This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: July 22
July 22 is a transformational date in hip-hop and R&B. One of Southern hip-hop’s dominant figures, Petey Pablo, was born on this date in 1973. The North Carolina native is perhaps best…
July 22 is a transformational date in hip-hop and R&B. One of Southern hip-hop's dominant figures, Petey Pablo, was born on this date in 1973. The North Carolina native is perhaps best known for his hit, “Freek-A-Leek,” which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2004. His debut album, Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry, reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and received a nomination for Best Rap Album at the 45th Annual GRAMMYs. He shares his birthday with fellow American rapper and actor Bre-Z, born in 1987. Although primarily known for her role as Freda Gatz in the musical drama Empire, she has worked with top artists such as Dr. Dre, Jennifer Lopez, and The Game.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
A number of high-charting hip-hop and R&B albums were released on this day:
- 2014: GRAMMY-winning rapper Common released his 10th album, Nobody's Smiling. Produced by his longtime collaborator, No I.D., it reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2016: Gucci Mane dropped his ninth album, Everybody Looking, featuring Kanye West, Young Thug, and Drake. Upon its release, it debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, becoming his highest charting album.
- 2022: Joey Bada$$ released his third album, 2000. In addition to charting at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 and No. 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, it reached the top 40 in Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
Cultural Milestones
July 22 has seen several artists achieve important career milestones:
- 1997: Sean “Diddy” Combs' debut album, No Way Out, was released through Arista Records and his label, Bad Boy Records. It debuted atop the Billboard 200 and won Best Rap Album at the 40th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
- 2016: Lil Durk released his second album, Lil Durk 2X, which peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, “My Beyoncé” featuring Dej Loaf, reached No. 3 on Billboard's U.S. Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Industry Changes and Challenges
This day has also seen its share of bad news in the hip-hop and R&B world:
- 1969: Aretha Franklin, dubbed the “Queen of Soul,” was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct for creating a disturbance in a Detroit parking lot. The “Respect” singer posted a $50 bail and ran over a road sign while leaving the police station.
- 2005: Eugene Record, founding member and lead vocalist of the Chicago-based vocal group The Chi-Lites, died from cancer at the age of 64. He achieved success with the group in the '70s on the back of international hits such as “Have You Seen Her” and "Oh Girl" and also wrote and produced songs for other acts, including The Dells, The Lost Generation, and The Impressions.
July 22 is a nostalgic date for fans of hip-hop and R&B. From groundbreaking album releases to artist arrests and deaths, the events of this day have had a big influence on the music industry.
