This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: August 10
Aug. 10 has seen many transformative moments in hip-hop and R&B. American singer Aaron Hall was born on this day in 1964. He is best known for his work with…
Aug. 10 has seen many transformative moments in hip-hop and R&B. American singer Aaron Hall was born on this day in 1964. He is best known for his work with the R&B and soul group Guy alongside Teddy Riley and Timmy Gatling. American rapper Michael Bivins was also born on this day in 1968. He is a founding member of the R&B/new jack swing groups New Edition and Bell Biv Devoe. Continue reading to learn about more events that occurred on Aug. 10 in hip-hop and R&B history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several artists released acclaimed hip-hop and R&B albums on this day, including:
- 1999: New York City hip-hop duo The Beatnuts released their third album, A Musical Massacre. Produced entirely by the duo, it peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard 200 and No. 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums chart.
- 2004: Mobb Deep dropped their sixth album, Amerikaz Nightmare. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and sold 109,000 copies in its opening week. Its lead single, “Got It Twisted,” charted at No. 64 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 2018: Nicki Minaj released her fourth album, Queen, featuring Lil Wayne, Eminem, Swae Lee, Future, and Foxy Brown. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and reached the top 10 on charts in the U.K., Canada, Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
Cultural Milestones
Aug. 10 witnessed these remarkable cultural moments in R&B and hip-hop:
- 1963: Stevie Wonder began a three-week run atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with his 1962 hit “Fingertips (Part II).” At just thirteen years old, he became the youngest singer to top the charts, and the song was also the first live single to reach the top spot on the chart.
- 1974: Roberta Flack's “Feel Like Makin' Love” achieved No.1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first woman since 1940 to top the chart in three consecutive years. In 1972, she scored her first number-one hit with “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” with her international hit “Killing Me Softly With His Song” topping the chart the following year.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Many changes and challenges in hip-hop and R&B occurred on Aug. 10, including:
- 2006: Barbara George died from hepatitis C-related complications a few days before her 64th birthday. She's best known for her 1961 debut single, “I Know (You Don't Love Me No More), which topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 2008: Isaac Hayes died following a stroke at the age of 65. He was a three-time GRAMMY winner and an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Aug. 10 has heralded many remarkable events in hip-hop and R&B. From birthdays of genre-defining artists to record-breaking chart entries, these moments continue to influence the hip-hop and R&B industry.
