This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: September 7
September 7 has been a significant date in hip-hop and R&B. Eazy-E was born on this day in 1964. He was a co-founder of the gangsta rap group, N.W.A. Their debut album, Straight…
September 7 has been a significant date in hip-hop and R&B. Eazy-E was born on this day in 1964. He was a co-founder of the gangsta rap group, N.W.A. Their debut album, Straight Outta Compton, is one of the most influential hip-hop albums and was the first rap album to receive a GRAMMY Hall of Fame induction. Jermaine Stewart was also born on this day in 1957. His 1986 single, “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off,” peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was an international hit. Keep reading for more events from Sep. 7.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several charting hip-hop and R&B albums came out on this date, including:
- 1999: American rapper Mr. Mike dropped his sophomore album, Rhapsody, via Priority Records. It peaked at No. 172 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 36 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2010: Young Buck, best known for his work with 50 Cent’s G-Unit group, released his fifth album, The Rehab. It debuted at No. 55 on the Billboard 200.
- 2018: Hip-hop duo $UICIDEBOY$ released their debut album, I Want to Die in New Orleans. It debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and reached the Top 40 in Australia and Finland.
- 2018: American indie rapper RUSS released his 13th album, Zoo, through Columbia Records. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and achieved No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
These important cultural milestones happened on this day:
- 1957: R&B/Soul singer Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me” was released, becoming his first and only No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching No. 1 on the R&B chart. The song was ranked No. 115 on Rolling Stone’s 2010 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
- 1987: Michael Jackson’s smash hit, “Bad,” came out. Released as the second single from his seventh album, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved No. 1 on the Hot Black Singles, Cash Box Top 100, and Hot Crossover charts.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The industry has also suffered misfortunes on this day, including:
- 1996: Tupac Shakur was shot in a drive-by shooting after attending a boxing match at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas with Death Row Records CEO and close associate Suge Knight. The rapper, widely considered the greatest of all time, would die six days later at age 25.
- 2018: American rapper Mac Miller died from an accidental drug overdose at the age of 26. Following his death, three men, Cameron Pettit, Ryan Reavis, and Stephen Walter, were convicted on charges of distributing drugs resulting in death.
September 7 has been marked by significant events in hip-hop and R&B, including the release of iconic songs and albums and the untimely passing of two rappers just when they were starting to enjoy success and acclaim for their work.
