This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: April 26
April 26 has hosted numerous watershed moments in hip-hop and R&B over the years. Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins was born on this date in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1970. She is…
April 26 has hosted numerous watershed moments in hip-hop and R&B over the years. Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins was born on this date in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1970. She is a founding member of the influential R&B girl group TLC, known for hits such as “No Scrubs,” “Unpretty,” “Creep,” and “Waterfalls.”
She shares a birthday with R&B singer Avant, who was born in 1978. His debut album, My Thoughts, released in May 2000, went to No. 45 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It spawned the hit single “Separated,” which reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several hip-hop and R&B acts released career-defining records on this day.
- 1994: Outkast dropped their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, through Arista and LaFace Records. It peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1994: Ghetto Mafia released their debut album, Draw the Line, which featured a sole guest appearance from MC Breed on “Everyday Thang in da Hood.” It managed to crack the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, peaking at No. 79.
- 2019: ScHoolboy Q released his fifth album, Crash Talk, through Top Dawg Entertainment. With features from Ty Dolla Sign, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, and 21 Savage, it debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, becoming his third top-ten album in the US.
- 2019: Twiztid released Generation Nightmare, their twelfth album, via Majik Ninja Entertainment. The project went to No. 27 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 51 on the Billboard 200.
- 2024: Canadian singer PartyNextDoor dropped his fourth album, PartyNextDoor 4, which featured the singles “Resentment,” “Her Old Friends,” “Lose My Mind,” and “Real Woman.” It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 10 and was nominated for Favorite R&B Album at the 2025 American Music Awards.
Cultural Milestones
April 26 is associated with many unforgettable cultural moments in R&B and hip-hop.
- 1995: The stoner comedy film, Friday, written by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh, opened in theaters across the United States. Its soundtrack, also produced by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh, went straight to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
- 2004: Sean Combs (then known as Puff Daddy) made his Broadway debut, starring as Walter Lee Jr. in the remake of A Raisin in the Sun. The production would go on to earn four Tony Awards nominations, winning two.
- 2009: British rapper Tynchy Stryder's “Number 1,” the second single from his second album, Catch 22, topped the UK Singles chart, and would maintain peak position for three weeks. It was the first time in history that a song titled “Number 1” stood atop a national chart anywhere in the world.
When it's all said and done, April 26 will be remembered for ushering in many remarkable moments in R&B and hip-hop. Not only were two popular R&B artists born on this day, but several luminaries in the industry made landmark career achievements.
