1998

Founded in Queens by Daymond John and partners, FUBU grew from a $40 cap-making operation to a $350 million global streetwear brand, becoming the defining success story of Black-owned hip-hop fashion.

DMX's debut sold 251,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number 1, making him the first artist in history to have his first two studio albums debut at number 1 on the Billboard 200.

Michael Jordan hit the series-clinching shot in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, securing his sixth title in eight years. Widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan transformed the global reach of the NBA and became a cultural icon transcending sport.

Jordan's pull-up jumper with 5.2 seconds remaining in Game 6 against the Utah Jazz secured the Chicago Bulls' sixth title in eight years, completing what became known as the 'Last Dance' dynasty.

Hill's debut solo album debuted at number 1, sold 19 million copies worldwide, and won five Grammy Awards including Album of the Year — the first hip-hop/R&B album to win the top Grammy honor.

Aquemini debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 and is widely regarded as OutKast's artistic peak from their early career, fusing live instrumentation, funk, and hip-hop into a singular Southern statement.

Jay-Z's third album debuted at number 1 and sold over 5 million copies in the U.S., making it his commercial breakthrough and one of the best-selling rap albums of the decade.

The launch of Rocawear by Jay-Z in 1999 and Sean John by Sean Combs in 1998 transformed hip-hop's cultural capital into billion-dollar fashion enterprises. Both brands crossed $500 million in annual sales, proving that Black artists could build major fashion houses — not just endorse them — and permanently changing the relationship between Black cultural production and American commerce.

Birdman and Slim's New Orleans label negotiated one of the most favorable distribution deals in hip-hop history, retaining ownership of masters while gaining Universal's distribution network.

Congressman Lewis's memoir of the civil rights movement received the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award and became a definitive first-person account of nonviolent direct action and the Selma-to-Montgomery marches.

Dre's signing of Eminem following the success of The Chronic and Snoop built Aftermath Entertainment into one of the most valuable labels in music, demonstrating Dre's role as an institution builder beyond performing.

Griffey's 56-home-run season in 1998 — while Sosa and McGwire drew more media — was part of a peak run making him the consensus best player of his generation and a beloved figure in Seattle.

Sosa and Mark McGwire's simultaneous pursuit of Roger Maris's single-season home run record captivated the nation; Sosa's 66 home runs (to McGwire's 70) earned him the NL MVP Award.

The duet spent 13 weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, tying the record for longest run at number 1, and became one of the best-selling singles of the decade.

Davis rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns as the Denver Broncos defeated the Green Bay Packers, earning MVP honors and becoming the centerpiece of a dominant late-1990s Broncos dynasty.

At 30 and just 1,458 yards shy of Walter Payton's all-time NFL rushing record, Sanders walked away, a decision that shocked the sports world and underscored his refusal to play for statistical legacy.

The collaborative debut from the Brooklyn duo was a landmark of underground hip-hop, steeped in Black nationalist thought and sampling jazz and soul, offering a conscious alternative to commercial rap.

Smith won the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance and the Men in Black film grossed over $589 million worldwide, making him the defining crossover star bridging rap, film, and mainstream entertainment.

The film adaptation of Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel starred Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover, bringing the story of slavery's trauma to mainstream cinema audiences.

The adaptation of Terry McMillan's novel, starring Angela Bassett and Taye Diggs, opened at number 1 at the box office and was one of the summer's notable Black romantic dramas.

Lauryn Hill's genre-bridging debut wins five Grammys and becomes a generational touchstone.