This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: May 4
May 4 is an iconic date in Hip-Hop and R&B for many reasons. This day has hosted many culture-defining moments that echo today. One industry figure commemorating their birthday on…
Jennifer Lopez performing at the ‘1999 VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards’ at The Armory in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect)
May 4 is an iconic date in Hip-Hop and R&B for many reasons. This day has hosted many culture-defining moments that echo today. One industry figure commemorating their birthday on this day is American rapper YRN Lingo, who was born in 1997. The brother of the hip-hop group Migos' youngest member Takeoff is best known for the breakout single "Coming for Ya Ice" featuring Quavo. He has also collaborated with other upcoming rappers, including Goonew, Yung Mal, and Lil Quill.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
This day has seen the release of several charting R&B and hip-hop albums:
- 1993: American Hip-Hop group Run-DMC released their sixth album, Down With the King, through Arista Records. It debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1999: American actor and R&B/pop singer Jennifer Lopez released her debut single, "If You Had My Love," produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. It debuted at No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 before climbing to No. 1, making Lopez the first artist to have a chart-topping debut entry since Britney Spears with "... Baby One More Time" four months earlier.
- 1999: The compilation album Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 - Still Smokin' was released by Death Row Records. The album, featuring performances by 2Pac, Scarface, Soopafly, E-40, Daz Dillinger, Outlawz, and Top Dogg, peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200.
- 2010: American Hip-Hop group Bone Thugz-N-Harmony released their eighth album, Uni5: The World's Enemy. It debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200.
- 2010: American rapper Trina released her fifth album, Amazin', through Slip-N-Slide Records. Featuring collaborations by Flo Rida, Diddy, Keri Hilson, Monica, and Nicki Minaj, the album reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2024: American rapper Kendrick Lamar released the diss song "Not Like Us" as part of his ongoing feud with Canadian rapper Drake. The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won the rapper five awards at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. It was ranked the best song of 2024 by Billboard and Pitchfork.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The industry has witnessed tragic and controversial events on May 4:
- 2012: American rapper Adam Yauch died of cancer at the age of 47. He is remembered as a founding member of the Beastie Boys. Their debut studio album, "Licensed to Ill," was the first rap LP to top the Billboard 200.
- 2023: American rapper Mozzy was released from prison early after serving a 10-month sentence for a gun charge. In addition to the sentence, the rapper was slapped with a $55,000 fine.
May 4 is a remarkable date that will endure in the memories of Hip-Hop and R&B fans. This day saw numerous chart-topping album releases in these popular genres. It also heralded transformative events and challenging moments in the industry, including the death of an icon and the release of another from prison.
