This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: June 13
June 13 is a monumental date in hip-hop and R&B for many reasons. This day has hosted numerous culture-shaping moments that left a lasting impact on the music industry. One…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 20: A$AP Ferg attends the world premiere of “The Crow” at Village East by Angelika on August 20, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
June 13 is a monumental date in hip-hop and R&B for many reasons. This day has hosted numerous culture-shaping moments that left a lasting impact on the music industry. One celebrated artist whose birthday lands on this date is the rapper Lil Snupe, who was born in 1995. The Louisiana-born rapper signed to Meek Mill's Dream Chasers Records label in 2012. His 2013 mixtape R.N.I.C., featured guest appearances by Meek Mill, DJ Khaled, Curren$y, and Trae tha Truth and was one of the year's hottest releases. Sadly, the rising star would suffer a tragic and abrupt end to his budding career when he was shot and killed in 2013 at the age of 18.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
June 13 has witnessed the release of numerous iconic hip-hop and R&B albums and singles that continue to be relevant, including:
- 2000: Three 6 Mafia dropped their fourth album, When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2017: American rapper A$AP Ferg released the song “Plain Jane” as the lead single on his third album, Still Striving. The track achieved No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Cultural Milestones
These groundbreaking cultural moments in hip-hop and R&B occurred on June 13:
- 1988: R&B singer Paula Abdul's debut album, Forever Your Girl, was released through Virgin Records, debuting at the top of the Billboard 200. It was the most successful debut in history at the time of its release.
- 2006: Busta Rhymes' seventh album, The Big Bang, was dropped. It was his only record to be released under Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment label, debuting atop the Billboard 200 and reaching No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts. The album featured Busta Rhymes without his signature dreads, which had been a definitive element of his persona throughout his early career.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Several transformative and controversial events in hip-hop and R&B happened on June 13, including:
- 2008: American R&B singer R. Kelly was acquitted on all counts of child pornography following a one-day jury deliberation. The verdict came six years after the singer was charged. Prosecutors argued that a video allegedly showed him having sex with a girl who was 13 years old.
- 2016: Rapper Lil Wayne suffered multiple seizures aboard his private plane, prompting an emergency landing in Nebraska. The five-time GRAMMY winner has a history of seizures and had to make an emergency landing in 2012 due to similar circumstances.
June 13 remains a remarkable date in hip-hop and R&B. This day has seen the release of influential albums and songs that still attract audiences. It also saw the acquittal of one of music's most infamous figures in a case that lasted more than five years.
