This Day in Hip Hop and R&B History: March 24
March 24 is not just any average day. Over the years, it has hosted many important events, including the birthdays of icons and the release of genre-defining music. American singer Nivea, who shot to fame after featuring on rapper Mystikal’s 2000 No. 1 hit “Danger (Been So Long)” was born on this day in 1982. She went on to release four albums, Nivea (2001), Complicated (2005), Animalistic (2006), and Mirrors (2019), with moderate chart success.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
This day has hosted some significant Hip-Hop and R&B albums and single releases:
- 1992: American Hip-Hop group Arrested Development dropped their first studio album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of… through Chrysalis Records and EMI. The album was met with a largely positive reception, peaking at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
- 2009: British-American rapper and producer MF Doom released his sixth solo studio album, Born Like This, — under the pseudonym “Doom” — through Lex Records. Produced in collaboration with Madlib and J Dilla, the album debuted at No. 52 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- 2023: Atlanta R&B singer 6LACK released his third studio album, Since I Have A Lover, through Interscope Records. It bagged the singer a Grammy nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.
- 2023: American rapper and singer Quando Rondo dropped his second studio album, Recovery, which he dedicated to his close friend Lul Pab, who was shot and killed in 2022. It featured a guest appearance by YoungBoy Never Broke Again on the track “Give Me a Sign.”
Cultural Milestones
Some of Hip-Hop and R&B’s significant cultural moments are associated with March 24:
- 2009: Music icon Prince launched the website Lotusflow3r.com to promote the release of his triple album set featuring “Lotusflow3r,” “MPLSound,” and “Elixer.” The platform ran for just one year before it shut down.
- 2020: Versus co-founders Swizz Beatz and Timbaland battled it during a five-hour musical duel.
Industry Changes and Challenges
March 24 has heralded significant transformation and challenges in the Hip-Hop and R&B scene:
- 1997: American R&B and Soul singer Harold Melvin died aged 57. The crooner rose to prominence in the 70s as a member of the Philadelphia group Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, with whom he scored a No. 1 hit with the 1972 song “If You Don’t Know Me by Now.”
- 2009: Legendary Motown drummer Uriel Jones died aged 74. The musician played on some of the biggest Motown hits, including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye, “Aint Too Proud to Beg” by the Temptations, and “For Once in My Life” by Stevie Wonder.
As Hip-Hop and R&B evolve, March 24 will remain etched in fans’ memories. This day not only marks the release of several best-selling releases in these genres but also commemorates events that have had a remarkable cultural impact.
