This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: May 30
May 30 isn’t just any average date in hip-hop and R&B. With birthdays, cultural moments, and great songs, this day has marked important developments in these genres that still inspire…
NEWARK, NJ – AUGUST 05: Ne-Yo attends Black Girls Rock! 2017 at NJPAC on August 5, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
May 30 isn't just any average date in hip-hop and R&B. With birthdays, cultural moments, and great songs, this day has marked important developments in these genres that still inspire fans and artists alike.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
May 30 brought the birth of a talented artist, as well as the release of several career-defining albums and singles in hip-hop and R&B:
- 1980: American rapper Remy Ma was born on May 30 1980. The four-time GRAMMY nominee shot to the limelight as a member of Fat Joe's hip-hop collective, Terror Squad. Her 2006 debut album, There's Something About Remy: Based on a True Story, peaked at No. 33 on Billboard 200 and reached No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1989: American rapper Kool Moe Dee released his third album, Knowledge is King. It reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2000: American rapper Lil’ Kim released "No Matter What They Say" as the lead single from her second album, The Notorious K.I.M. The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 60 and reached No. 35 on the U.K. Singles Chart.
- 2005: American R&B star Toni Braxton dropped "Please" as the lead single to her sixth album, Libra. It peaked at No. 36 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 4 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
Cultural Milestones
May 30 is associated with several landmark cultural moments in hip-hop and R&B:
- 1995: American hip-hop group Naughty by Nature dropped their fourth album, Poverty's Paradise, the last to be released through Tommy Boy Records. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and went to No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2017: NBC premiered the first season of the American dance competition show World of Dance, with R&B singers and dancers Ne-Yo and Jennifer Lopez serving as judges alongside acclaimed choreographer Derek Hough. The series was discontinued in 2021 after four seasons.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Controversial moments and tragic occurrences in hip-hop and R&B are also part of May 30’s legacy:
- 2002: Motown Queen Diana Ross' publicist disclosed that the music icon had voluntarily entered a drug and rehabilitation center ahead of her international summer tour. According to Paul Bloch, Ross had entered Malibu's Promise Center 10 days earlier to "clear up some personal issues."
- 2010: American R&B and soul singer Ali-Ollie Woodson died from cancer-related complications at the age of 58. He is best remembered as a lead vocalist for the legendary Motown vocal group The Temptations, with whom he worked from 1984 to 1986 and from 1988 to 1996.
May 30 is a date that hip-hop and R&B fans remember with a tinge of nostalgia, and it's easy to see why. This day witnessed the release of several groundbreaking albums and songs that are as relevant today as they were then. Other events make it a sad day for others, but May 30 is still an important one for the R&B and hip-hop genre.
