You’re A Rapper?

Oh, you’re a rapper? Sure, you can have my card.

On this day in music history: July 7, 1987

by Jeff Harris – “Paid In Full”, the debut album by Eric B. & Rakim is released. The album will be considered a watershed moment in the history of Hip Hop with lyricist/rapper Rakim introducing a new style of rhyming, laid back but intense, setting a new benchmark. “Paid” will spin off five hit singles and will peak at #8 on the Billboard R&B album chart and #58 on the Top 200.

On this day in music history: July 5, 1986

by Jeff Harris – “Control” by Janet Jackson hits #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for 2 weeks. It is Jackson’s breakthrough release, and will spin off five top five singles each reaching a different chart position within the pop top five. Five of the albums’ six singles will reach #1 on the R&B singles chart. To date, “Control” has sold over 6 million copies in the US.

On this day in music history: March 7, 1987

by Jeff Harris – “Licensed To Ill”, the debut album by The Beastie Boys hits #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for 7 weeks. “Ill” becomes the first rap album in chart history to top the pop charts. The album will spin off several hit singles, and to date has sold over 9 million copies in the US.

On this day in music history: March 2, 1983

by Jeff Harris – The compact disc (CD) makes its retail debut. It is a joint venture between the Sony Corporation and Polygram’s parent company Philips Electronics. The first CD titles released in record stores will be mostly classical from Polygram, and CBS will roll out their first 16 titles. By the end of the 80’s, the CD will overtake vinyl records in retail sales.