Hip Hop Events

1969 Nov 4 Sean Combs is Born
Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), known by his stage name Diddy, is an American record producer, rapper, actor, men's fashion designer, entrepreneur and dancer. He won three Grammy...
1973 Sep 14 Nas is Born
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (pronounced /nɑːˈsɪər/; born September 14, 1973), who performs under the mononym Nas (/ˈnɑːz/), formerly Nasty Nas, is an Nigerian-American rapper and actor. The ...
1976 Feb 26 Ky-Mani Marley is born
Ky-Mani Marley (born February 26, 1976, in Falmouth, Jamaica) is a Jamaican actor and reggae musician. He is the son of singer Bob Marley and table tennis champion Anita Belnavis. He move...
1978 Jul 21 Damian Marley is Born
Damian Robert Nesta "Junior Gong" Marley (born July 21, 1978), is a reggae artist, a humanitarian, and the youngest son of the late reggae legend Bob Marley. He has won three Grammy award...
1982 Feb 17 Wasalu Muhammad Jaco is born
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 17, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco (pronounced [ˈluːpeɪ], LOO-pay), is an American recording artist, producer and CEO of 1st and 15t...
1984 Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons found Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam was founded by Rick Rubin in his dorm room in 1983 at New York University and its first release was a single by his rock group, Hose. Russell Simmons joined Rubin shortly after wh...
1985 Sep 30 T-Pain (Faheem Rasheed Najm) Born in Tallahassee, Florida
T-Pain was born Faheem Rasheed Najm on September 30, 1985 in Tallahassee, Florida. At the age of ten, Najm reworked his bedroom into a small studio with a keyboard, beat machine and four-...
1988 "2 Hype" by Kid 'n Play Is Released
2 Hype is the debut album by rap duo, Kid 'n Play. The album was released in 1988 for Select Records and was produced by Hurby Luv Bug and The Invincibles. 2 Hype was a success for the du...
1989 Jun 16 The D.O.C. releases No One Can Do It Better
No One Can Do It Better is The D.O.C.'s debut album. It was certified gold by the RIAA three months after it was released, and platinum on April 21, 1994. This was the only solo album The...
1991 Rage Against the Machine is formed
Rage Against the Machine (often shortened to RATM) is an American metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1991. The band's lineup, unchanged since its formation, consists of vo...
1991 The Fugees is Formed
The Fugees were an American hip hop group who rose to fame in the mid-1990s. Their repertoire included elements of Hip hop, soul and Caribbean music, particularly reggae. The members of t...
1992 Oct 13 Nas Releases Single "Halftime"
"Halftime" is the 1992 debut single by rapper Nas, released under his original moniker of "Nasty Nas". It was originally recorded for the Zebrahead soundtrack album, released October 13, ...
1992 Nov 11 Rage Against the Machine releases first album
Rage Against the Machine is the debut album by rap metal band Rage Against the Machine, released November 11, 1992. The songs on Rage Against the Machine tend to feature political mantras...
1993 Mar 23 Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Release Their First Album, "Faces of Death"
Formed in the early 1990s, the group consisted of four members: Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone and Wish Bone. Their first album, Faces Of Death, was recorded in 1993 under the name...
1994 Jan 18 Nas Releases Single It Ain't Hard to Tell
"It Ain't Hard to Tell" is Nas' second single and last track from his debut album Illmatic. Produced by Large Professor, the song samples Michael Jackson's 1983 hit single "Human Nature"....
1994 Apr 19 Nas Releases Illmatic
Illmatic is the debut album of American hip hop rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994 on Columbia Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1992 to 1993...
1994 Apr 19 Nas Releases Single "Life's a Bitch"
"Life's a Bitch" is the fourth single from Nas' debut album Illmatic (1994). It was released as a 12" single on April 19, 1994 by Columbia Records. It features rapping from AZ and cornet ...
1994 May 31 Nas Releases Single "The World Is Yours"
"The World Is Yours" is the third single from rapper Nas' debut album Illmatic, released a month after the album. The song was produced by Pete Rock—who also sings the song's chorus—and i...
1994 Oct 25 Nas Releases Single "One Love"
"One Love" is a song by American hip hop rapper Nas, released October 25, 1994 on Columbia Records. It was issued as the fifth and final radio single in promotion of his debut studio albu...
1996 M-1 and stic.man Form Dead Prez
Dead Prez is an American underground political hip hop duo composed of stic.man and M-1. They are known for their confrontational style combined with socialist and pan-Africanist lyrics. ...
1996 Nas Releases Single "The Message"
"The Message" is the third and final single from rapper Nas' second album It Was Written. It is produced by the Trackmasters, who sample Sting's "Shape of My Heart" for the song's beat. T...
1996 Feb 13 The Fugees Release The Score
The Score is the second and final studio album by the hip hop trio Fugees, released worldwide February 13, 1996 on Columbia Records. The album features a wide range of samples and instrum...
1996 Feb 20 Jay-Z releases first single "Dead Presidents"
"Dead Presidents" is the debut single released in promotion by rapper Jay-Z's from his debut album Reasonable Doubt. Its lyrics about the drug dealing underworld have made it a hip hop cl...
1996 Mar 26 Jay-Z releases "Ain't No Nigga" single
"Ain't No Nigga" is the second single from rapper Jay-Z's debut album Reasonable Doubt. It features a long verse of promiscuous rapping from a then 17-year old Foxy Brown. The song's beat...
1996 May 28 Nas Releases Single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)"
"If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" is a 1996 hit hip hop single by Nas featuring Lauryn Hill of The Fugees. The single was Nas's first Top 20 R&B hit, and was also nominated for a 1997...
1996 Jun 25 Jay-Z releases debut album "Reasonable Doubt"
Reasonable Doubt is the debut album of American rapper Jay-Z, released June 25, 1996 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States and on Northwestside Records in the United Kingdom. The al...
1996 Jul 2 Nas Releases It Was Written
Following the limited sales success of Illmatic, Nas chose to focus his efforts in a more mainstream direction. The album proved to be Nas’s most commercially successful release, selling ...
1996 Aug 27 Jay-Z releases "Can't Knock the Hustle" single
"Can't Knock the Hustle" is the third single from rapper Jay-Z's debut album Reasonable Doubt. The song features a beat produced by Knobody, co-produced by Sean C and Dahoud Darien, as we...
1996 Oct 22 Nas Releases Single "Street Dreams"
"Street Dreams" is a 1996 single by American rapper Nas. The song was It Was Written's second hit, following the success of "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)". "Street Dreams" contains...
1997 Apr 15 Jay-Z releases "Feelin' It" single
"Feelin' It" is the fourth and final single from rapper Jay-Z's debut album Reasonable Doubt. The song features a chorus sung by Mecca and a beat produced by Ski. The song's beat contains...
1997 May 20 Jay-Z releases "Who You Wit" single
"Who You Wit" is a 1997 single by rapper Jay-Z that is produced by Ski. It was released in promotion of the 1997 comedy film Sprung and appears on its soundtrack, Sprung (Music from and I...
1997 Sep 16 Jay-Z releases "(Always Be My) Sunshine" single
"(Always Be My) Sunshine" is the second single from rapper Jay-Z's second album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. It features vocals from Foxy Brown and Babyface as well as production from Daven "P...
1997 Nov 4 Jay-Z releases second studio album "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1"
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 is the second studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released on November 4, 1997. The album received positive reviews from critics but fans were not embracing Jay-...
1997 Nov 11 Destiny's Child releases their first hit single "No, No, No"
"No No No" is an R&B song performed by American group Destiny's Child for their debut studio album Destiny's Child (1998). The song was produced by Vincent Herbert, Rob Fusari and Wyclef ...
1998 Jay-Z releases "Wishing on a Star" single
"Wishing on a Star" is a 1998 single by rapper Jay-Z that can be found on the United Kingdom release of In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. It features vocals from Rose Royce's Gwen Dickey, who sings...
1998 Jan 19 Destiny's Child releases "With Me" single
"With Me", the first single in the UK, is an R&B song performed by American group Destiny's Child for their debut studio album Destiny's Child (1998). The song was produced by Jermaine Du...
1998 Jan 20 Jay-Z releases "The City Is Mine" single
"The City Is Mine" is a the third single from rapper Jay-Z's second album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. It features vocals from Blackstreet and production from Blackstreet member Teddy Riley. R...
1998 Feb 17 Destiny's Child releases self-titled debut album
Destiny's Child is the self-titled debut album of R&B group Destiny's Child, released by Columbia Records in 1998. It featured the singles "No, No, No" and "With Me" and won Best R&B/Soul...
1998 Apr Jay-Z releases "Money Ain't a Thang" single
"Money Ain't a Thang" is the second single from rapper Jermaine Dupri's 1998 album Life in 1472. It features rapper Jay-Z and appears as a bonus track on his album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Li...
1998 Jul 21 Jay-Z releases "It's Alright" single
"It's Alright" is a 1998 single by rappers Jay-Z and Memphis Bleek. It was released on the Streets Is Watching soundtrack for the film of the same name. It was later featured as a bonus t...
1998 Aug 25 Lauryn Hill Releases First Solo Album
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo album by American musician Lauryn Hill, released August 25, 1998, on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from l...
1998 Sep 22 Jay-Z releases "Can I Get A..." single
"Can I Get A..." is a 1998 single by rapper Jay-Z that features Amil and Ja Rule. It was released on Def Jam's Rush Hour Soundtrack in promotion of the film Rush Hour, but also appears on...
1998 Sep 29 Jay-Z releases third studio album "Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life"
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life is the third album released by rapper Jay-Z. The album propelled Jay-Z into superstar status and cemented him as a household name. It also helped him emerge as a...
1998 Oct 27 Jay-Z releases "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" single
"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" is a single from rapper Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It samples the song of the same name from the Broadway musical Annie. The song was...
1999 Feb 23 Destiny's Child releases "Get on the Bus" single
"Get on the Bus" is a song by Destiny's Child, released as the group's third single. The song features rapper/producer Timbaland and is lifted from the original motion picture soundtrack ...
1999 Feb 23 Jay-Z releases "Money, Cash, Hoes" single
"Money, Cash, Hoes" is a song featured on Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It features rapper DMX and production by Swizz Beatz. Its beat features a heavy use of descending ...
1999 Mar 2 Nas Releases Single "Nas Is Like"
"Nas Is Like" is the first single from Nas' third album I Am.... The song is the sixth collaboration between Nas and producer DJ Premier. It was critically well received as it was a chang...
1999 Apr 6 Nas Releases I am...
I Am… is the 1999 multi-platinum third studio album by rapper Nas for the Columbia Records label. Considered a comeback album after a three-year gap between releases, the album features t...
1999 Apr 6 Nas Releases Single "Hate Me Now"
"Hate Me Now" is a 1999 hit hip hop single by rapper Nas featuring Puff Daddy. The backbeat is inspired by, and contains some samples from, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.
1999 Jun 15 Destiny's Child releases "Bills, Bills, Bills" single
"Bills, Bills, Bills" is a song by Destiny's Child, released as the first single from their second album The Writing's on the Wall. It echoed the female empowerment sentiments of TLC's ma...