Throwback: Happy 58th Birthday, GZA!

August is a very busy month in music history:

• MTV was launched 43 years ago on August 1
• Coolio was born on this day 61 years ago on August 1
• Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott celebrated his 65th birthday on August 1
• Public Enemy‘s Chuck D. celebrated his 64th birthday on August 1
• Butch Vig celebrated his 69th birthday on August 1
• Echo and the Bunnymen‘s first dummer Pete de Freitas was born 63 years ago on August 2
• Metallica‘s James Hetfield celebrated his 61st birthday on August 3
• Collective Soul‘s frontman Ed Roland celebrated his 61st birthday on August 3
• The iconic Louis Armstrong was born 123 years ago on August 4
• Beastie Boys‘ MCA, a.k.a. Adan Yauch was born 60 years ago on August 5
• U2′s The Edge celebrated his 63rd birthday today on August 8 
• The incomparable, ebullient and legendary Whitney Houston was born 61 years ago on August 9
• Hip-hop was born at a house party DJ’ed by the pioneering Kool Herc at 1520 Sedgewick Avenue 51 years ago on August 11 
• Mark Knopfler celebrated his 75th birthday on August 12
• The legendary and iconic Madonna celebrated her 66th birthday on August 16
• Acclaimed JOVM mainstay Genesis Owusu celebrated his 26th birthday on August 17
• Belinda Carlisle, the frontwoman of The Go-Gos and an acclaimed solo artist in her own right celebrated her 66th birthday on August 17
• The Isley Brothers‘ Marvin Isley was born 71 years ago on August 18
• Nate Dogg, the undisputed king of hip-hop hooks was born 55 years ago on August 19
• Fat Joe, celebrated his 54th birthday on August 19
• The legendary Isaac Hayes was born 82 years ago on August 20
• The pioneering and legendary KRS One celebrated his 59th birthday on August 20
• Arguably one of the greatest rock vocalists ever, and one of the most recognizable and influential vocalists ever, Robert Plant celebrated his 76th birthday on August 20
• Thin Lizzy frontman and overall pioneer, Phil Lynott was born 75 years ago on August 20
• Punk icon and frontman of The Clash, Joe Strummer was born 71 years ago on August 21
• The legendary composer, band leader and jazz pianist Count Basie was 120 years ago on August 21
• The legendary Kenny Rogers was also born on August 21, 88 years ago
• The legendary bluesman John Lee Hooker was born on this date back in 1917
• Vernon Reid celebrates his 66th birthday today
• Alice in Chains‘ Layne Staley was born 57 years ago today
• Tears for Fears‘ Roland Orzabal celebrates his 63rd birthday today

GZA celebrates his 58th birthday today. Whether as a solo artist or as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is one of hip-hop’s most intellectual artists.

Happy birthday, brother!