This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: August 19
Aug. 19 is a significant date in hip-hop and R&B for a myriad of reasons. To begin with, it’s the birthdate of Fat Joe, the American rapper born in 1970….
Aug. 19 is a significant date in hip-hop and R&B for a myriad of reasons. To begin with, it's the birthdate of Fat Joe, the American rapper born in 1970. He founded the New York hip-hop collective Terror Squad and is known for hit singles such as "What's Luv?" featuring Ashanti and Ja Rule, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Lean Back," which spent three weeks at the top.
Also born on this date is the rapper Romeo Miller (formerly known as Lil' Romeo), who was born in 1989. His self-titled debut album, released in 2001, peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit "My Baby," which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Aug. 19 has been the release date for numerous key hip-hop and R&B recordings.
- 1998: Former Fugees frontwoman Lauryn Hill released her groundbreaking debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling a record-setting 422,000 copies in its opening week, the most by any female artist at the time. It was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2021, making Hill the first female rapper to receive the certification. With more than 20 million copies sold globally, it's one of the best-selling albums of all time.
- 2003: Atlanta rap icon T.I.'s second album, Trap Muzik, was released through his Grand Hustle label and Atlantic Records. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2008: Ice Cube dropped his eighth studio album, Raw Footage, with featured guest artists including Young Jeezy, The Game, and Musiq Soulchild. It went to No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
- 2014: American rapper Wiz Khalifa released his fifth album, Blacc Hollywood, in the U.S., a day after releasing it in the U.K. It debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, becoming his first album to reach No. 1 on the chart.
- 2016: Canadian rapper and singer Tory Lanez dropped his debut album, I Told You. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4, while its lead single, "Say It," peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Cultural Milestones
The industry has witnessed several iconic cultural moments on this day.
- 1980: Kurtis Blow's smash hit "The Breaks" made history by becoming the first rap single to be certified gold by the RIAA for selling 500,000 copies. It was the second 12-inch single to receive a gold certification after Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer's chart-topping duet "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)."
- 2006: Canadian star Drake performed his first show at the Kool House in Toronto, opening for rap veteran Ice Cube. The "God's Plan" hitmaker was paid just $100 for his 30-minute set.
Ultimately, Aug. 19 will go down as the day the industry welcomed some of the most acclaimed albums in hip-hop and R&B and saw artists who are now considered iconic gain their big break on the charts and stage.
