This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: August 12
Aug. 12 marks many remarkable events in hip-hop and R&B history. American rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot was born on this day in 1963. His third album, Mack Daddy, released in February…
Aug. 12 marks many remarkable events in hip-hop and R&B history. American rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot was born on this day in 1963. His third album, Mack Daddy, released in February 1992, reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum. It features his best-known single, "Baby Got Back," which spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Also born on Aug. 12 is the West Coast hip-hop artist Del the Funky Homosapien, who was born in 1972. Besides his expansive discography as a solo artist, which includes several charting albums, he is known for his collaborations with the English virtual band Gorillaz. He featured on their debut single "Clint Eastwood," which charted at No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at No. 4 on the U.K. Official Singles Chart.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Throughout the decades, Aug. 12 has welcomed the release of influential hip-hop and R&B albums:
- 2003: State Property dropped their final album, The Chain Gang Vol. 2. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and topped Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2008: Young Berg released his debut album, Look What You Made Me. It was his only release under the rap name before he transitioned to record production under the moniker Hitmaka. It debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2014: Twista released his ninth album, Dark Horse. Featuring guest appearances from Lil Wayne, R. Kelly, Wiz Khalifa, and Tech N9ne, the album peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard 200 and No. 8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2016: Mississippi-based hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd released their second album, SremmLife 2. The album spawned several hit singles, including the chart-topping "Black Beatles" featuring Gucci Mane, which became both artists' first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Diamond by the RIAA.
- 2022: "Savage" hitmaker Megan Thee Stallion released her second album, Traumazine. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, marking her fifth Top 10 album in the United States. Its lead single, "Sweetest Pie," a collaboration with pop singer Dua Lipa, peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Cultural Milestones
Some of hip-hop and R&B's most iconic figures achieved important career milestones on Aug. 12:
- 1978: GRAMMY-winning R&B/Soul group The Commodores scored their first No. 1 hit with "Three Times a Lady." The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks and was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group, or Chorus at the 23rd Annual GRAMMY Awards.
- 1984: Lionel Richie closed the Summer Olympics with a special nine-minute rendition of his 1983 No. 1 hit, "All Night Long." The performance was broadcast to an estimated 2.6 billion viewers worldwide.
Aug. 12 has hosted numerous consequential events in hip-hop and R&B over the years, including cultural moments, the release of genre-defining albums, and landmark performances.
