This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: December 12
Dec. 12 witnessed many significant moments in hip-hop and R&B history. The Jackson 5 released their debut album, Mary J. Blige dropped her maiden greatest hits album, and Young Jeezy…
Dec. 12 witnessed many significant moments in hip-hop and R&B history. The Jackson 5 released their debut album, Mary J. Blige dropped her maiden greatest hits album, and Young Jeezy achieved his first No. 1 album on the Billboard. Check out more notable events from this day in hip-hop and R&B history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Iconic albums hit the record stores on this date, including:
- 1969: The Jackson 5 unleashed their debut studio album, Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, marking a significant turning point in their musical careers. Its lead single, "I Want You Back," became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 2000: Xzibit released his third studio album, Restless. The album was certified Platinum and sold over a million copies, making it his most successful album to date.
- 2006: Mary J. Blige released her first compilation album, Reflections (A Retrospective). It featured her greatest hits, including "Be Without You" and "No More Drama," and reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200.
- 2006: Ghostface Killah released More Fish, his sixth studio album. The critically acclaimed album entered the Top Rap Albums chart at No. 6.
- 2006: Christmas came early for Young Jeezy fans with the release of his fourth studio album, Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration. It swiftly scored No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming Jeezy's first No. 1 debut album on the chart.
- 2013: Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip teamed up to release a joint mixtape, The Abstract & The Dragon. The 28-song collaborative mixtape featured remixes of the singles "Vivrant Things" and "Scenario."
Cultural Milestones
This date marked several cultural milestones, including:
- 1992: Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, starting a 20-week run at the top.
- 2024: Drake won an award for Top Rap Artist, while Doja Cat received the Top Rap Female Artist award at the 31st Billboard Music Awards.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These hip-hop and R&B artists graced the stage and delivered memorable performances on Dec. 12:
- 2015: Chance the Rapper starred on the 795th episode of Saturday Night Live, performing his new song "Somewhere in Paradise," featuring Jeremih.
- 2021: Future, Kid Cudi, and J. Cole headlined the 4th Edition of the Rolling Loud hip-hop music festival at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, California.
- 2022: Kendrick Lamar's The Big Steppers Tour went to Australia and delivered a pulsating performance before a capacity crowd at the Brisbane Entertainment Center.
Industry Changes and Challenges
On this date, the industry faced some legal issues and challenges, such as:
- 2014: Port Authority police arrested Jeremih and two others for sneaking onto a flight after missing the final boarding call.
- 2023: The Superior Court in Fulton County, Georgia, pushed back Young Thug's YSL RICO trial to January 2024 after the stabbing of a co-defendant in jail.
- 2024: A Los Angeles court denied Lil Durk bond in a murder-for-hire case, claiming he was a flight risk.
Dec. 12 saw Chance the Rapper become the first unsigned artist on Saturday Night Live and Jeremih face a run-in with the law. Stay tuned for more pivotal moments that occurred on specific dates in hip-hop and R&B history.
