This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: October 19
Oct. 19 isn’t any ordinary date in R&B and hip-hop. Lil Durk was born on this day in 1992. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the drill subgenre,…
Oct. 19 isn't any ordinary date in R&B and hip-hop. Lil Durk was born on this day in 1992. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the drill subgenre, he has released nine studio albums, including two No. 1 hits: The Voice of the Heroes and 7220.
Pras was also born on this day in 1972. He's a part of the GRAMMY-winning hip-hop trio, The Fugees. He achieved success in the '90s with fellow Fugees members Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, generating hits such as "Ready or Not," "Fu-Gee-La," and a rendition of "Killing Me Softly With His Song."
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
This day saw several artists release critically and commercially acclaimed records, including:
- 1993: Eazy-E dropped his second EP, It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa. As his final project to be released during his lifetime, it peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and sold 110,600 copies in its first week.
- 1999: MF DOOM released his debut album, Operation: Doomsday. The album was hailed as an underground classic and influenced independent rappers, such as Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Logic, and JPEGMAFIA.
- 2018: Khalid released his first EP, Suncity, under RCA Records, debuting at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and reaching No. 5 on the U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It produced his first solo U.S. Top 10 single, "Better," which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 2018: Future and Juice WRLD's collaborative mixtape, WRLD ON DRUGS, was released. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and achieved No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Oct. 19 ushered in important cultural developments in the industry, including:
- 1979: Prince released his eponymous second album through Warner Records. The album reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Billboard R&B Charts and was his first record to be certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It's lead single, "I Wanna Be Your Lover," would be his first bona fide hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart.
- 2021: The American musical drama, Queens, starring Brandy and Eve, premiered on ABC. The series follows the lives of four stars who once performed together in a girl group as they seek to reclaim the fame and prestige of their glory days. Other rappers who guest-starred on the show include Cam'ron, Remy Ma, and Fivio Foreign.
The significance of Oct. 19 in hip-hop and R&B history is beyond dispute. Not only is it the birthday of two highly acclaimed rappers, but it's also hosted the releases of many influential albums.
