This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: October 18
Oct. 18 is associated with many culture-defining events in hip-hop and R&B. Ne-Yo was born on this day in 1979. One of the leading R&B artists of the 2000s, he…
Oct. 18 is associated with many culture-defining events in hip-hop and R&B. Ne-Yo was born on this day in 1979. One of the leading R&B artists of the 2000s, he shot to the limelight with his 2006 breakout single “So Sick,” which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Also born on this day in 1977 is Gloc-9. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Filipino rappers of all time and has won more than 60 accolades, including 18 Myx Music Awards, 21 Awit Awards, and 2 Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
This day has welcomed the release of many groundbreaking R&B and hip-hop albums:
- 1994: Scarface dropped his third album, The Diary. It spawned his first top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100, “I Seen a Man Die,” which peaked at No. 37. The album itself reached No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1994: Digable Planets released their second and final album, Blowout Comb. Despite getting minimal prerelease publicity, the project reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200 and No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2005: Bun B released his debut album, Trill. Featuring guest appearances from T.I., Young Jeezy, Birdman, Ludacris, Scarface, and Pimp C, it debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, selling 118,000 copies in its first week. It also topped the U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2019: Gucci Mane released his 14th album, Woptober II. With features from Megan Thee Stallion, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Baby, Takeoff, and Quavo, it peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2024: Yeat dropped his fifth album, Lyfestyle. It debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, marking his first U.S. number one album. The project also took the No. 1 spot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Several artists have achieved landmark career milestones on this day:
- 1969: The Temptations' “I Can't Get Next to You” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it would stay for two weeks. It also topped the Billboard Top R&B Singles chart for five weeks and was ranked the third best song of 1969 by Billboard.
- 2008: T.I.'s “Live Your Life,” featuring Rihanna, began a six-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was the seventh single from his sixth album, Paper Trail, and his highest-charting and most successful until Blurred Lines. It also won the awards for Best Hip-Hop Collaboration and Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2009 Black Entertainment Television Hip-Hop Awards.
It's easy to see why Oct. 18 is such a pivotal date in R&B and hip-hop. This day has not only seen the release of many groundbreaking records but also witnessed major artists achieve significant chart success.
