This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: September 21
Sept. 21 is a significant date in hip-hop and R&B history, and for good reason. It’s the birthday of American rapper Wale, who was born in 1984. His first major…
Sept. 21 is a significant date in hip-hop and R&B history, and for good reason. It's the birthday of American rapper Wale, who was born in 1984. His first major commercial success came with his second album, Ambition, released in November 2011, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts. His subsequent two releases, The Gifted and The Album About Nothing, came out in 2013 and 2015, respectively, and both reached the top of the Billboard 200.
He shares his birthday with Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald, born in 1988.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several artists achieved major milestones on Sept. 21:
- 1974: Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" started a one-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The song also reached No. 1 on the R&B charts.
- 2001: The romantic musical film Glitter, starring Mariah Carey, was released. It would earn the songbird an award for Worst Actress at the 22nd Golden Raspberry Awards.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Many critically acclaimed hip-hop and R&B albums dropped on Sept. 21:
- 1999: Brian McKnight released his fifth album, Back at One, through Motown Records. His most successful album to date, it peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and received a nomination for Best R&B Album at the 42nd Annual GRAMMY Awards.
- 2004: Lil Romeo put out his third album, Romeoland. It reached No. 70 on the Billboard 200 and No. 29 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2010: Twiztid released their eighth album, Heartbroken & Homicidal. It peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Top Independent Albums and Top Rap Albums charts.
- 2018: Hip-hop collective Brockhampton dropped their fourth album, Iridescence. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, earning 101,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.
- 2018: Machine Gun Kelly released his second EP, Binge, under Bad Boy Records and Interscope. It peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 and No. 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The following unfortunate events marred Sept. 21:
- 2016: Shawty Lo died in a car crash at the age of 40. He was a member of the Southern hip-hop group D4L, known for the 2006 chart-topping hit "Laffy Taffy."
- 2019: George Harris, known professionally as Lul G, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Harris shot to prominence as a member of the rap group SOB x RBE, whose notable songs included "Paramedic!" and "Anti."
Sept. 21 played a significant role in shaping the hip-hop and R&B scene. It not only marks the birthdates of several high-profile rappers but also the release of several culture-defining albums.
