The Sto

youtu.be/jcC1VU7ccaQ?is=8SQw… 📀 On This Day in Music — July 17, 2015 Future released DS2 (Dirty Sprite 2), the album that helped define the sound of modern trap. Debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200, DS2 featured production from Metro Boomin, Southside, Zaytoven, Sonny Digital, and others. Rather than relying on classic samples, the album built its legacy through haunting synths, booming 808s, and atmospheric production that influenced an entire generation of artists and producers. From “Thought It Was a Drought” and “Stick Talk” to “Where Ya At” and “Blood on the Money,” DS2 became the blueprint for the streaming-era trap sound. STO Question: Is DS2 the greatest trap album ever made?

🎶 On This Day in Music History: July 16, 1966 On this day, Cream, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker, formed one of rock’s first supergroups. But if you only know Cream as a rock band, you’re missing the bigger story. Cream didn’t create the sound, they amplified the Blues. Their music was built on the foundation laid by Black musical pioneers like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, and Skip James. They took those electric blues riffs and introduced them to a global rock audience, helping preserve and expand a musical tradition that would later shape hip-hop. The clearest example is “Sunshine of Your Love.” Its legendary guitar riff has been sampled and replayed by hip-hop producers, while countless others have borrowed its feel. Even more interesting, Cream’s “Strange Brew” traces its roots to Albert King’s “Oh, Pretty Woman.” Years later, producers behind records like Wu-Tang Clan’s “Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)” and Cypress Hill’s “Hand on the Glock” sampled Albert King’s original recording, bringing the music full circle. This is the STO approach to music theory: follow the lineage, not just the sample. Sometimes the most important connection isn’t the record that got sampled the most, it’s the artist who carried the sound from one generation to the next. #OnThisDay #Cream #Blues #HipHop #Sampling #MusicHistory #TheSTO #EricClapton #AlbertKing #MuddyWaters #RobertJohnson

youtu.be/CW3StylzxGo?is=i-My… On This Day in Music July 14, 1992 Too $hort released Shorty the Pimp, an album that helped define the Bay Area sound and proved Oakland had its own lane in hip-hop. The album debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200, eventually earning Platinum status, but its real legacy lives in the music it borrowed from and inspired. If you listen closely, you’ll hear the DNA of Parliament-Funkadelic, Ohio Players, Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Stanley Clarke, and Grover Washington Jr. Those funk and soul records became the foundation for Too $hort and Ant Banks’ bass-heavy production, connecting the 1970s directly to 1990s West Coast rap. Tracks like “I Want to Be Free (That’s the Truth),” “In the Trunk,” and “No Love From Oakland” weren’t just Oakland anthems, they were examples of hip-hop preserving Black musical history through sampling. The STO Perspective: Every sample tells a story. Shorty the Pimp reminds us that Oakland’s sound wasn’t created in isolation, it was built on the grooves of the musicians who came before it. That’s how hip-hop evolves: honoring the past while creating something new. What was your favorite track from Shorty the Pimp?

youtu.be/itjZzYplQSI?is=CbWc… 📀 On This Day in Music: July 13, 1993 Toni Braxton released her self-titled debut album, introducing one of the most distinctive voices in R&B history. Facts: • Released by LaFace Records and Arista Records • Executive produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface • Debuted at No. 36 before climbing to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming LaFace Records’ first No. 1 album. • Sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and over 5 million in the United States. • Won three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, launching Toni Braxton into superstardom. Classic Singles: 🎵 “Another Sad Love Song” 🎵 “Breathe Again” 🎵 “You Mean the World to Me” 🎵 “Seven Whole Days” 🎵 “How Many Ways” The Impact: Before Mary J. Blige defined hip-hop soul and while Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey dominated pop, Toni Braxton carved out her own lane. Her rich contralto voice, emotional delivery, and Babyface’s polished production helped redefine contemporary R&B for the 1990s. The album proved that vulnerable, adult-oriented R&B could dominate both the R&B and pop charts without sacrificing musicality. It also established the signature LaFace Records sound that would influence artists throughout the decade. The Sto takeaway: Great debut albums don’t just introduce an artist, they establish a blueprint. Toni Braxton became the standard for modern R&B balladry, proving that sometimes the most powerful voice in the room isn’t the loudest, it’s the one that makes you feel every word.

youtu.be/3vuYaozki_Q?is=NX5Z… 🎵 On This Day in Music: July 12 On this day in 1979, the world lost Minnie Riperton at just 31 years old. Though her career was tragically short, her influence on music has proven timeless. Best known for “Lovin’ You,” Riperton possessed a remarkable five-octave vocal range, effortlessly reaching the whistle register in a way that inspired generations of singers, including Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, and countless R&B vocalists. Her music also became part of hip-hop’s foundation. Producers have sampled and interpolated her recordings for decades, with songs like “Inside My Love,” “Memory Lane,” “Simple Things,” and “Lovin’ You” providing soulful textures for artists including A Tribe Called Quest, The Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, J Dilla, and many more. Her warm melodies and emotionally rich performances remain a favorite source for producers searching for timeless soul. Beyond her artistry, Minnie Riperton helped break barriers by openly discussing her battle with breast cancer, becoming one of the first major entertainers to use her platform to raise awareness for the disease. The Sto Perspective: Great artists don’t disappear, they evolve. Minnie Riperton’s voice lives on every time a producer flips one of her records, every time a singer reaches for a higher register, and every time a listener traces a hip-hop sample back to its source. That’s how musical immortality is earned.

youtu.be/Qo2hlWLno5Y?is=9tUX… ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC — July 11, 2006 Pimp C released Pimpalation, his second solo album and the last solo project released during his lifetime. Fresh home from prison, Pimp didn’t chase the sound of the moment, he doubled down on what made Southern hip-hop unique. The album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap Albums charts, proving that authenticity still moved the culture. With production from Pimp C, Mike Dean, Mannie Fresh, Jazze Pha, Cory Mo, and others, Pimpalation blended soul, blues, gospel, country, and funk into a sound that couldn’t be mistaken for anywhere but the South. Tracks like “I’m Free,” “Knockin’ Doorz Down,” “Pourin’ Up,” and “Country Rap Tunes” reminded the world that Pimp C wasn’t just a rapper, he was a musician, producer, and architect of Southern hip-hop. The STO Perspective: Hip-hop doesn’t grow by abandoning its roots, it grows by understanding them. Pimp C knew that every great beat carries the DNA of the music that came before it. Soul, blues, gospel, and funk weren’t just influences; they were the foundation. Honor the sample. Respect the origin. That’s how the culture moves forward. #OnThisDay #PimpC #Pimpalation #UGK #SouthernHipHop #TexasRap #RapALot #HipHopHistory #MusicHistory #TheSTO