10 Musical Milestones Created By Black Men

We love our music artists! They give us what we need whether it's encouragement, fire, desire and so much more. Other than being musical artists, they are also human beings. There are many milestones that they have reached in music and in life that deserves recognition. Let's explore a few artists that we love and we want to give credit to.

Drake - breaks billboard hip-hop records for most #1's

Drake is one of, if not the top male rappers to this date! From numerous accolades such as Grammy Awards, American Music Awards and so much more, Drake has shown versatility and how you keep that momentum going in your career. A musical milestone that Drake reached was when he broke Jay-Z’s record and achieved the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart when he achieved his 10th in August 2012. Not only that, but he has the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart with 11 in February 2012.

Jay-Z - rapper/Serial entrepreneur becomes a billionaire

Let’s be real here! There is not a rap game or a music industry without thee H to the izzO V to the izzA! Jay has pioneered this industry in many ways and has defeated challenge after challenge. It's no secret that he is the mastermind behind the legendary Roc-A-Fella Records, which has been a milestone label since 1995. In March 2015, Jay-Z completed the $56 million acquisition of Aspiro, a media technology company that operates the music streaming service Tidal, which has been in operation since October 2014. More milestones include his clothing brand Rocawear, and being the most awarded rapper at the Grammy Awards, with 22 wins and 80 nominations. He also broke Elvis Presley's record for the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 charts.

Diddy - successful record label executive and entrepreneur

Since the early 90s, Sean “P-Diddy” Combs had the mind of a real boss! From starting his label Bad Boy Records, to managing the iconic legend Notorious B.I.G., Diddy has shown signs of how a dedicated boss should be. With Sean John as a milestone clothing brand, Diddy continued to build his brand by acquiring the liquor beverage brand Ciroc, which continues to do extremely well in promotions and numbers. Ciroc is one of the official sponsors of the acclaimed Verzuz battles we know and love.

Big Sean - First rapper to perform at the white house

One of the great things about Big Sean is his artistry. He is a rapper that does not confide to the way of ordinary rap. With that being said, it’s no surprise that Big Sean was the first rap artist to perform a rap at the White House. Now, this is big! Normally when the White House wants artists to perform, they more so go for the Pop, Jazz, R&B, or a legendary singer. A hip-hop artist has never performed a rap song, but that changed at the 2014 White House Easter Egg Roll. Need I say more about why we love and miss Barack Obama so much?!

Michael Jackson - iconic king of pop who ruled 5 different decades as #1

Now I cant make a list of musical milestones without including the King of Pop we know as Michael Jackson. For decades, this man entertained us tremendously. People of all races loved this man unconditionally. From his 1960s R&B hits with his brothers in The Jackson 5, to his pop hits as a solo artist. Some of his musical milestones include being the first artist to have a Billboard 100 top ten single in five different decades: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. He holds 31 Guinness World Records, over 400 million records sold worldwide, 2 Hollywood stars on the Walk of Fame, and 2 inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For this man, his legacy and this list can go on and on. May he forever RIP.

Nipsey Hussle - successful rapper and community activist

Activist. community pioneer, rapper, loving father and husband. These are the attributes that describe the late Nipsey Hussle. His musical milestones include two Grammy Awards, and four BET Awards, including the Humanitarian Award. Right before Nipsey’s death, he was in the works to start his foundation. Nipsey's vision for his foundation was to improve public parks, work with schools to rebuild playgrounds, and create more STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs for students. It's no secret that this man’s urge to do right for the community he grew up in was at an all-time high. This was his milestone, this is what he aimed to achieve.

Swizz Beatz & Timbaland creators of the highly acclaimed verzuz battle

The last year for us was one for the books. We went through a time where we were lost, confused, sad, mad, and so much more. This pandemic took a lot from us. Thanks to super producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, they gave us something to look forward to. Bring in the lit virtual concert series Verzuz. This is a musical milestone for both gentlemen because they brainstormed and brought the people something that we look forward to every month. From Erykah Badu Vs. Jill Scott, all the way to the most recent Ashanti Vs. Keyshia Cole, we the people were glued to our screens and it made quarantine a little bit better. This is a milestone to add to both men’s roster. They already have hit after hit under their belts. This was such an epic idea from both of them.

John Legend & Common won the academy award for best original song in 2015

When we hear the sultry and smooth sound of John Legend’s voice, it takes you somewhere else. That man can sang, not sing! So to add the eclectic lyric style of Common to his sound makes it much more anticipating. These two collaborated on the acclaimed song Glory for the motion picture film Selma which chronicled the journey of our beloved Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his road to the Selma, AL march. This song did so very well that both artists were awarded the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2015. Most definitely a history-making moment!

Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff - first rap duo to win the very first hip-hop Grammy award

When the first Grammy Awards ceremony commenced on May 4, 1959, a category for rap wasn't even part of the event. However, with new sounds emerging in the 1970s and 1980s, they had to add more categories to give accolades to new and talented artists. Hip-Hop was one of those new genres that were taking over airwave’s song by song. So, in 1989 Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff were nominated for Best Rap Performance for their hit single Parents Just Don’t Understand. They went on to be the first to win that Hip-Hop award.

Prince - mastermind behind the legendary purple rain album and movie

One statement to describe his milestone: Purple Rain! The iconic guitarist himself released this musical milestone in 1984. This album went on to top at the #1 spot Billboard Rock charts, Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop charts, and the Billboard 200. To top those specific charts in different genres says a lot about one’s musical ability. The ability of this man was beyond limitless. This game-changing album and movie will live on forever.