Today marks the anniversary of several important albums that shaped hip-hop and R&B history.

1. December 10, 2021: Tory Lanez Released “Alone At Prom.”

Tory Lanez has been called a lot of things (like douchebag and criminal), but “untalented” will never make the list.

The man can rap at blitz-mode and slide into R&B velvet whenever he feels like it. Still, one of the wildest flexes in his catalog is Alone At Prom, his full-on detour into glossy 1980s synth-pop.

He didn’t just dabble in the sound. He committed, hair gel and shoulder pads included, to the point where you sometimes have to check the screen to confirm it’s actually him.

“Lady Namek,” “The Color Violet,” and “Lavender Sunflower” remain top-shelf in that universe, shimmering like they wandered in from a vintage love-story montage.

2. December 10, 2021: Juice WRLD Released “Fighting Demons.”

Fighting Demons arrived nearly two years after Juice WRLD’s passing, and you can feel that weight pressed into the project.

The album drifts through some of his darkest corridors, with Juice unpacking his drug battles and depression in ways that feel heavier than much of his earlier work. The mood leans somber, like pages from a journal he never got to finish.

Still, there are flashes of light woven through the gloom, helped by strong guest appearances from Justin Bieber, BTS, Trippie Redd, and Polo G.

“Burn” and “Wandered In LA” stand out as the tracks that glow the brightest, each carrying that bittersweet spark that made Juice’s music so magnetic.

3. December 10, 2013: Childish Gambino Released “Because The Internet”

Do you know what nobody brings up enough? The chorus on “3005” is genuinely elite. The instant “No matter what you say or what you do” floats in, it camps out in your head like it paid rent early.

But beyond the stickiness of that hook, Because The Internet delivered something quietly revolutionary: a nerd-coded, quirky, hyper-online approach to rap that somehow felt cool once you cracked the shell.

Sure, Childish gambled (do you like what I did there?) with a voice that sounded almost sanitized on the surface, but his flows were crisp, his competitive streak was real, and his confidence had this charming fan-turned-contender glow. It felt like watching a kid who grew up studying the craft finally step onto the court knowing he could hoop with the pros.

And then there were those glimpses of his future evolution. “Pink Toes” and “Telegraph Ave” hinted at the soulful, melodic shapeshifter he’d later become. The whole project buzzed with curiosity, awkward charm, and ambition, marking the rise of one of rap’s greatest acquired-taste artists.

Oh, and for the record, this is one of the few Childish Gambino eras where he really locked into rapping. Once he moved on to later albums, the melodies took over and never really let go.

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.