This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: November 12
Nov. 12 is a date with a lot in store for hip-hop and R&B enthusiasts. The legendary 2Pac announced his arrival with the release of his album, while Mariah Carey…
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Nov. 12 is a date with a lot in store for hip-hop and R&B enthusiasts. The legendary 2Pac announced his arrival with the release of his album, while Mariah Carey scooped several awards at an annual event. Discover more notable moments that happened on this date.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Nov. 12 saw new album releases from various hip-hop and R&B artists:
- 1991: 2Pac released his debut album, 2Pacalypse Now. The album turned out to be an inspiration to upcoming rappers and scored No. 3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.
- 1991: Tim Dog dropped his first studio album, Penicillin on Wax. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.
- 1996: Lil' Kim released Hard Core, her debut studio album. Featuring the singles "Not Tonight" and "No Time," it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 1996: Snoop Doggy Dogg issued Tha Doggfather, his second studio album. It was an instant hit with rap and hip-hop enthusiasts and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
- 2002: Missy Elliott released Under Construction, her fourth studio album. It proved to be her most popular album of all time, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
- 2002: Fat Joe launched his fifth album, Loyalty. It entered the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at No. 11.
- 2002: Jay-Z released The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse, his seventh album. It includes the singles "Excuse Me Miss" and "03 Bonnie & Clyde" and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
- 2004: Eminem dropped his fifth studio album, Encore. The Recording Industry Association of America certified the album quadruple platinum a month following its release.
- 2010: Rihanna released her album Loud, featuring the hit singles "What's My Name" and "Only Girl (In the World)." It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
- 2021: Silk Sonic released their debut album, An Evening with Silk Sonic. It entered the U.S. Billboard 200 chart at No. 2.
Cultural Milestones
Top artists received the recognition they deserved on this day, albeit some were posthumous:
- 2002: The City of Atlanta declared Nov. 12 as TLC Day in memory of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who was killed in a car crash at the age of 30.
- 2005: Mariah Carey claimed Artist of the Year and R&B Voice of the Year, among other prizes, at the Third Annual Vibe Awards in California.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Top music artists delivered dazzling performances at different venues on Nov. 12:
- 1997: All-4-One, Az Yet, and Celine Dion performed at the Neil Bogart Memorial Fund's Children's Choice Award dinner in honor of record producer David Foster.
- 2005: R. Kelly, Chris Brown, and The Game performed at the Third Annual Vibe Awards held at Sony Studios in California.
Industry Changes and Challenges
On Nov. 12, the industry underwent several changes and challenges:
- 2019: A court granted Eric B. bail after he spent two weeks behind bars for a 17-year arrest warrant.
- 2021: Bronx rapper Kay Flock was arrested for illegal gun possession.
Nov. 12 has been a pivotal day in the hip-hop and R&B industry. Take a walk down memory lane to discover more memorable moments on this day.
Bianca BarrattWriter
