This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: August 18
Aug. 18 hosted many culture-shaping moments in hip-hop and R&B history. Singer Sarah Dash, member of the R&B/soul group Labelle, was born on this day in 1945. She was a…
Aug. 18 hosted many culture-shaping moments in hip-hop and R&B history. Singer Sarah Dash, member of the R&B/soul group Labelle, was born on this day in 1945. She was a session singer for the Rolling Stones and also had a successful career as a solo artist, with some of her best-known singles including “Sinner Man” and “Lucky Tonight.”
Marvin Isley was also born on this day in 1953. He was the bassist for the R&B/soul band the Isley Brothers, co-writing several of their top hits, such as “Fight the Power” and “Between the Sheets.”
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These iconic hip-hop and R&B albums and mixtapes came out on Aug. 18:
- 1998: Female rap icon MC Lyte released her sixth album, Seven & Seven, through East West Records. While it failed to chart on the Billboard 200, it peaked at No. 71 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2014: Travis Scott launched his acclaimed second mixtape, Days Before Rodeo, on a streaming site, receiving only moderate attention. However, upon its re-release in 2024, it debuted atop the Billboard 200, also topping the U.K. R&B Albums chart.
- 2017: A$AP Ferg released his second mixtape, Still Striving, featuring A$AP Rocky, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and Migos. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2017: Rapper Dave East dropped his eleventh mixtape, Paranoia: A True Story. It charted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 4 on Billboard's Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2023: Former Migos frontman Quavo launched his second album, Rocket Power. It debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the Billboard U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Various artists made career-defining achievements on this day, including:
- 1973: Diana Ross’ “Touch Me In The Morning” started a one-week run atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her second number-one single as a solo artist. It was also her first single to top Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.
- 1979: American R&B band Chic’s song, “Good Times,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the lead single from their third album, Risqué, and was declared to be the top soul single of 1979 by Billboard.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Aug. 18 also witnessed some industry changes and challenges in the hip-hop and R&B world, including:
- 1991: R&B/soul legend and keyboardist, Billy Preston, was arrested on sexual battery charges. A 16-year-old boy alleged that the musician had shown him lewd images and attempted to sexually assault him.
- 2008: American singer Pervis Jackson died of liver and brain cancer complications at the age of 70. He was a founding member of the R&B vocal group The Spinners, known for chart-topping hits such as “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” and “One of a Kind (Love Affair).”
Aug. 18 has been a significant date in hip-hop and R&B history. Iconic albums were released, many songs achieved Billboard rankings, and a legendary artist passed away. This day has definitely left its mark on hip-hop and R&B history.
