This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: December 17
On Dec. 17, 2010, Kanye West released “Christmas in Harlem,” his collaboration with Teyana Taylor and CyHi the Prynce. It was the final installment of West’s “GOOD Fridays” series that…
On Dec. 17, 2010, Kanye West released "Christmas in Harlem," his collaboration with Teyana Taylor and CyHi the Prynce. It was the final installment of West's "GOOD Fridays" series that promoted his album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Although "Christmas in Harlem" didn't chart on Billboard's Hot 100, it broke onto other charts, including the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, where it peaked at No. 3.
Read on to find out why Dec. 17 is an important day in hip-hop and R&B history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Here's a list of timeless albums released on Dec. 17:
- 2002: Lil' Romeo launched his sophomore album, Game Time. Its first-week sales reached 93,000 copies. The record also reached the Top 40 on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2010: Keri Hilson unveiled her 12-track second album, No Boys Allowed. Notable guest appearances included Chris Brown, Rick Ross, and J. Cole. This set's most successful track was "Pretty Girl Rock," which cracked the Top 30 on Billboard's Hot 100.
- 2013: Mac Miller dropped Live from Space, his first live album. It featured performances from his 2013 "Space Migration Tour" and unreleased studio tracks.
- 2013: B.o.B released his LP Underground Luxury, featuring collaborations with Chris Brown, Muni Long, Juicy J, T.I., and Future. Despite the Georgia native's claim that this would be his best release, the album elicited mixed reactions, with some critics arguing that it lacked creativity. Nevertheless, it reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- 2021: Roddy Ricch's sophomore album, Live Life Fast, came out. The set entered the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at No. 1, and several of its songs charted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Cultural Milestones
The hip-hop and R&B community has witnessed the following cultural moments on December 17:
- 1992: Young Nudy, 21 Savage's cousin, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He's known for Sli'merre, a collaborative mixtape he released with Pi'erre Bourne in 2019. It reached No. 63 on Billboard's Hot 200 chart.
- 2005: Twenty-year-old Ciara joined Gwen Stefani on the final leg of Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour, which spanned over 40 performances across the United States and Canada. The "Never Ever" artist opened for Stefani at this show and 11 others in multiple locations, including Florida, New York, and Tennessee.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The hip-hop and R&B industry experienced these notable changes on December 17:
- 1997: MP3.com went online, allowing unsigned artists to promote and share their music with their fans. All they had to do was upload the songs, win over more supporters, and hopefully elevate their careers. Within its first day of launch, this website attracted nearly 20,000 users.
- 2014: Bobby Shmurda was arrested along with 14 other members of the GS9 street gang on charges of gun possession and conspiracy to murder. According to sources, the authorities had been investigating the "Hot N***a" singer for about a year. During the raid, they also found crack and more than 20 guns.
Hosting events such as birthdays, album releases, tour stops, and arrests, Dec. 17 is a date that has left its mark on the hip-hop and R&B industry.
