This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: March 15
March 15 was an eventful day for hip-hop and R&B artists and fans throughout the years. It’s when Ray Charles got his big break, Sly Stone was born, and Kendrick…
March 15 was an eventful day for hip-hop and R&B artists and fans throughout the years. It's when Ray Charles got his big break, Sly Stone was born, and Kendrick Lamar released arguably his best work. These are just a few of the many things that happened on this day in hip-hop and R&B history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These are the most noteworthy breakthrough moments of the day:
- 1955: Ray Charles, only 24 at the time, got to No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart with his hit song "I've Got a Woman." It was the first chart-topper for the legend, who would end up with a total of 11 No. 1s.
- 2024: Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign got the top spot on the U.K. Official Hip-Hop & R&B Singles Chart with "Carnival." It featured vocal cameos from Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti, and was part of the duo's first studio album, Vultures 1.
Cultural Milestones
Music's stories and characters are a huge part of its charm. These are some of the biggest hip-hop and R&B-related cultural moments from March 15:
- 1943: Sly Stone was born in Denton, Texas. He fronted the legendary Sly and the Family Stone group, which was revolutionary in the 1970s for blending multiple genres, including R&B, funk, soul, gospel, and psychedelic rock.
- 1962: Terrence Trent D'Arby, now named Sananda Maitreya, was born in New York City. He shot to fame with his debut album, 1987's Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby, and has sold an estimated 14 million records worldwide.
- 1975: will.i.am was born in Los Angeles, California. He formed Black Eyed Peas in 1992 and then debuted as a solo artist in 2001.
- 1981: Young Buck was born in Nashville, Tennessee. He achieved fame as part of 50 Cent's G-Unit in the early 2000s, and his first two solo albums both peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
- 2019: The Philadelphia City Council declared the weekend starting with March 15 Meek Mill Weekend. He was honored for using his platform to draw attention to the many people affected by parole and probation laws.
Notable Recordings and Performances
We also got some epic new music on March 15. Two standout releases are:
- 1994: Kronic released his Da 4 Foot Attack LP via RCA and Kaper Records. Despite failing to make any commercial impact, it became a cult classic throughout the years.
- 2015: Kendrick Lamar released his third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly, via Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. It was a huge critical and commercial success, achieving Platinum status in multiple countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
From Ray Charles hitting it big to Kendrick Lamar releasing his masterpiece, March 15 was a pretty busy day throughout the years. Come back tomorrow to discover what happened in the worlds of hip-hop and R&B on that day in history.
