This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: January 28
Jan. 28 has heralded many important events in hip-hop and R&B. For starters, nine-time GRAMMY-winning rapper Rick Ross was born on this day in 1976. He has scored five No….
Jan. 28 has heralded many important events in hip-hop and R&B. For starters, nine-time GRAMMY-winning rapper Rick Ross was born on this day in 1976. He has scored five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, including Port of Miami (2006), Trilla (2008), Deeper Than Rap (2009), God Forgives, I Don't (2012), and Mastermind (2014), making him a dominant figure in hip-hop.
He shares a birthday with J.Cole, who was born in 1985. The Frankfurt-born emcee has released six studio albums, all of which have peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. He is part of rap's “Big Three” (alongside Drake and Kendrick Lamar), the trio that has defined hip-hop from the 2010s to the early 2020s through their lyrical skill, commercial success, and cultural impact.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several artists have put out career-defining records on this day.
- 2014: Isaiah Rashad released his second EP, Cilvia Demo. Featuring guest appearances from Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, and SZA, it peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2022: NLE Choppa dropped Me vs. Me. The mixtape reached No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and No. 8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2022: Babyface Ray released his debut album, FACE. The project debuted at No. 31 on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.
Notable Recordings and Performances
This day has witnessed unforgettable recordings and performances over the years.
- 1985: Some of the biggest names in music (collectively dubbed “USA for Africa”) gathered at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood to record “We Are the World.” Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones, the charity single aimed to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. More than 40 musicians sang. They included Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick, Cyndie Lauper, Better Middler, Smokey Robinson, and Kenny Roger.
- 1996: Diana Ross gave a halftime performance at Super Bowl XXX at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The show titled Take Me Higher: A Celebration of 30 years of the Super Bowl saw the Motown star perform a medley of hits from her solo career and her time with The Supremes, including “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Baby Love,” and “Ain't No Mountain High Enough.” It would culminate with her exit via helicopter.
- 2001: Ray Charles gave his first and only Super Bowl performance at Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. During the pre-game show titled Life's Super In Central Florida, the R&B icon sang “America The Beautiful” to commemorate the 225th anniversary of the United States' birth.
Ultimately, Jan. 28 will go down as one of the most significant dates in R&B and hip-hop for a long time to come. Not only were two of the biggest rappers in history born on this day, but many iconic records were also released on this day. It's also a date that saw the recording of one of the biggest singles of all time and several memorable Super Bowl performances.
