On this day, August 29, in hip-hop history...

Hurricane Katrina
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2005: Monday, August 29, 2005 is a day that is forever present in the memories of the people of New Orleans, La. On the day Hurricane Katrina landed and the levees broke one of hip-hop's most vibrant cities endured one of the biggest disasters America has ever seen. Nearly 80 percent of New Orleans and its surrounding area was submerged under water as the levee system failed under the pressure of the storm. With an estimated 1,800 people dead as a result of the hurricane and subsequent floods, Katrina is counted as the deadliest hurricane in U.S. History.

While Americans and people from all over the world came together to help in the recovery, th U.S. government found itself on the receiving end of harsh criticism for its response to the tragedy. Kanye West famously chided the President during A Concert for Hurricane Relief—a benefit concert for victims of the hurricane—with his oft discussed quote "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

But the city that gave us Cash Money and No Limit is bouncing back. While there is still work to do, a recent piece by NOLA.com shows there is some good news in the Big Easy.

* The metro area has 1.3 million residents, which is 93 percent of the total in the 2000 census (the most recent before Katrina). New Orleans has almost 379,000 residents -- 78 percent of the 2000 count.

* More than half of the city's 72 neighborhoods have recovered 90 percent of the pre-Katrina population, based on the number of homes receiving mail. Seventeen New Orleans neighborhoods have more residents than they did pre-Katrina.

* New Orleans' sales tax revenues for the first five months of this year were 22 percent higher than the same period in 2005.

But even in the light of these most recent stats some nine years later in many ways the city is still rebuilding. If any city is strong enough to continue its bounce back, its New Orleans. Here's to hoping that positive things and forward motion finds everyone touched by Katrina.

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