This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: December 25
Dec. 25 has ushered in many important events in R&B and hip-hop. O’Kelly Isley Jr. was born on this date in 1937. He was a founding member of the family…
Dec. 25 has ushered in many important events in R&B and hip-hop. O'Kelly Isley Jr. was born on this date in 1937. He was a founding member of the family vocal group the Isley Brothers, with whom he scored hits including "Shout," "Twist & Shout," and "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)." He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of the Isley Brothers. Also born on this day in 1929 was Christophe Kenner. He scored his biggest hit with the 1961 single "I Like It Like That," which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several groundbreaking albums and mixtapes came out on this day:
- 2009: Tyler, the Creator released his debut album, B*****d. The project featured guest appearances from fellow Odd Future members, such as Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis, Hodgy Beats, Jasper Dolphin, and Syd the Kid. Rolling Stone ranked it 118th on its list of "The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time" in 2022.
- 2013: Gucci Mane dropped The State vs. Radric Davis II: The Caged Bird Sings. With guest appearances from Migos, Young Dolph, Young Thug, and Rocko, it charted at No. 31 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and peaked at No. 38 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart.
- 2014: Fabolous dropped his sixth album, The Young OG Project. It debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, selling 71,000 copies in its opening week. The project also performed well on other Billboard charts, reaching No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts.
- 2015: Kid Ink released Summer in the Winter via RCA Records. Mainly produced by DJ Mustard, the mixtape peaked at No. 50 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
This day is also remembered for landmark cultural moments in R&B and hip-hop:
- 2006: The musical drama Dreamgirls officially opened in the US. The film, which was based on Motown's superstar act the Supremes, starred Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé Knowles, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy.
- 2020: Playboi Carti released his second album, Whole Lotta Red. Widely considered a seminal record in the rage rap subgenre, it debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, earning Carti his first US No. 1 album. Rolling Stone magazine named it the best hip-hop album of 2021 and ranked it No. 129 on its "The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time" list.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The industry has also suffered significant losses on this day over the years:
- 1954: Johnny Ace died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound while playing with a revolver. He scored several hits in the post-war era, including "Cross My Heart," "Pledging My Love," and "My Song."
- 2006: James Brown died from pneumonia at the age of 73. While he was a leading figure in R&B and soul in the latter half of the 20th century, he is also remembered as the progenitor of funk.
Christmas Day has been the backdrop for many pivotal events in hip-hop and R&B, including seminal releases and artist deaths, which explains why it remains a memorable day for many fans of these genres.
