-Harmony released their eighth album, Uni5: The World's Enemy. It debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200.
• 2010: Memphis rap duo 8Ball & MJG released their eighth album, Ten Toes Down, which featured collaborations with T.I., Lil Boosie, Bun B, Soulja Boy, and Slim Thug. It peaked at No. 5 on the Top Rap Albums chart and at No. 36 on the Billboard 200. 
• 2010: American rapper Trina released her fifth album, Amazin', through Slip-N-Slide Records. Featuring collaborations by Flo Rida, Diddy, Keri Hilson, Monica, and Nicki Minaj, the album reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2015: Tech N9ne released his fifteenth album, Special Effects, through his Strange Music label. With guest performances from Lil Wayne, Eminem, Yo Gotti, 2 Chainz, and E-40, it debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Independent Albums charts.
• 2018: BlocBoy JB released his seventh mixtape, Simi, which was supported by the singles “Look Alive” and “Rover 2.0.” It debuted at No. 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 28 on the Billboard 200. 
• 2018: Rae Sremmurd dropped their third album, SR3MM, through Ear Drummer Records and Interscope Records. The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 6, selling 57,000 copies in its first week. 
• 2018: Detroit rapper Royce da 5'9” released his seventh album, Book of Ryan, which featured guest performances from Jadakiss, T-Pain, Eminem, Pusha-T, and J.Cole. It peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. 
• 2024: American rapper Kendrick Lamar released the diss song "Not Like Us" as part of his ongoing feud with Canadian rapper Drake. The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won the rapper five awards at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. It was ranked the best song of 2024 by Billboard and Pitchfork.

Cultural Milestones

• 1953: Four-time GRAMMY-nominated singer Oleta Adams was born in Seattle, Washington. She scored her biggest hit with her cover of Brenda Russell's “Get Here,” which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the UK Singles chart. 
• 1985: English grime rapper and DJ Jme was born in Hackney, London. The younger brother of Mercury Prize-winning rapper Skepta, he has featured on numerous UK hits, including Wiley's “Can You Hear Me? (Ayayaya),” Lethal Bizzle's “Rari WorkOut,” and Skepta's “That's Not Me.”

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2012: American rapper Adam Yauch died of cancer at the age of 47. He is remembered as a founding member of the Beastie Boys. Their debut studio album, Licensed to Ill, was the first rap LP to top the Billboard 200.
• 2023: American rapper Mozzy was released from prison early after serving a 10-month sentence for a gun charge. In addition to the sentence, the rapper was slapped with a $55,000 fine.