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.
- 1993: Black Moon released Enta da Stage, their debut album, through Nervous Records. It featured the Billboard Hot 100 charting singles “Who Got da Props” and “I Got Cha Opin,” which hit No. 86 and No. 93. The album itself went to No. 33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 7 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.
- 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.
- 1999: Handsome Boy Modeling School dropped their debut album, So… How’s Your Girl?, through Tommy Boy Records. It reached No. 198 on the Billboard 200 and No. 29 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.
- 1999: Pharoahe Monch, formerly of Organized Konfusion, dropped his debut solo album, Internal Affairs, featuring the moderate hit “Simon Says.” The project went to No. 41 on the Billboard 200 and hit No. 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2010: Anybody Killa dropped Medicine Bag, his fifth album, featuring guest performances from Insane Clown Posse, Blaze Ya Dead Homie, and Axe Murder Boyz. It hit No. 12 on the Top Rap Albums chart, No. 18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and No. 117 on the Billboard 200.
- 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:
- 1944: George McCrae was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. He is best known for his 1974 hit “Rock Your Baby,” which spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and three weeks at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. Rolling Stone ranked the song No. 158 on its “200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time” list in 2022.
- 1947: Wilbert “Wil” Hart was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a founding member of the R&B and soul vocal group The Delfonics, which he formed in 1965 with his brother William Hart. They scored a string of R&B hits in the 60s and 70s, including “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” and “Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide From Love).”
- 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. Its 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.
Notable Recordings and Performances
October 19 has witnessed the release of several career-defining albums.
- 1993: Erick Sermon dropped his debut album, No Pressure, which featured cameo appearances from Redman, Keith Murray, Kam, and Ice Cube. Supported by the singles “Hittin’ Switches” and “Stay Real,” it peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1999: U-God released Golden Arms Redemption, his debut solo album, through Wu-Tang Records and Priority Records. It went to No. 58 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2004: Blaze Ya Dead Homie dropped Colton Grundy: The Undying, his second album, through Psychopathic Records. The album peaked at No. 167 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 57 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2004: Lil Wyte released Phinally Phamous, his second album, featuring collaborations with Josey Scott, Juicy J, Three 6 Mafia, DJ Paul, and Frayser Boy. It peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard 200, No. 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and No. 4 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
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.
