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This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates inhip-hop for the year 2021.

• On January 1,Swae Lee andMike Will Made It were involved in a severe car accident. They both survived.^[1][2]
• On January 5,Dr. Dre was admitted to the hospital after suffering a brain aneurysm. He later recovered.^[3][4][5]
• On January 7,DaBaby was arrested for gun possession inBeverly Hills,California.^[6][7]
• On January 12,YFN Lucci was on the run for murder inAtlanta,Georgia. He later turned himself in to the authorities. Then he was later released on $500,000 bond.^[8][9]
• On January 13,Chicago rapperRico Recklezz was sentenced to prison for three years on gun possession charges.^[10][11]
• On January 15,Denzel Curry andSmino found out that they were related due to a shared uncle.^[12][13]
• On January 19,Lil Wayne andKodak Black were both pardoned by PresidentDonald Trump on his last full day in office.^[14][15]
• On January 20,9lokkNine was arrested for multiple counts of attempted second-degree murder.^[16]
• On January 26,Georgia-based rapper6 Dogs died from an apparent suicide.^[17][18]
• On January 30,Double K ofPeople Under the Stairs died from unspecified causes.^[19][20]

• On February 1,Silentó was arrested for the murder of his cousin inDeKalb County,Georgia.^[21][22]
• On February 2,Chief Keef was hospitalized.^{[23][24][clarification needed]}
• On February 12,Nicki Minaj's father Robert Maraj was killed by a hit-and-run driver.^[25][26][27]
• On February 13,Yella Beezy was arrested for agun charge inDallas,Texas.^[28][29]
• On February 18,Prince Markie Dee ofThe Fat Boys died.^[30][31][32]
• On February 21, a shooting occurred atRoddy Ricch and42 Dugg's music video shoot, which left three people injured inAtlanta,Georgia.^[33][34][35]OMB Peezy was later charged in connection with the shooting with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.^[36][37][38]
• On February 22,Kim Kardashian filed for divorce fromKanye West. She cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their divorce.^[39][40][41]
• On February 23,Bobby Shmurda was released after serving almost 7 years in prison.^{[42][43][44][45]}

• On March 4,Square boughtJay-Z's streaming serviceTidal.^[46][47][48]
• On March 6/7, Florida-based rapper andKodak Black associate, Jackboy, was arrested for illegal gun possession.^[49][50]
• On March 13,Megan Thee Stallion won theBest New Artist award at the63rd Annual Grammy Awards.^[51][52] She also wonBest Rap Performance andBest Rap Song with her song, "Savage(Remix)", featuringBeyoncé on the remix.^[53][54]Anderson .Paak wonBest Melodic Rap Performance for "Lockdown"^[55] andNas won his first Grammy withKing's Disease.^[56][57]
• On March 15,Rich the Kid was arrested for gun possession atLAX.^[58][59][60]
• On March 18,Famous Dex was arrested inLos Angeles,California, for carrying a concealed firearm.^[61][62]
• On March 19,Saweetie announced on Twitter she broke with up fellow rapperQuavo and accused him of cheating on her.^[63]
• On March 22,YoungBoy Never Broke Again was arrested from fleeing the police inLos Angeles,California.^[64][65]
• On March 29,NLE Choppa was arrested for burglary, weapon charges, and drug charges inDavie,Florida.^[66][67] That same day,Lil Nas X gets sued byNike, Inc. for controversy over theSatan Shoes,^[68][69] tied to release of his single, "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)"^[70] and the song's music video^[71] (which features similar imagery as the shoes and also caused controversy).^[72]

• On April 2,DMX suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.^[73][74][75]
• On April 5,Kodak Black and his security and entourage were shot at inTallahassee,Florida, after an altercation with record producerSouthside.^[76][77][78]
• On April 9,DMX's family confirmed his death exactly a week after he was rushed to the hospital. It was revealed on July 8 by theWestchester County Medical Examiner's Office that his official cause of death was acocaine-induced heart attack.^{[79][80][81][82]}
• On April 14,Rich the Kid signed a multi-million dollar deal withRostrum Records.^[83][84]
• On April 17,Black Rob, a formerBad Boy recording artist, died from kidney failure.^[85][86]
• On April 22,Shock G ofDigital Underground died at 57.^[87][88][89]
• On April 23,Lil Mosey was charged with second-degree rape.^{[90][91][92][93]} The same day,Kehlani came out aslesbian.^[94][95]
• On April 24/25,DMX's celebration of life and funeral took place atBarclays Center, featuring tributes, testimonies, memorials and a performance from Kanye West'sSunday Service Choir.^[96][97][98]
• On April 28,Kodak Black pled guilty inSouth Carolina to assault and received 18 months of probation.^{[99][100][101]}

• On May 2,Quando Rondo and his crew were involved in a nighttime shooting.^[102][103]
• On May 3,NLE Choppa and his crew were involved in a fight inSanta Monica,California.^[104][105]
• On May 15,Lil Reese was shot in a stolen vehicle inChicago,Illinois.^[106]
• On May 16, pioneering hip hop artist Captain Rock (associated withDr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde) died. The cause was not announced.^[107][108] That same day, Brazilian rapperMC Kevin falls to his death.^[109]
• On May 18, aHouston crip revealed thatMO3 killed 2 men before his death.^[110][111]
• On May 29,Lil Reese was arrested for assault. He was later released on a $10,000 bond.^[112]
• On May 30, a music video inHuntsville,Alabama, featuringBoosie Badazz ended up in gunfire leaving 1 dead.^[113][114]
• On May 31,Lil Loaded committed suicide at the age of 20.^{[115][116][117]} That same day, an associate andprotégé ofDaBaby, Wisdom, was arrested for attempted murder.^{[118][119][120]}

• On June 1,Yo Gotti announced that his labelCollective Music Group had signed toInterscope Records.^{[121][122][123]}
• On June 3,Dae Dae was announced wanted for stabbing aDunkin' Donuts employee in December 2020.^[124][125]
• On June 6,Lil Durk's brother OTF Dthang was shot and killed outside a nightclub inHarvey,Illinois.^{[126][127][128]}
• On June 7,Snoop Dogg became the executive creative and strategic consultant ofDef Jam Recordings.^{[129][130][131]}
• On June 8,Pooh Shiesty turned himself in after a strip club shooting, eventually getting charged foraggravated battery.^{[132][133][134]}
• On June 12,Ash Riser was found dead.^[135]
• On June 12,Polo G was arrested inMiami,Florida, following an incident with the police. According to jail records, he faced five charges including battery on a police officer, threatening a public servant, resisting an officer with violence, resisting an officer without violence and criminal mischief. His brother was also arrested.^{[136][137][138][139]} Later at the end of the weekend, his mother bailed him and his brother out on bond.^[140][141]
• On June 16,XXL released their2021 Freshman Class, including42 Dugg,Morray,Toosii,Blxst,Iann Dior,Coi Leray,Flo Milli,Rubi Rose,Pooh Shiesty,DDG, andLakeyah.^[142]
• On June 21, 34 people including rappers9lokkNine andHotboii were arrested on charges including racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering.^[143][144]
• On June 24, the daughter ofFetty Wap died of a health condition she suffered since birth.^[145][146]

• On July 2,Lil Uzi Vert andSaint Jhn allegedly got into a confrontation after Saint Jhn was spotted by Lil Uzi Vert with his ex-girlfriend Brittany Byrd. The confrontation led to a physical altercation between the two which resulted in Lil Uzi Vert flashing a gun at the two, then holding the gun to his ex-girlfriend's stomach. It was reported that no one was harmed and everybody left the scene.^{[147][148][149]}
• On July 4,Meek Mill andTravis Scott allegedly got into a verbal altercation for unknown reasons, at a4th of July party.^{[150][151][152]}
• On July 6,Gunna was hospitalized due to possiblepneumonia.^{[153][154][155]} That same day,XXL reported thatLil Uzi Vert allegedly hospitalized his ex-girlfriend by punching her in the face multiple times, soon after an incident when she was spotted with rapperSaint Jhn.^[156] Woods and his team did not respond to the claims made by Brittany.^[157]
• On July 7,Lil Baby was arrested on a drug charge andJames Harden was stopped by the police inParis,France, after going toParis Fashion Week alongside names likeKanye West. They were soon released.^{[158][159][160][161]}
• On July 12,Yung Mal and 5 others were arrested for murder at a deadly gas station shooting.^[162]
• On July 15,Lil Durk was targeted in a home invasion where he and his girlfriend exchanged gunfire with the suspects. Nobody was harmed and the suspects fled the scene.^[163][164]
• On July 16,SpotemGottem was arrested for aggravated assault with a firearm.^[165][166] That same day,Biz Markie died due to complications with diabetes.^{[167][168][169]}
• On July 18,Sheff G was arrested for gun possession.^[170]
• On July 22,Fredo Bang was reportedly arrested inMiami,Florida, along with his friend and fellow rapper, Lit Yoshi, for opening fire on a vehicle with some ofYoungBoy Never Broke Again's crew, and reportedly striking a man in the process.^[171][172]
• On July 23, Florida rapper Money Mitch reportedly died by suicide, following a shootout with police officers inPalm Beach County,Florida. He was affiliated with fellow rappers likeLil Baby.^[173][174]
• On July 25,DaBaby faced backlash for rant that was described ashomophobic during his performance at Rolling Loud inMiami,Florida.^[175] He also responded to criticism in a response video which was also controversial.^[176] He received criticism from music icons likeMadonna andElton John as well asDua Lipa, who he collaborated with on the international hit single, "Levitating".^{[177][178][179]} His version of the song was removed from places likeApple Music playlists and certain radio stations due to his comments; being replaced with a version of the song with Dua Lipa only.^[180][181] DaBaby was dropped from a variety of festivals during this time includingiHeartRadio Music Festival andLollapalooza.^{[182][183][184]}
• On July 30, Gonzoe, who was friends withTupac Shakur andIce Cube and a member of rap groupKausion, was shot and killed in a shooting atSeattle,Washington.^{[185][186][187]}
• On July 31, Edai was shot and killed inChicago,Illinois.^[188]

• On August 4,T.I. was arrested and held inAmsterdam,Netherlands, due to the bicycle that he was riding with colliding with a police vehicle and knocking off its wing mirror.^{[189][190][191]}
• On August 9, producerChucky Thompson died at the age of 53 due toCOVID-19 complications. He worked for artists such asThe Notorious B.I.G.,Nas andSean Combs &Bad Boy Records.^[192][193]
• On August 15, a close friend toPolo G, BMoney1300, was shot and killed inChicago,Illinois.^[194][195]
• On August 30, it was announced thatSpotemGottem was wanted in connection to aDallas,Texas, murder.^[196][197]

• On September 7,Trippie Redd's tour bus was shot at, following a concert inBaltimore,Maryland.^{[198][199][200]}
• On September 16,SpotemGottem was shot and wounded inMiami,Florida. He is said to be stable and recovering.^[201]
• On September 24,21 Savage turned himself in after his February 2019ICE arrest. That same day,YoungBoy Never Broke Again announced he will be featured in an upcoming animated seriesCrook County created by animator LookImHD which will be released onWorldStarHipHop. The announcement came shortly after the release of his third studio albumSincerely, Kentrell.^[202]
• On September 29, it was announcedDr. Dre,Eminem,Mary J. Blige,Kendrick Lamar andSnoop Dogg would perform at next year'sSuper Bowl LVI Halftime Show.^{[203][204][205]}

• On October 7,Kodak Black tweeted a series of suicidal comments, and disabled all his social media accounts.^{[206][207][208]}
• On October 12,Tyga was arrested on felony domestic violence charges, after an altercation with his ex-girlfriend, Camaryn Swanson.^[209][210]
• On October 13, OTF Boona was arrested in connection with a shooting inAtlanta,Georgia.^[211]
• On October 14, it was reported that R&B singerEmani22, a well-known collaborator ofTrippie Redd, died in a car accident at the age of 22 (She died on October 11).^[212][213] The same day, producer D. Hill (known for producing Future's best performing hit as lead artist, "Life Is Good", featuringDrake) also died at the age of 25. The cause of his cause of his death is unknown.^[214][215]
• On October 23,Boosie Badazz toldLil Nas X to kill himself in a homophobic rant on social media.^[216]
• On October 26,YoungBoy Never Broke Again was released from jail in Louisiana.^[217][218]
• On October 27,Benny the Butcher was hospitalized for an asthma-related issue.^[219]
• On October 29,Fetty Wap was arrested at theNew York Rolling Loud festival, on drug-related charges.^[220] He was released on a $500,000 bond on November 5, 2021.^[221][222]

• On November 5, acrowd crush took place atTravis Scott'sAstroworld Festival, in which eight people died in astampede from compression in the audience, which caused people to panic and pass out. Additionally, 25 people were hospitalized, and more than 300 people were treated for injuries.^{[223][224][225][226]} On November 10 and 14, two more people died from injuries, bringing the death toll to ten.^[227]
• On November 12,Yella Beezy was arrested for sexual assault, abandoned endangered child and weapon charges inDallas,Texas.^[228] The same day,DaBaby called police on ex-girlfriend and mother to his childDaniLeigh.^[229]
• On November 16,Drake andKanye West ended their three-year feud with the help ofLarry Hoover andJ. Prince.^{[230][231][232]}
• On November 17,Young Dolph was fatally shot inMemphis,Tennessee.^[233][234]
• On November 28,Virgil Abloh died from cancer.^[235][236] Abloh was in charge ofLouis Vuitton's menswear section and started fashion brandOff-White. He was involved in hip hop culture and notably designed several hip-hop adjacent album covers, includingWatch the Throne,808s & Heartbreak,Luv Is Rage 2, andPray for Paris.^{[237][238][239]}
• On November 30,Rihanna was declared a national hero by the nation ofBarbados.^{[240][241][242]} After appearing in Barbados to celebrate this award, rumors arose that Rihanna was pregnant withA$AP Rocky's child.^[243] On the same day, aLouis Vuitton show was held inMiami, as a tribute toVirgil Abloh.^{[244][245][246]}

• On December 1,50 Cent andFrench Montana ended their beef.^[247][248] That same day, Chicago rapperMontana of 300 tweeted he is fighting for his life after contractingCOVID-19 andpneumonia.^[249]
• On December 8, rapper andYG associate, Slim 400, was fatally shot.^[250][251]
• On December 12,Travis Scott was removed from the 2022Coachella lineup due to hisAstroworld Festival controversy.^[252][253]
• On December 16, Florida rapper9lokkNine was sentenced to over 7 years in prison for attempted murder and racketeering charges.^[254][255]
• On December 18,Kangol Kid died at the age of 55 from his battle withcolon cancer.^[256] The same day,Drakeo the Ruler was stabbed at a concert and died the next day after being in critical condition.^[257][258]
• On December 21,Westside Gunn was hospitalized after an emergency health scare.^[259][260]
• On December 23,Kay Flock was arrested on murder charges after being accused of fatally shooting 24-year-old Oscar Hernandez.^[261]