2019 in hip-hop
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{{YYYY music|2019}}
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This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip-hop for the year 2019.
Events
=January=
- On January 8, Cupcakke was hospitalized following a suicide scare.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2027873/cupcakke-statement-suicide-scare/news/|title=CupcakKe Is Safe, Makes First Statement Since Suicide Tweet|last=Gray|first=Julia|date=January 8, 2019|website=Stereogum|access-date=February 24, 2019}}
- On January 23, 6ix9ine admitted to being guilty of all charges related to racketeering and gang violence.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/01/nyregion/tekashi-69-pleads-guilty.html|title=Tekashi 6ix9ine Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Cooperate With Prosecutors|last1=Weiser|first1=Benjamin|date=2019-02-01|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-02-27|last2=Watkins|first2=Ali|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
- On January 25, DMX was again released from prison.{{cite web|url=https://thesource.com/2019/09/19/dmx-def-jam/|title=DMX INKS NEW DEF JAM DEAL|date=September 19, 2019|access-date=November 14, 2019|publisher=The Source|author=Miss2Bees}}
- On January 27, Florida rapper Jayo Sama was killed in a drive-by shooting in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 22 years old.{{cite web|url=https://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/jayo-sama-dead-rapper-reportedly-shot-and-killed-in-palm-beach-shooting/|title=Upcoming Palm Beach Rapper Jayo Sama Was Killed in a drive-by Shooting|date= January 27, 2019}}
=February=
- On February 3, 21 Savage was arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for having an expired visa and was revealed to be a United Kingdom national.{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50155/title.21-savage-revealed-to-be-uk-citizen-arrested-during-ice-sting|title=21 Savage Revealed To Be UK Citizen, Arrested During ICE Sting|date=2019-02-03|website=HipHopDX|access-date=2019-02-27}}
- On February 9, English grime rapper Cadet was killed in a car accident, at age 28.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/british-rapper-cadet-dies-at-28-8497449/|title=British Rapper Cadet Dies at 28|date=2019-02-09|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2022-01-07}}
- On February 10, Cardi B won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album with Invasion of Privacy and Drake won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song with "God's Plan".{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/drake-wins-best-rap-song-2019-grammys-8497609/|title=Drake Wins Best Rap Song For 'God's Plan' at 2019 Grammys|last=Hughes|first=Hillary|date=2019-02-10|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2022-01-07}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2019/02/10/grammys-2019-ariana-grande-shades-cardi-b-after-win-apologizes/2834954002/|title=Ariana Grande shades Cardi B after Grammy win, apologizes|last=Oliver|first=David|date=2019-02-19|website=USA Today|access-date=2022-01-07}}
- On February 12, Mystikal was released from prison on $3 million bond.
- On February 13, YNW Melly turned himself in to authorities and was charged with the double murder of rappers and childhood friends YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2019/02/ynw-melly-charged-in-double-murder|title=YNW Melly Charged in Double Murder (UPDATE)|last=Espinosa|first=Joshua|date=February 13, 2019|website=Complex|language=en|access-date=2019-04-19}} The same day that 21 Savage was released from ICE custody on bond.
- On February 28, BlocBoy JB was arrested for drug and weapons charges.{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50451/title.blocboy-jb-arrested-on-drugs-weapons-charges|title=BlocBoy JB Arrested On Drugs & Weapons Charges|last=Eustice|first=Kyle|date=2019-02-28|website=HipHopDX|access-date=2019-04-19}}
=March=
- On March 26, Billboard controversially removes Lil Nas X's breakout single "Old Town Road" from the Hot Country Songs chart for "not [embracing] enough elements of today's country music".
- On March 31, Nipsey Hussle was fatally shot outside his clothing store in Los Angeles, CA. He was 33 years old.
=April=
- On April 18, Cypress Hill receives a star in the walk of fame, making them the first Latino group to receive a star in the walk of fame.{{Citation|last=Variety|title=Cypress Hill - Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony - Live Stream|date=2019-04-18|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D25vdEE4nB0|access-date=2019-04-19}}
- On April 21, Kanye West lead an Easter Sunday Service performance at Coachella, the group's first public performance.
=May=
- On May 18, it was revealed that Tyler, the Creator's ban in the United Kingdom had been lifted in an announcement for a London concert promoting his newly released album Igor. However, the show was cancelled due to overcrowding audience.
=June=
- On June 9, Bushwick Bill of the Geto Boys died at the age of 52, from pancreatic cancer.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
- On June 20, the 2019 XXL Freshman Class was revealed, in which it included Gunna, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, Cordae, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Mosey, Blueface, Comethazine, Tierra Whack, YK Osiris, and Rico Nasty.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
=July=
- On July 1, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" becomes the longest-running hip-hop song at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 after thirteen weeks, surpassing "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas, and "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth, which had each achieved twelve weeks at number one.{{cite magazine |last1=Trust |first1=Gary |title=Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' Tops Hot 100 for a Hip-Hop Record 13th Week; Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello's 'Senorita' Debuts at No. 2 |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8518219/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-number-one-hot-100-13-weeks |magazine=Billboard |access-date=1 July 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701194429/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8518219/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-number-one-hot-100-13-weeks |archive-date=1 July 2019}}
- On July 23, Tay-K was sentenced to 55 years in prison on a murder charge for a 2016 robbery that left a man dead.
=September=
- On September 5, Nicki Minaj announces her retirement from making music to "have my family".{{cite web|url=https://edition-m.cnn.com/2019/09/05/entertainment/nicki-minaj-retiring|title=Nicki Minaj announces retirement to 'have my family'|last=Friedlander|first=Whitney|date=September 5, 2019|access-date=September 6, 2019|publisher=CNN}}
- On September 19, Dave wins the Mercury Prize, given to the best album released by a British musician each year, for his debut album Psychodrama.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/19/dave-wins-mercury-prize-2019-album-psychodrama|title=Mercury prize 2019: rapper Dave wins for 'exceptional' Psychodrama|last=Snapes|first=Laura|date=September 19, 2019|access-date=February 5, 2024|publisher=The Guardian}}
=October=
- On October 2, Gucci Mane partnered with Gucci.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
- On October 6, 2 Chainz partnered with Atlantic Records with his independent label The Real University.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
- On October 15, Tyga signed a multi-million dollar deal to be with Columbia Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/10/15/tyga-signs-massive-new-record-deal-with-columbia-records|title = Tyga signs massive new record deal with Columbia Records}}
- On October 23, Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" received an RIAA Diamond certification, 2019's first Diamond certification and the fastest song in history to reach this milestone.{{cite web |url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/10/23/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-diamond-record|title=Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" just went diamond in record time|date=October 23, 2019}}
=November=
- On November 6, Drake signed with the cannabis industry.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
- On November 11, Bad Azz died four days earlier by the time he was arrested and jailed at Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, California, on domestic violence charges.
- On November 13, Kodak Black is sentenced to three years and eight months prison time for lying about his criminal record while purchasing firearms.{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.53452/title.kodak-black-sentenced-in-weapons-case|title=Kodak Black Sentenced in Weapons Case|date=13 November 2019}}
- On November 21, French Montana was hospitalized due to stomach pains nausea and elevated heart rate.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}
=December=
- On December 8, Juice WRLD was pronounced dead after suffering a seizure in Chicago Midway Airport.{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.53734/title.juice-wrld-dies-at-age-21-after-suffering-seizure|title=Juice WRLD Dies at Age 21 After Suffering Seizure|date=8 December 2019}} According to TMZ, he died of a percocet overdose and swallowed all the pills so federal agents wouldn't find them on the jet.{{Cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/news/2019/12/juice-wrld-tried-to-hide-percocets-search/|title=Report: Juice WRLD Tried to Hide "Several Percocets" from Feds by Swallowing Them}}
- On December 18, 6ix9ine was sentenced to two years in jail after already serving 13 months because of racketeering and gang violence. However, he would get out of jail only months after originally being incarcerated due to his life-threatening asthma diagnosis.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/6ix9ine-early-prison-release-9349873/|title=6ix9ine Granted Early Prison Release Amid Coronavirus Crisis|magazine=Billboard |date=2020-04-02 |access-date=2022-01-07}}
Released albums
=January=
=February=
=March=
=April=
= May =
=June=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" |Day ! scope="col" |Artist(s) ! scope="col" |Album ! scope="col" |Record label(s) !Entering chart position |
| rowspan="6" | 7
| |
| Future
|Epic, Freebandz |
|
| MoStack
|MizerMillion Entertainment, Virgin, EMI |
|
| Polo G
|Polo G, Columbia |
|
| Tee Grizzley
|Grizzly Gang, 300 |
|
| Tyga
|Last Kings, Empire |
|
| 12
|
|
| rowspan="2" | 14
|300 Entertainment, YSL Records |
|
| Your Old Droog
|Transportation |Mongoloid Banks | |
| rowspan="6" | 21
| Black Soprano Family | |
| B.o.B
|Southmatic |No Genre, The Dispensary | |
| Gucci Mane
|1017, Atlantic |
|
| K Camp
|Wavy 2 Kritical |RARE Sound, Interscope, EMPIRE | |
| Lil Nas X
|7 |
|
| Trina
|Rockstarr Music Group |
|
| rowspan="3" |28
|RCA |
|
| Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
|Keep Cool, RCA{{Cite news|date=May 30, 2019|title=Freddie Gibbs and Madlib Announce New Album Bandana ft. Pusha-T, Killer Mike, More|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/freddie-gibbs-and-madlib-announce-new-album-bandana-ft-pusha-t-killer-mike-more/|access-date=May 30, 2019|website=Variety}} |
|
| Mustard
|10 Summers, Interscope |
|
=July=
= August =
=September=
= October =
= November =
=December=
Highest-charting songs
=United States=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+Hip hop songs from any year which charted in the 2019 Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100|title = The Hot 100|magazine = Billboard|date = 2 January 2013}} ! scope="col"|Song ! scope="col"|Artist ! scope="col"|Project ! scope="col"|Peak position |
| "Circles"
|rowspan="5"|1 |
| "Highest in the Room" |
| "Old Town Road"
|Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus |7 |
| "Sunflower"
|Post Malone and Swae Lee |
| "Truth Hurts" |
| "Wow."
|Post Malone |Hollywood's Bleeding |2 |
| "Good as Hell"
|Lizzo |rowspan="3"|3 |
| "Goodbyes"
|Post Malone featuring Young Thug |Hollywood's Bleeding |
| "Please Me"
|Cardi B and Bruno Mars |{{N/A}} |
| "Middle Child"
|rowspan="3"|4 |
| "Ransom" |
| "Roxanne"
|{{N/A}} |
| "Futsal Shuffle 2020"
|rowspan="3"|5 |
| "Homicide" |
| "Panini"
|Lil Nas X |7 |
| "Follow God"
|rowspan="3"|7 |
| "Money in the Grave" |
| "Suge" |
| "Take What You Want"
|Post Malone featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott |Hollywood's Bleeding |rowspan="2"|8 |
| "Thotiana" |
| "Bandit"
|Juice Wrld and YoungBoy Never Broke Again |10 |
| "Bop"
|DaBaby |Kirk |rowspan="4"|11 |
| "Hot"
|Young Thug featuring Gunna |
| "Hot Girl Summer"
|Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign |{{N/A}} |
| "Pop Out" |
| "A Lot"
|21 Savage featuring J. Cole |rowspan="2"|12 |
| "The London"
|Young Thug featuring J. Cole and Travis Scott |So Much Fun |
| "Earfquake"
|Igor |rowspan="2"|13 |
| "Intro"
|DaBaby |Kirk |
| "Murder on My Mind"
|14 |
| "Hollywood's Bleeding"
|Post Malone |rowspan="2"|Hollywood's Bleeding |15 |
| "Enemies"
|Post Malone featuring DaBaby |rowspan="2"|16 |
| "Press"
|Cardi B |{{N/A}} |
| "Closed on Sunday"
|Kanye West |Jesus Is King |17 |
| "Saint-Tropez"
|Post Malone |Hollywood's Bleeding |18 |
| "Selah"
|Kanye West |Jesus Is King |rowspan="2"|19 |
| "Wish Wish"
|DJ Khaled featuring Cardi B and 21 Savage |
| "Die for Me"
|Post Malone featuring Future and Halsey |Hollywood's Bleeding |rowspan="3"|20 |
| "Leave Me Alone" |
| "Megatron"
|Nicki Minaj |{{N/A}} |
| "Baby"
|Lil Baby and DaBaby |Control the Streets, Volume 2 |rowspan="4"|21 |
| "Higher"
|DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend |Father of Asahd |
| "My Type"
|Icy |
| "Vibez"
|DaBaby |Kirk |
| "On Chill"
|rowspan="3"|22 |
| "On the Road"
|Post Malone featuring Meek Mill and Lil Baby |Hollywood's Bleeding |
| "Rodeo"
|Lil Nas X and Cardi B |7 |
| "On God"
|Kanye West |Jesus Is King |rowspan="2"|23 |
| "Pure Water" |
| "Act Up"
|rowspan="2"|26 |
| "Racks in the Middle"
|Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy |{{N/A}} |
| "Look Back at It"
|rowspan="2"|27 |
| "Robbery"
|Juice Wrld |Death Race for Love |
| "Sanguine Paradise"
|Lil Uzi Vert |{{N/A}} |rowspan="2"|28 |
| "Toes"
|DaBaby featuring Lil Baby and Moneybagg Yo |Kirk |
| "A Thousand Bad Times"
|Post Malone |Hollywood's Bleeding |rowspan="3"|29 |
| "Legends"
|Juice Wrld |Too Soon.. |
| "Twerk"
|City Girls featuring Cardi B |Girl Code |
| "Envy Me"
|Wildboy |31 |
| "Bad Bad Bad"
|Young Thug featuring Lil Baby |So Much Fun |32 |
| "Everything We Need"
|Kanye West featuring Ty Dolla Sign and Ant Clemons |Jesus Is King |rowspan="2"|33 |
| "I'm Gonna Be"
|Post Malone |Hollywood's Bleeding |
| "223's"
|YNW Melly featuring 9lokkNine |rowspan="2"|34 |
| "Staring at the Sun"
|Post Malone featuring SZA |Hollywood's Bleeding |
| "Omertà"
|Drake |The Best in the World Pack |35 |
| "Cash Shit"
|Megan Thee Stallion featuring DaBaby |rowspan="3"|36 |
| "God Is"
|Kanye West |Jesus Is King |
| "Shotta Flow" |
| "Allergic"
|Post Malone |Hollywood's Bleeding |rowspan="3"|37 |
| "Camelot"
|NLE Choppa |
| "Use This Gospel"
|Kanye West featuring Clipse and Kenny G |Jesus Is King |
| "Hear Me Calling"
|Juice Wrld |Death Race for Love |rowspan="3"|38 |
| "Keanu Reeves"
|Logic |Confessions of a Dangerous Mind |
| "Swervin"
|A Boogie wit da Hoodie featuring 6ix9ine |Hoodie SZN |
| "Clout"
|Offset featuring Cardi B |rowspan="3"|39 |
| "Gold Roses"
|Rick Ross featuring Drake |
| "I" |
| "Backin' It Up"
|Pardison Fontaine featuring Cardi B | Under8ed |40 |
=United Kingdom=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+Hip hop songs from any year which charted in the 2019 Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart{{Cite magazine |title=Top 100 Songs | Official Single Chart Top 100 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/ |magazine=Official Charts Company |access-date=June 12, 2023 }} ! scope="col"|Song ! scope="col"|Artist ! scope="col"|Project ! scope="col"|Peak position |
| "Own It"
| Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy | rowspan="2" | Heavy Is the Head | rowspan="2" | 1 |
| "Vossi Bop"
| Stormzy |
| "Taste (Make It Shake)"
| Aitch | AitcH20 | 2 |
| "Ladbroke Grove"
| 3 |
| "Crown"
| Stormzy | Heavy Is the Head | 4 |
| "Must Be"
| J Hus | 5 |
| "Location"
| Dave featuring Burna Boy | rowspan="3" | 6 |
| "Audacity"
| Stormzy featuring Headie One | Heavy Is the Head |
| "18Hunna"
| Headie One featuring Dave |
| "Kiesha & Becky"
| Russ Millions and Tion Wayne | {{N/A}} | rowspan="4" | 7 |
| "Options"
| NSG featuring Tion Wayne | Roots |
| "So High"
| rowspan="2" {{N/A}} |
| "Fashion Week"
| Steel Banglez featuring AJ Tracey and MoStack |
| "Disaster"
| Dave featuring J Hus | Psychodrama | rowspan="2" | 8 |
| "Buss Down"
| Aitch featuring ZieZie | AitcH20 |
| "Strike a Pose"
| Young T & Bugsey featuring Aitch | Plead the 5th | rowspan="4" | 9 |
| "Streatham"
| Dave | Psychodrama |
| "Gun Lean"
| Russ Millions | {{N/A}} |
| "Lessons"
| Stormzy | Heavy Is the Head |
| "Down Like That"
| KSI featuring Rick Ross, Lil Baby and S-X | 10 |
Highest first-week consumption
All critically reviewed albums ranked
=Metacritic=
=AnyDecentMusic?=
See also
- Previous article: 2018 in hip-hop
- Next article: 2020 in hip-hop