January 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.