This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: September 28
Let’s look at how Sept. 28 has shaped the evolution of hip-hop and R&B. Young Jeezy (also known as Jeezy) was born on this date in 1977. Along with fellow…
Let's look at how Sept. 28 has shaped the evolution of hip-hop and R&B. Young Jeezy (also known as Jeezy) was born on this date in 1977. Along with fellow Atlanta natives T.I. and Gucci Mane, he's credited with pioneering the trap subgenre of rap music. His commercial debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (2005), charted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. His two follow-up records, Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration (2006) and The Recession (2008), both debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
In 1938, Ben E. King, best known for the international hit “Stand By Me,” ranked No. 122 on Rolling Stone's 2021 500 Greatest Songs of All Time reboot, was also born on Sept. 28.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Many groundbreaking records have been released on this day throughout the years.
- 2004: Shawnna dropped her debut album, Worth tha Weight. Featuring guest appearances from Missy Elliott, Twista, Kardinal Offishall, and Ludacris, it peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200.
- 2004: Talib Kweli released his sophomore album, The Beautiful Struggle. It went to No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2010: Gucci Mane's seventh album, The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted, was released. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
- 2010: Ice Cube dropped his ninth album, I Am the West, through his Lench Mob Records label. It peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the U.S. Independent Albums chart.
- 2018: Logic released his fourth album, YSIV. Featuring guest appearances from Wale, Jaden Smith, and members of Wu-Tang, it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 as well as the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Sept. 28 has seen remarkable cultural developments in the world of hip-hop and R&B.
- 1976: Stevie Wonder's 18th album, Songs in the Key of Life, was released. Only the third album to do so, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album also ranked 4th on Rolling Stone's 2020 The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
- 1999: Method Man & Redman released their first album, Blackout! It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, with 254,000 copies sold in the first week, and was certified platinum in January 2000.
Industry Changes and Challenges
This date has also witnessed unfortunate events in the hip-hop and R&B scene.
- 2020: NBA YoungBoy was arrested in Baton Rouge on drug and firearms charges, along with 15 other members of his Never Broke Again crew and the Bottom Boy Guerillas gang. He was released the following day.
- 2022: Coolio died from an accidental drug overdose at the age of 59. He is remembered for his 1995 smash single, “Gangsta's Paradise,” which won Best Rap Solo Performance at the 38th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
It's easy to see why Sept. 28 is an iconic date. It not only welcomed the release of numerous genre-defining albums but also witnessed the arrest of one prominent rapper and recorded the demise of another.
