February-HH50-DailyFacts BET Hip Hop 50 Daily Facts February

First Rap Song to Chart on the Hot 100: The Sugarhill Gang, "Rapper's Delight" (1979) Sugarhill Gang released "Rapper's Delight," the first rap song to scale Billboard’s Hot 100. The 1979 hit peaked just inside the Top 40 at No. 36.

FEBRUARY 1

In 1967, The Watts Prophets, birthed from the Watts Rebellion, released The Black Voices: On the Streets in Watts 1969 and Rappin’ Black in a White World 1971--albums combining jazz and spoken-word.

JANUARY 1

First Female Rapper: MC Sha-Rock of Funky 4 + 1 (1976) Dubbed “Queen of Lady Emcees”, Sharon Green aka "MC Sha-Rock", was one of the first female MCs. The plus one in the Funky 4+1, she’s known for her use of the echo chamber, an innovative rhyming technique.

FEBRUARY 2

JANUARY 1

The Last Poets, considered a predecessor to rap music as part of the Black Arts Movement, released their spoken word album " The Last Poets" in 1970.

JANUARY 2

First Music Video Show Dedicated to Hip-Hop: Video Music Box (April 1984) Video Music Box, the first all rap music video television program, launched in 1984. DJ turned veejay Ralph McDaniels and VMB’s producer Lionel Martin helped pioneer rap music video production.

FEBRUARY 3

First Diss Track: Roxanne Shante, "Roxanne's Revenge" (1984) “Roxanne’s Revenge” released in 1984, was a response to U.T.F.O.’s track, "Roxanne, Roxanne." 14-year-old Roxanne Shante’s "Roxanne's Revenge" became hip-hop’s first answer record, ushering in an era of rap beef.

FEBRUARY 4

In 1971, Baby Huey and The Babysitters released The Baby Huey Story. "Hard Times" on that album has been sampled by many, John Legend and The Roots covered "Hard Times" for their 2010 album Wake Up!

JANUARY 3

On August 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc and a friend hosted a back-to-school party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, New York, marking the day Hip Hop was born.

JANUARY 4

First Hip-Hop Movie: Wild Style (1983) 1983's Wild Style, a collaboration between Charlie Ahearn and Fred “ Fab Five Freddy” depicted graffiti artists, dance crews, and DJs. It featured Lee Quinones, Grandmaster Flash, Busy Bee and others.

FEBRUARY 5

In 1973, Coke La Rock was the first rapper in hip-hop history. Coining "You rock and you don't stop" and "Hotel, motel, you don't tell, we won't tell” his raps started as shout-outs and grew into poetry.

JANUARY 5

First National News Story About Hip-Hop: 20/20 (July 1981) ABC's 20/20 news magazine, in a special report, “Rappin to the Beat”, covered the "overnight phenomenon" that was the hip hop movement. It aired in July of 1981, predicting that rap would become a force.

FEBRUARY 6

In 1975, Grandmaster Flash invents a new method at the turn tables by connecting two songs during their beat breaks.

JANUARY 6

First Best Rap Album Grammy: Naughty by Nature, Poverty's Paradise (Feb. 28, 1996) Naughty by Nature claimed the first ever Best Rap Album award at the 1996 Grammys--beating out 2Pac, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and Skee-Lo.

FEBRUARY 8

In 1977, New York City had a 24-hour blackout which led to looting in neglected neighborhoods—giving DJs access to equipment and enabling those who couldn’t afford turntables and mixers to become DJs.

JANUARY 7

First Woman to Rap at the White House: MC Lyte (2015) Invited by Michelle Obama, MC Lyte was the first woman to perform hip-hop at the White House. The event commemorated the 50th anniversary of the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act.

FEBRUARY 11

First High-Profile Hip-Hop Couple Salt (of Salt-N-Pepa) & Herbie "Luv Bug" Azor Cheryl “Salt” James formed a relationship with producer, songwriter, and executive, Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor. Although the relationship did not last, they were the first high-profile couple in hip-hop.

FEBRUARY 10

First Artist to Have Two No. 1 Albums in One Year (1996) Released two months after Tupac’s murder, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory knocked The Beatles out of the No. 1 spot. All Eyez On Me was released 7 months before Tupac's death. Both albums went to No. 1.

FEBRUARY 9

The First Female Rap Group: The Sequence The Sequence, Angela "Angie B" Stone, Gwendolyn "Blondy" Chisholm, and Cheryl "The Pearl" Cook, signed to Sugar Hill Records, was the first woman rap act to release a physical record.

FEBRUARY 12

First Hip Hop Artist to Win a Pulitzer Prize for Music: Kendrick Lamar, DAMN (2018) Kendrick Lamar's DAMN was the first hip-hop album to win the Pulitzer. Pulitzer called the album “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism.”

FEBRUARY 13

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

First Female Solo Rapper to go Platinum: Da Brat The first woman rapper to go platinum is Da Brat, who achieved the feat after the release of her debut album, Funkdafied, in summer of 1994. The project took less than six months to move 1 million units.

FEBRUARY 14

The 1st Female Promoter: Cindy Campbell Lauded as the party that birthed hip-hop, Cindy Campbell’s August 11th, 1973 back to school party at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, established her as the first hip-hop promoter and “Mother of Hip-Hop”.

FEBRUARY 15

First Hip Hop Magazine: Hip Hop Connection (July 1988) First issue date: July 1988 On the cover: Salt-N-Pepa, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, and Derek B Cover line: Salt-N-Pepa "Career Girls"

FEBRUARY 16

First Prime Time Sitcom to Star a Rapper: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) Aired on NBC in September of 1990, produced by super-producer Quincy Jones and starring Will Smith.

FEBRUARY 17

First Rapper to Appear on TV: Kurtis Blow Kurtis Blow was the first rapper to appear on national television. Kurtis Blow was the first rapper to appear and perform on national television after his appearance on the syndicated weekly, Soul and R&B program, Soul Train in October of 1980.

FEBRUARY 18

First Rapper to Crash the Stage at an Awards Show: Ol' Dirty Bastard (1998) ODB crashed the Grammy Awards stage in 1998, stealing the microphone from Shawn Colvin, part of his speech included the famous words "Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children."

FEBRUARY 19

First Major Rap Tour: (1984) Fresh Fest was the first national hip hop tour in the United States. The lineup included: Kurtis Blow, Whodini, Run-D.M.C., Fat Boys, Sugar Hill Gang, and the Furious 5.

FEBRUARY 20

First Album by a Solo Female Rapper: MC Lyte, Lyte as a Rock (Sept. 13, 1988) “Lyte as a Rock” was the first LP released by a solo female MC. In 1989 MC Lyte followed up with “Eyes on This”, her most commercially successful album.

FEBRUARY 21

First Rappers on the Cover of Rolling Stone: Run-D.M.C. (Dec. 4, 1986) With the cover- story: "Run-D.M.C. Is Beating the Rap," Rolling Stone put the first hip-hop act on its cover. The piece, by Ed Kiersh, portrayed them as thoughtful young men from Hollis, Queens.

FEBRUARY 22

First Hip-Hop / Rock Crossover: Run-D.M.C. & Aerosmith, "Walk This Way" (1986) Run-DMC's Raising Hell was the first hip-hop album to go platinum. A collaboration with rock band Aerosmith produced “Walk This Way,” a hit single from that album and the first hip-hop/rock crossover.

FEBRUARY 23

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

The Cold Crush Brothers, formed in 1978 in the Bronx, expanded on the Furious Five's inventive style with chanting and singing. Elevating the game for MCs.

JANUARY 9

First Gold and Platinum Album by Women: Salt-n-Pepa, Hot, Cool & Vicious (Released Dec. 8, 1986) Salt-n-Pepa's debut, Hot, Cool & Vicious, featuring the Top 20 hit "Push It," became not only the first rap album by a female act to go gold, but also platinum.

FEBRUARY 24

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 22

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 22

First Rap Album to Win Album of Year Grammy: Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1999) The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was named the first hip-hop album to win an Album of the Year Grammy. The self-produced '98 album was certified six-times-platinum and nominated for 10 Grammy awards.

FEBRUARY 27

First Diamond Album: MC Hammer, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em (Feb. 12, 1990) The stats on MC Hammer’s album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em are astounding, especially since hip-hop was widely considered a novelty. It spent 28 weeks at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

FEBRUARY 26

First Song to Top the Hot Rap Songs Chart: Stop the Violence Movement, "Self-Destruction" (March 11, 1989) After Boogie Down Productions’ Scott La Rock was killed, KRS-One brought rappers together to denounce violence. "Self-Destruction" by the Stop the Violence Movement reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles.

FEBRUARY 25

At age 14, Big Daddy Kane, already a fierce competitor, tried to go up against Kool Moe Dee who was considered the battle rap king.

JANUARY 31

At age 14, Big Daddy Kane, already a fierce competitor, tried to go up against Kool Moe Dee who was considered the battle rap king.

JANUARY 30

In 1982, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five released 'The Message'--expanding hip-hop's party-oriented tracks to cultural criticism with lyrics that shed light on the realities of inner-city life.

JANUARY 29

First Rap LP to Receive an Explicit Lyrics Warning Sticker: Ice-T, Rhyme Pays (July 28, 1987) Before "Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics" stickers were placed on albums with content that may be unsuitable for youngsters, Ice-T placed a warning label on the cover of his debut album, Rhyme Pays in 1987.

FEBRUARY 28

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 22

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 22

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 22

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 22

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 22

The Cold Crush Brothers, the first rap group to be signed by CBS Records, were featured in the 1982 documentary movie, Wild Style, a seminal moment in hip-hop emergence.

JANUARY 22

First to Get in Trouble With Law Enforcement for Their Lyrics: N.W.A. (Aug. 1, 1989) Following N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton, the FBI sent a letter to their label claiming one of their songs encouraged violence against law enforcement. The ACLU said the letter amounted to censorship.

FEBRUARY 7

In 1975, Grandmaster Flash invents a new method at the turn tables by connecting two songs during their beat breaks.

JANUARY 6

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