This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: July 5

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 2005: Kanye West released “Gold Digger” as the second single from his second album, Late Registration. The pop rap track, which features singer Jamie Foxx, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became West’s second No. 1 single on the chart. It also reached No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
• 2005: Webbie released Savage Life, his debut album, on Trill Entertainment and Asylum Records. It spawned the hit “Give Me That,” which reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album itself charted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, selling 68,000 copies in its first week. It also reached No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2019: Record label Dreamville dropped its third compilation album, Revenge of the Dreamers III. Featuring appearances by T.I., DaBaby, Ski Mask the Slump God, Ty Dolla $ign, 6LACK, Vince Staples, and more, it debuted atop the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2019: Machine Gun Kelly dropped his fourth album, Hotel Diablo. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 5 and reached No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2019: Jaden Smith dropped his second album, Erys, which featured collaborations with ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Kid Cudi, Trinidad James, and Lido. The project entered the Billboard 200 at No. 12, earning 23,932 copies in its opening week. It also reached No. 8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2019: R&B singers Brandy and Daniel Caesar released the single “Love Again,” which appears on the former’s seventh album, B7, and the latter’s second album, Case Study 01. The song reached No. 95 on the Canadian Hot 100 and No. 98 on the Rolling Stone Top 100.
• 2023: South Korean hip-hop and dance pop group Kiss of Life released their eponymously titled debut EP. Featuring the single “Shhh,” it peaked at No. 18 on the South Korean Albums chart. The EP was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2023 MAMA Awards and was ranked No. 16 on NME’s list of the best Asian albums of 2023.
• 2024: West Memphis rapper YTB Fatt launched his third mixtape, On Zai, on Loaf Boyz Ventures. The album peaked at No. 133 on the Billboard 200.
• 2025: Drake released “What Did I Miss?” as the lead single from his album, Iceman. The track went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It also performed well on the other side of the Atlantic, reaching No. 27 on the UK Singles chart and No. 4 on the UK Hip-Hop/R&B chart.

Cultural Milestones

• 1965: The founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordy Jr., appeared on the popular panel game show To Tell The Truth. His identity revelation was followed by a riveting performance by the influential R&B girl group The Supremes.
• 1969: American hip-hop icon RZA was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He is regarded as the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan and has produced many of the group’s albums as well as the solo projects of its members. Besides his work with the group, he has had a successful solo career since the late 90s. His debut album, Bobby Digital in Stereo, released in 1998, peaked at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at No. 16 on the Billboard 200.
• 1977: Royce da 5’9″ was born in Detroit, Michigan. He is one-half of the rap duo Bad Meets, which he formed with Eminem in 1997. The pair have scored several hits during their on and off career, including “Fast Lane,” which reached No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Lighters” (featuring Bruno Mars), which went to No. 4. Royce da 5’9″ has also released eight albums as a solo artist, the most critically acclaimed being his eighth, The Allegory, which he dropped in 2020. The project reached No. 58 on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards.
• 1986: R&B and pop superstar Janet Jackson’s third album, Control, topped the Billboard 200 chart 20 weeks after its release and remained on the chart for over two years. It became Jackson’s first No. 1 album in the U.S. and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2001: R&B singer Ernie K-Doe died of liver and kidney failure at the age of 65. The flamboyant crooner is best remembered for his 1961 smash hit “Mother-In-Law,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
• 2020: Jay Gunz, a U.S.-based Ghanaian rapper, was fatally shot outside his home in The Bronx, New York. The 22-year-old up-and-coming rapper was killed alongside his friend Eno (also known as Edubb), a 27-year-old rapper from Nigeria.