This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: December 11
On Dec. 11, Aretha Franklin staged her first New York City gig, and Run-DMC became the first hip-hop group to cover a song of another rapper. The Billboard Social 50…
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On Dec. 11, Aretha Franklin staged her first New York City gig, and Run-DMC became the first hip-hop group to cover a song of another rapper. The Billboard Social 50 made its debut, and Pharrell Williams won an international award. Check out these and other defining moments that influenced the industry on this date.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Dec. 11 saw the release of iconic albums and singles:
- 1983: Run-DMC released their second single, "Hard Times," which was a cover of Kurtis Blow's song of the same name. It became the first rap song covered by another rap group.
- 2001: Warren G released his fourth album, The Return of the Regulator. It featured guest performances by Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Butch Cassidy, among others, and peaked at No. 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2001: After a year in the studio, Mobb Deep released their fourth album, Infamy, which featured the popular singles "Getaway" and "Hey Luv (Anything)." It entered at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2007: Wu-Tang Clan dropped their fifth studio album, 8 Diagrams. It debuted at No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, moving 68,000 copies within its first week of release.
- 2007: Birdman released 5 * Stunna, his third studio album, which launched at No. 18 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album featured guest stars Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Fat Joe.
- 2015: R. Kelly issued his 13th studio album, The Buffet, which was a follow-up to his 2013 Black Panties album. The Buffet became an instant hit, peaking at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
This date marked the achievement of significant cultural milestones:
- 1960: A young Aretha Franklin made her NYC stage debut, performing blues and jazz standards at the Village Vanguard. Franklin transitioned from gospel to secular music at age 18.
- 2006: Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" mastertone became the first ringtone to receive 2x Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America for selling two million copies.
- 2014: Pharrell Williams won International Artist of the Year at the inaugural BBC Music Awards gala in London.
- 2019: Cousin Stizz was awarded Artist of the Year at the Boston Music Awards ceremony for the second year running.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The industry faced a number of changes and challenges on this date:
- 1964: Sam Cooke, a highly influential R&B singer, died under mysterious circumstances at the Hacienda Motel at age 33. The motel's manager allegedly shot and killed Cooke in self-defense.
- 2010: The Billboard Social 50 chart made its debut, ranking artists based on their popularity on leading social media networks. Rihanna became the first artist to claim the No. 1 spot on the chart.
Dec. 11 had its fair share of ups and downs that left significant marks on the hip-hop and R&B scene. Stay tuned for more memorable moments linked to dates in music history.
Bianca BarrattWriter
