This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: October 4
Oct. 4 is associated with many culture-defining moments in hip-hop and R&B. It’s the birthday of Rich Homie Quan, born in 1989, who rose to fame with his 2013 hit,…
Oct. 4 is associated with many culture-defining moments in hip-hop and R&B. It's the birthday of Rich Homie Quan, born in 1989, who rose to fame with his 2013 hit, "Type of Way," which peaked at No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut album, Rich as in Spirit, released in March 2018, peaked at No. 33 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Quan shares his birthday with Lil Mama, best known for her 2007 single, "Lip Gloss." It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and was ranked No. 56 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Oct. 4 set the stage for significant cultural events:
- 2000: Craig David made history by becoming the first artist to bag three Music Of Black Origin awards in a single show. He won Best U.K. Newcomer, Best U.K. single, and Best R&B act for "Fill Me In."
- 2017: T-Pain kicked off his six-day acoustic tour at The Independent in San Francisco. The six-city tour was inspired by his 13-minute Tiny Desk Concert performance, which drew over 10 million views on YouTube, making it the most-watched in NPR's history. It featured him performing his hits in acoustic settings without his signature auto-tune.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Several iconic hip-hop and R&B records were released on this day:
- 1994: Common dropped his sophomore album, Resurrection, his last project released under the name "Common Sense." Although the album sold poorly initially, peaking at No. 179 on the Billboard 200, it aged well and has since become regarded as a classic.
- 2004: Mario's signature song "Let Me Love You" was released. Co-written by Ne-Yo, it debuted at No. 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 before climbing to No. 1, where it stayed for nine consecutive weeks.
- 2005: Twista dropped his fifth album, The Day After. It was his first release not to feature contributions from his long-term collaborator, The Legendary Traxster. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2011: Styles P released his fourth album, Master of Ceremonies, featuring artists such as Pharrell Williams, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Jadakiss, and Lloyd Banks. It debuted at No. 33 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 5 on the U.S. Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2019: Danny Brown released his fourth album, UKnoWhatImSayin? The album was executive-produced by Q-Tip, primarily known for his work with A Tribe Called Quest. It peaked at No. 134 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and at No. 93 on the Canadian Albums chart. Complex ranked it No. 9 on its Best Albums of 2019 list.
- 2024: Tee Grizzley dropped his fifth album, Post Traumatic. With features from Future, G Herbo, J. Cole, and 42 Dugg, it peaked at No. 60 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 20 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
For many hip-hop and R&B fans, Oct. 4 is a day that brings nostalgia and admiration. It featured the release of several influential albums and marked major career milestones for two R&B giants.
