This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: September 27
Sept. 27 has transformed the hip-hop and R&B landscape. It’s the birthday of Lil Wayne, born in 1982. Widely considered one of the most influential rappers, he got his break…
Sept. 27 has transformed the hip-hop and R&B landscape. It's the birthday of Lil Wayne, born in 1982. Widely considered one of the most influential rappers, he got his break with his 1999 debut album, Tha Block Is Hot, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. He reached the pinnacle of his career with his sixth album, Tha Carter III, which was released in 2008.
Trick Daddy was also born on this day in 1974. His 2004 debut single, “Let's Go,” featuring Lil Jon and Twista, peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several culture-defining R&B and hip-hop albums came out on this date, including:
- 2005: Three 6 Mafia released their eighth album, Most Known Unknown, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album also spawned two of the group's biggest hits, “Stay Fly” and “Poppin' My Collar,” which peaked at No. 13 and No. 21, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 2005: Lil' Kim released her fourth album, The Naked Truth, which would be her last release under Atlantic Records. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2010: Lil Wayne's eighth album, I Am Not a Human Being, dropped. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, eventually climbing to No. 1 and becoming his second U.S. chart-topping album. The album also topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2011: J. Cole released his debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, which featured Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, and Drake. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 218,000 copies in its first week of sales.
- 2019: DaBaby dropped his sophomore album, Kirk, with Interscope Records. It was his first album to top the Billboard 200, and it went to No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2019: Young M.A. released her debut album, Herstory in the Making. The record peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and achieved No. 60 on Billboard's Canadian Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Sept. 27 has been the backdrop to various cultural moments in the R&B and hip-hop world, including:
- 1980: Kurtis Blow became the first rapper to perform on national TV when he performed “The Breaks” on Soul Train. A year earlier, he had signed to Mercury Records, becoming the first rapper to sign to a major label.
- 2012: Lil Wayne surpassed Elvis Presley's record for most entries on the Billboard Hot 100 after posting his 109th song on the chart. The song that pushed him over the record was his guest appearance on The Game's “Celebration,” which debuted at No. 82 on the chart.
Sept. 27 has been an exceptional day in hip-hop and R&B due to its numerous culture-defining moments, including groundbreaking album releases and landmark television appearances.
