This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: December 9
On Dec. 9, Post Malone marked his arrival to the hip-hop scene, and Nelly claimed a top music award. If someone told you that Drake and Kanye West would reconcile…
On Dec. 9, Post Malone marked his arrival to the hip-hop scene, and Nelly claimed a top music award. If someone told you that Drake and Kanye West would reconcile and share a stage on this date, you wouldn't have believed them. Follow along to discover more notable moments that happened on this date in hip-hop and R&B history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Dec. 9 saw the release of landmark albums by various hip-hop and R&B artists, including:
- 2003: After a seven-year hiatus, Westside Connection released their final studio album, Terrorist Threats. The Gold-certified album achieved No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2008: EPMD dropped their seventh album, We Mean Business. It received mixed reviews from music fans and critics, peaking at No. 13 on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2008: Musiq Soulchild released his fifth studio album, OnMyRadio, which peaked at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2008: After several delays following his stint in the film Wanted, Common released his eighth album, Universal Mind Control. The GRAMMY-nominated album entered the Top Rap Albums chart at No. 1.
- 2014: Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah dropped his 10th solo studio album, 36 Seasons, which reached No. 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In an exclusive interview with an online magazine, the rapper claimed the album took 11 days to record.
- 2016: Post Malone joined the hip-hop world with his debut album, Stoney. The 5x Platinum album debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200.
- 2023: SZA released her widely acclaimed second studio album, SOS. It featured five top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits and claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200.
Cultural Milestones
These hip-hop and R&B artists received accolades on this day:
- 1991: Whitney Houston took home four awards for Top R&B Album, Top R&B Singles Artist, Top R&B Artist, and Top R&B Album Artist at the 2nd Billboard Music Awards held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.
- 2002: Nelly won the Artist of the Year award at the 2002 Billboard Music Awards ceremony in Vegas, beating Ashanti and Eminem.
Notable Recordings and Performances
On this date, music stars rocked the stage and delivered pulsating performances:
- 2021: In a rare event, Drake and Kanye West performed together during the Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, ending their long-running feud.
- 2023: Kevin Gates delivered a show-stopping performance of his popular hits at the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas, during his Only The Generals tour.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Key industry changes and challenges on this date included:
- 1990: After her involvement in a three-car accident, an ambulance rushed Paula Abdul to the North Hollywood AMI Medical Center with complaints of minor neck and back injuries.
- 2006: Mariah Carey threatened to sue adult film star Mary Carey for attempting to trademark her similar-sounding stage name. The porn star remained adamant that she would press forward with the application.
There have been many notable events on this day. From Westside Connection releasing their final album to Drake and Kanye West ending their feud, Dec. 9 was indeed an eventful date in hip-hop and R&B history.
