This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: March 11
March 11 isn’t just a random date in Hip-Hop and R&B history. Legendary artists dropped chart-topping singles and albums, announcing their arrival onto the mainstream music scene. Others signed multimillion-dollar…
March 11 isn't just a random date in Hip-Hop and R&B history. Legendary artists dropped chart-topping singles and albums, announcing their arrival onto the mainstream music scene. Others signed multimillion-dollar contracts. Check out these and other significant moments that changed the music industry on this date.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
This date was a career-defining moment for upcoming and legendary artists:
- 1967: The Supremes' hit song "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" made it to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, where it spent a single week. It was their ninth No. 1 song, which was a record for an American group at that time.
- 1968: Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was certified Gold just three months after he tragically passed away in a plane crash. It was the first-ever posthumous single to make it to No. 1 on the US charts, as he recorded it just days before the accident.
- 1997: Scarface dropped his fourth studio album, The Untouchable. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums weekly charts.
- 2003: Killer Mike launched his debut studio album, Monster. The album peaked at No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- 2003: R&B group Blackstreet released their fourth studio album, Level II. It peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 weekly chart.
- 2005: Teenage rap sensation Bow Wow released "Let Me Hold You," the first single from his fourth studio album, Wanted. Featuring Omarion, the hit song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs weekly chart.
- 2008: Rick Rock dropped his second studio album, Trilla. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and Top Rap Albums weekly charts.
Cultural Milestones
Several artists broke cultural barriers by winning prestigious accolades, topping the charts, or closing lucrative music deals on March 11:
- 1950: Bobby McFerrin was born in New York City. Known for his unique vocal style, his famous "Don't Worry, Be Happy" song is the only a capella track ever to reach the top spot on the US singles charts.
- 1957: Cheryl Lynn was born in Los Angeles, California. She had a successful run in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with her most popular song being "Got to Be Real" from her self-titled debut album, which topped the R&B chart and reached No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
- 1970: Aretha Franklin won a GRAMMY Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "Share Your Love With Me." The GRAMMY for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male went to Joe Simon for "The Chokin' Kind."
- 1974: Lil' Kim was born in New York City. She's the second-best-selling female hip-hop artist of all time after Nicki Minaj, selling over 45 million records worldwide.
- 1991: Janet Jackson signed a contract with Virgin Records worth $30-$50 million, making it the biggest music deal in history at the time.
- 2017: Future's self-titled fifth studio album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. A week later, Future released his sixth album, HNDRXX, debuting at No. 1, with the rapper becoming the first artist to have two consecutive No. 1 albums.
- 2022: Wale performed top hits from his seventh studio album in a four-day concert at the Fillmore Silver Spring in Washington.
- 2023: Special Ed of the hit single "I Got It Made" was inducted into the National Hip-Hop Museum in honor of his contributions to the recording industry.
Industry Changes and Challenges
March 11 was also a sad moment for music fans following the death of a pioneering artist and the start of a murder lawsuit:
- 2024: Renowned as the first female gangster rapper, BO$$ died from kidney failure at 54.
- 2024: Two suspects charged with shooting and killing rapper Young Dolph were scheduled to face trial. The court scheduled the trial date for a third defendant for March 10, 2025.
March 11 helped shape the music industry in different ways. Bow Wow continued to wow fans with his hit singles, while Janet Jackson smiled all the way to the bank with her new record deal. Following these events, the future looks bright for the Hip-Hop and R&B industry.
