This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: March 9
March 9 is an important but sad day in hip hop and R&B history, as we remember the day when The Notorious B.I.G. was tragically murdered. It’s also Chingy’s birthday,…
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March 9 is an important but sad day in hip hop and R&B history, as we remember the day when The Notorious B.I.G. was tragically murdered. It's also Chingy's birthday, and the anniversary of a special performance by Lauren Hill. These are the most notable events that happened on this day in hip-hop and R&B history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of the biggest milestone moments and hits we celebrate today include:
- 1963: Bobby Bland's "That's the Way Love Is" reached the top of the Billboard R&B chart, where it spent two weeks. The single's B-side featured the song "Call On Me," which peaked at No. 22 on Billboard's pop chart.
- 1991: Mariah Carey's song "Someday" made it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It was her third consecutive No. 1 single off her self-titled debut album, after "Vision of Love" and "Love Takes Time."
Cultural Milestones
These are the day's top hip-hop and R&B-related cultural events:
- 1980: Chingy was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He burst onto the scene in 2003, when his debut single "Right Thurr" went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and he released a total of five albums.
- 1987: Bow Wow was born in Columbus, Ohio. He was discovered by Snoop Dogg when he was only six years old, and he gave him the nickname Lil' Bow Wow.
- 1997: The Notorious B.I.G. was murdered in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California. It happened as he was leaving an event afterparty where he was promoting his second studio album, ironically called Life After Death.
- 1997: On the same day as B.I.G.'s tragic demise, Chika was born in Montgomery, Alabama. She released her debut studio album, Samson: The Album, in 2023, which included duets with Snoop Dogg and Stevie Wonder.
Notable Recordings and Performances
There are also a few special performances that happened on March 9:
- 2013: Kendrick Lamar performed an iconic set at the BUKU Music + Art Project in New Orleans. Other lineup standouts included Empire of the Sun, Calvin Harris, and Kid Cudi.
- 2025: Lauren Hill performed her hit song "Doo Wop (That Thing)" in a surprise duet with Doechii at the Jazz in the Gardens festival in Miami. Doechii later revealed that the moment was a dream come true for her and, although she was nervous, she'll never forget that day.
Although March 9 will never be a happy day for hip-hop and R&B fans, the day also has its share of positive events. Visit us again tomorrow and discover what happened on that day in hip-hop and R&B history.
Dan TeodorescuWriter
