This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: March 10
March 10 has been a day of notable moments in Hip-Hop and R&B history. Aretha Franklin finally found commercial success, and celebrated artists dropped their debut soundtrack album. Here are…
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March 10 has been a day of notable moments in Hip-Hop and R&B history. Aretha Franklin finally found commercial success, and celebrated artists dropped their debut soundtrack album. Here are some fascinating facts associated with this date.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
March 10 has seen new and veteran artists release debut and follow-up albums, marking turning points in their careers:
- 1967: Aretha Franklin released her tenth album, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. The album would go on to peak at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
- 2009: Singer and songwriter The Dream released his second studio album, Love vs. Money. It would peak at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
- 2009: J. Holiday released his much-anticipated second album, Round 2. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
- 2015: The Empire cast released their debut soundtrack album, Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1. The album featured distinguished Hip-Hop and R&B artists such as Juicy J, Jennifer Hudson, Estelle, and Mary J. Blige. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
- 2017: JID released his debut studio album, The Never Story, featuring J. Cole as a producer. The album ranked No. 9 on Rolling Stone magazine's 40 Best Rap Albums of 2017.
Cultural Milestones
Some artists received the recognition they deserved and broke cultural barriers:
- 1979: Soul and R&B sensation James Brown performed at the Grand Ole Opry at the invitation of country music legend Porter Wagoner. Brown became among the first non-country musicians to ever perform at the venue.
- 2008: Blues and R&B singer Little Walter became the first artist explicitly inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a harmonica player.
Notable Recordings and Performances
March 10 has featured remarkable performances by top artists:
- 1992: R&B and Hip-Hop icons, such as Color Me Badd, Heavy D & The Boyz, Boyz II Men, and Vanessa Williams, performed at the Soul Train Music Awards.
- 2012: Drake performed hit singles from his second studio album, Take Care, at the Event Center Arena in San Jose, California, as part of the Club Paradise Tour.
- 2024: Offset of the hip-hop trio Migos kicked off his Set It Off Tour in Philadelphia with energetic performances of his latest tracks.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Some artists died while others faced lawsuits on this date:
- 1997: Celebrated R&B singer LaVern Baker died of cardiovascular disease at age 67.
- 2005: Michael Jackson arrived in court for his child molestation trial more than an hour late and in his pajamas.
- 2017: Joni Sledge of the musical vocal group Sister Sledge died of natural causes at age 60.
From album releases to memorable performances, March 10 is a day that stands out in the Hip-Hop and R&B industry.
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