This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: October 5
Oct. 5 is a day that has brought significant transformations in R&B and hip-hop. Vinnie Paz was born on this date in 1977. He is a co-founder of the hip-hop…
Oct. 5 is a day that has brought significant transformations in R&B and hip-hop. Vinnie Paz was born on this date in 1977. He is a co-founder of the hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks, with whom he has released 10 albums, and a member of the rap duo Heavy Metal Kings, alongside Ill Bill.
Paz shares his birthday with Erica Banks, who was born in 1998. Her breakthrough single, "Buss It," released in 2020, went viral on TikTok and eventually entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 100. It peaked at No. 47 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2021.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Oct. 5 has been the release date for many influential hip-hop and R&B albums:
- 2004: De La Soul released their seventh album, The Grind Date. It went to No. 87 on the Billboard 200 and No. 17 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Pitchfork ranked it No. 31 on their list of the Top 50 Albums of 2004.
- 2010: Pimp C's third album and first posthumous release, The Naked Soul of Sweet Jones, was issued. It debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and went to No. 5 on the U.S. Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2010: Waka Flocka Flame released his debut album, Flockaveli. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 2 on both the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
- 2018: T.I. issued his 10th album, Dime Trap, through his Grand Hustle label and Epic Records. Featuring guest appearances from Young Thug, Meek Mill, and Jeezy, it debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200.
- 2018: Lil Baby and Gunna's collaborative album, Drip Harder, was released. Its lead single, "Drip Too Hard," reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album itself reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
Industry Changes and Challenges
This day has also seen tragic and controversial occurrences in the hip-hop and R&B world:
- 1992: Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations died of lung cancer at the age of 52. As part of the Temptations, he recorded 10 Billboard 200 Top 10 albums, as well as several solo hit albums, including "Boogie Down!" in 1974.
- 1998: The music video for Janet Jackson's "Every Time" premiered on HBO. Following this, the video was played twice a day, leading up to the broadcast of her The Velvet Rope Tour concert special, scheduled for a week later.
Oct. 5 holds special significance for fans of hip-hop and R&B, as it marks the release of many acclaimed records that remain relevant today. It also witnessed the passing of one of the greatest voices in R&B and soul.
