This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: June 14
June 14 has witnessed many culture-defining moments in hip-hop and R&B, with significant ramifications for these genres and popular music. One notable industry figure, American rapper Gunna, born in 1993,…
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 19: Gunna performs during iHeartRadio 96.1 The Beat’s Jingle Ball 2024 Presented By Capital One at State Farm Arena on December 19, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
June 14 has witnessed many culture-defining moments in hip-hop and R&B, with significant ramifications for these genres and popular music. One notable industry figure, American rapper Gunna, born in 1993, commemorates his birthday on this day. As a signee of Young Thug's YSL Records label, he has released five albums that have reached the top five on the Billboard U.S. Albums chart. His 2019 debut, Drip or Drown 2, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, with his two follow-up releases, Wunna (2020) and DS4Ever (2022), debuting atop the chart.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Today marks the release of several charting hip-hop and R&B albums:
- 1994: American hip-hop group Arrested Development launched its second album, Zingalamaduni. It peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard 200 and climbed to No. 20 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1997: American rapper and producer Puff Daddy and singer Faith Evans' song “I'll Be Missing You” topped the Billboard Hot 100. Written as a tribute to the late rapper, the Notorious B.I.G., it remained at the top of the U.S. Singles chart for 11 weeks, becoming one of the longest-running No. 1 rap songs in history.
- 2011: American hip-hop superduo Bad Meets Evil, composed of the rappers Eminem and Royce da 5' 9,” released their debut extended play, Hell: The Sequel. It debuted atop the Billboard 200, also leading the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2019: American rapper Lil Keed released his debut album, Long Live Mexico. It peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2024: American R&B singer Normani unveiled her debut album, Dopamine, featuring guest appearances from Cardi B, Gunna, Starrah, and James Blake, on RCA Records. It debuted at No. 91 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 30 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The industry has also experienced some low moments on this date over the years:
- 2012: Canadian rapper Drake and American R&B singer Chris Brown were involved in a heated brawl at a New York City nightclub. Groups aligned with the two prominent stars exchanged blows and threw bottles at one another, allegedly because of an argument over Rihanna, whom both stars had been involved with romantically.
- 2022: American rapper Gunna spent his 29th birthday in a Fulton County jail in Georgia after being arrested for a conspiracy charge under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The YSL-affiliated rapper declared his innocence in a social media statement on the same day, saying, “I am being falsely accused and will never stop fighting to clear my name!”
June 14 is a memorable day in hip-hop and R&B, marking the release of several groundbreaking albums that have shaped the evolution of these genres. However, such controversial events as the infamous club tiff between two industry titans have added some notoriety to this date.
