This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: October 12
Oct. 12 has played a significant role in the development of hip-hop and R&B in many ways. Melvin Franklin was born on this day in 1944. He was a founding…
Oct. 12 has played a significant role in the development of hip-hop and R&B in many ways. Melvin Franklin was born on this day in 1944. He was a founding member of The Temptations and sang lead vocals on some of the group's biggest hits, including "I Truly, Truly Believe," "The Prophet," and "Silent Night."
This day also marks the birthday of Nappy Brown, who was born in 1929. One of the most influential R&B artists of the '50s, his hits include "Don't Be Angry," "Night Time Is the Right Time," and "Little By Little."
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several hip-hop and R&B artists celebrated profound achievements on Oct. 12:
- 1991: Mariah Carey's "Emotions" began a three-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first and only artist to have their first five singles top the chart. The song also peaked within the top five in Canada and New Zealand and reached the top 20 in the U.K.
- 2003: Rapper 50 Cent swept the 15th Annual World Music Awards, winning all five prizes for which he was nominated, including Best Artist 2003, Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist, Best Male Artist, Best R&B Artist, and Best New Artist.
- 2009: Michael Jackson's posthumous single "This Is It" premiered on his official website four months after his death. Released as a promotional single for the concert documentary film of the same name, it peaked at No. 18 on Billboard's U.S. Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Numerous acclaimed R&B and hip-hop albums were released on Oct. 12:
- 1993: Salt-N-Pepa dropped their fourth album, Very Necessary. Supported by four singles, including the GRAMMY-winning "None of Your Business," it reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified 5x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
- 1999: Donell Jones released his second album, Where I Wanna Be. It spawned his biggest hit to date, "U Know What's Up," which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself went to No. 35 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1999: Warren G dropped his third album, I Want It All. With features from Snoop Dogg, Eve, Mack 10, Nate Dogg, and Tha Dogg Pound, it peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1999: Mos Def released his debut album, Black on Both Sides. Praised by critics for its live instrumentation and socially conscious lyrics, it topped the Billboard 200 and the Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2004: Mos Def's second album, The New Danger, was released while the rapper was still basking in the massive success of his debut project. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 1 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
Oct. 12 has played a major role in shaping the history of hip-hop and R&B. Along with the release of many groundbreaking records, this day has also seen legendary artists succeed on the charts and at award shows.
