This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: November 4
Nov. 4 was a day new artists dropped debut albums while others made a comeback. Some top performers continued to dominate the airwaves, climbing up the charts with their hits….
Nov. 4 was a day new artists dropped debut albums while others made a comeback. Some top performers continued to dominate the airwaves, climbing up the charts with their hits. Discover more historical events that made the headlines on this date.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
On Nov. 4, different artists made moves with breakthrough hits and milestones:
- 1997: Jay-Z released his second studio album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. The Platinum-certified album logged in at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- 1997: Rakim finally released his much-awaited debut solo album, The 18th Letter. The massively successful album peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- 2003: While at his peak, Ja Rule returned to his hardcore music roots with his fifth studio album, Blood in My Eye. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard chart.
- 2003: Fabolous dropped his first official mixtape, More Street Dreams, Pt. 2: The Mixtape, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2008: Q-Tip released his second solo album, The Renaissance. It peaked at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and earned the rapper a GRAMMY nomination.
- 2015: Puff Daddy & the Family released their first official mixtape, MMM (Money Making Mitch). Initially a free mixtape, Bad Boy Records later relaunched it as a retail project on iTunes.
- 2016: Common released his eleventh album, Black America Again. It came just four days before the U.S. elections and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2016: Alicia Keys released her sixth studio album, Here. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- 2022: Drake and 21 Savage released Her Loss, their first joint album. It debuted atop the Billboard 200 and several global charts.
Cultural Milestones
Nov. 4 saw the achievement of some culturally significant milestones in hip-hop and R&B:
- 1995: Michael Jackson premiered his hit single "Earth Song" on the German game show Wanna Bet? The premiere promoted environmental awareness on a global stage, making it a culturally significant event.
- 1998: The crime drama film Belly premiered in the United States. It featured legendary rappers, such as Nas, Method Man, and DMX.
Notable Recordings and Performances
On this date, iconic rappers wowed music enthusiasts with electrifying performances at different venues:
- 2011: The three-day Fun Fun Fun Fest opened at Auditorium Shores in Austin, Texas. The main hip-hop acts included Public Enemy, Childish Gambino, and Rakim.
- 2023: Xzibit, Too Short, and Berner, among other rappers, graced the stage at the Good Karma Music & Arts Festival in a legendary West Coast hip-hop reunion.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The industry witnessed surprising announcements and legal issues on this date:
- 1993: Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys assaulted a videographer during River Phoenix's memorial service. He was charged with battery and grand theft and sentenced to 200 hours of community service.
- 1996: Michael Jackson announced that his wife, Debbie Rowe, was pregnant. The announcement coincided with his comeback HIStory World Tour.
History will never forget the momentous events of Nov. 4. Nas and DMX debuted on the silver screen, while Rakim dropped his first solo album. These historical moments definitely helped shape the hip-hop and R&B scene.
