This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: September 30
Hip-hop and R&B fans celebrate Sept. 30 because of the many memorable moments associated with it. One of these is the birth of Marley Marl in 1962. Rolling Stone ranked…
Hip-hop and R&B fans celebrate Sept. 30 because of the many memorable moments associated with it. One of these is the birth of Marley Marl in 1962. Rolling Stone ranked his debut studio album, In Control, Volume 1, among the 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time in 2022. T-Pain was also born on Sept. 30. His notable achievements include releasing multiple top-performing singles, such as "5 O'Clock" and "Can't Believe It," and winning two GRAMMYs. His 2007 album, Epiphany, debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
If you're creating a new hip-hop and R&B playlist or refining your current one, consider tracks from these albums released on Sept. 30:
- 1997: Common dropped One Day It'll Make Sense, which reached No. 62 on the Billboard 200. While this was still a hip-hop album, it featured smooth soul elements that marked the evolution of Common's music career. Its focus on themes such as personal growth and fatherhood earned him praise from his supporters.
- 2003: Kanye West dropped his debut single, "Through the Wire." This song marked the beginning of his successful rap career and became a symbol of resilience, demonstrating how artists can transform trauma into art. West recorded it while his jaw was wired shut following a car accident that almost claimed his life.
- 2008: T.I. released Paper Trail, his sixth studio album. It debuted at the top of the U.S. Billboard 200 and sold over 500,000 copies in its first week. The album featured Jay-Z, Kanye West, Usher, and Rihanna, which might have contributed to its success.
- 2008: Termanology released Politics As Usual. Its standout songs, such as "Watch How It Go Down" and "Sorry I Lied to You," impressed listeners. Others praised the album's production quality, which paid homage to '90s hip-hop music.
- 2022: Kid Cudi's eighth studio album, Entergalactic, was released. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 13 and scored points for its cohesiveness and visual artistry. Some of the well-received tracks from this album were "New Mode," "She's Lookin' For Me," and "Ignite the Love."
- 2022: The BET Hip-Hop Awards were held at the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. Kendrick Lamar bagged six awards, while Drake walked home with three, including one for "Wait For U," his collaboration with Future and Tems. GloRilla, Latto, and Lizzo also won awards.
Industry Changes and Challenges
These incidents on Sept. 30 impacted the hip-hop and R&B genres:
- 2021: Brian Sullivan was arrested. He was indicted for conspiring to sell drugs, alongside Fetty Wap and four other individuals. Fetty Wap was slapped with a six-year prison sentence in 2023 for drug trafficking.
- 2024: Lil Reese was sentenced to five years in prison after he was found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend in 2022.
Due to these events, Sept. 30 is remembered as an unforgettable day in hip-hop and R&B history.
