This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: July 23
July 23 has seen remarkable changes in hip-hop and R&B. Michelle Williams, one of America’s most beloved singers, was born on this day in 1979. She shot to fame in…
July 23 has seen remarkable changes in hip-hop and R&B. Michelle Williams, one of America's most beloved singers, was born on this day in 1979. She shot to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the best-selling female group, Destiny's Child, alongside Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland. The GRAMMY Award-winning singer has had an illustrious solo career, releasing four albums.
American R&B singer Kem was also born on this day in 1967. His 2003 debut album, Kemistry, reached No. 90 on the Billboard 200 and sold 500,000 copies within 16 months of its release, earning Gold certification.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
July 23 is remembered for many significant moments in the hip-hop and R&B genres:
- 1968: The Jackson 5 auditioned for Motown Records, with the then 9-year-old Michael Jackson singing and dancing to James Brown's "I Got That Feeling." Motown president Berry Gordy, who had previously rejected their demo tapes, was impressed and signed them shortly after.
- 1988: Paula Abdul, who has had several songs on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, made her first appearance on the Billboard 200 with her debut album Forever Your Girl. It entered at No. 184 and rose to No. 1 after spending an impressive 64 weeks on the chart. Four singles from the album topped the Billboard Hot 100: "Forever Your Girl," "Straight Up," "Opposites Attract," and "Cold Hearted."
- 1993: John Singleton's romantic drama film, Poetic Justice, starring R&B/pop singer Janet Jackson and rap legend Tupac Shakur, premiered in U.S. theatres. Jackson's big-screen debut earned her awards for Best Female Performance and Most Desirable Female at the MTV Movie Awards in 1994.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Over the years, July 23 has welcomed many critically acclaimed hip-hop and R&B records:
- 1991: Hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince dropped their fourth album, Homebase. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and won Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album at the 1992 American Music Awards. The album's lead single, "Summertime," reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the artists the award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 34th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
- 2002: Lil Wayne released his third album, 500 Degrees. Primarily produced by Mannie Fresh, it debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2021: Dave released his second album, We're All Alone in This Together. Featuring Stormzy, Ghetts, and Wizkid, the album debuted atop the U.K. Albums and U.K. R&B Albums charts.
- 2021: Yung Bleu dropped his debut studio album, Moon Boy, featuring collaborations with Drake, Kodak Black, Big Sean, Moneybagg Yo, Chris Brown, and Gunna. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
July 23 has hosted the release of many seminal records and heralded many groundbreaking cultural moments with long-lasting impact. It's no surprise that many fans of hip-hop and R&B remember this date so fondly.
