This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: March 17
Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
March 17 has seen many genre-defining moments and memorable events in Hip-Hop and R&B. One industry icon whose birthday falls on this date is R&B singer Tamar Braxton, who was born in 1977. The star shot to prominence in the 90s with the R&B group The Braxtons, which her sister and famous singer, Toni Braxton, was part of.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of Hip-Hop and R&B’s most groundbreaking singles and albums have been released on March 17 including:
- 2017: Rapper Rick Ross released his ninth studio album, Rather You Than Me, with a star-studded feature lineup including Nas, Future, Young Thug, Meek Mill, Gucci Mane, and Yo Gotti. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
- 2023: Singer T-Pain dropped his seventh studio album, On Top of the Covers, through Nappy Boy Entertainment and Empire Distribution. The cover album was received positively, with Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osbourne describing T-Pain’s cover of “War Pigs” as “the best cover of ‘War Pigs’ ever.”
- 2023: Rapper Kaliii, known as Kali at the time, released the song “Area Codes.” It featured an interpolation of the 2001 Ludacris song of the same name. The single gained traction on TikTok and peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Cultural Milestones
March 17 has been a day of cultural developments that have shaped Hip-Hop and R&B:
- 1990: At New York’s Radio City Music Hall, singer Whitney Houston headlined That’s What Friends Are For, an AIDS benefit concert that also celebrated the 15th anniversary of Arista Records. Houston delivered charming performances of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “That’s What Friends Are For,” and “Greatest Love of All.”
- 2016: Mayte Garcia, the former wife of music legend Prince, put a collection of his memorabilia for auction. Among the items up for bid included a 1959 Gibson guitar that Prince used in early recordings, his handwritten lyrics to his 1978 song “In Love,” and a diamond necklace that he wore to a meeting with Prince Charles.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Some of Hip-Hop and R&B’s most controversial events and challenges are also associated with March 17:
- 1997: Singer William Jermaine Stewart, best known for his 1986 hit, “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off,” died at age 39 of AIDS-related liver cancer.
- 2019: R&B singer and producer Andre “Mr. Rhythm” Williams died aged 82. The legendary musician was known for songs such as “Jail Bait,” “Bacon Fat,” “Greasy Chicken,” and “Cadillac Jack.” He was also the co-writer of the 1963 hit “Shake a Tail Feather.”
From the birthday of Tamar Braxton to multiple album drops, March 17 has helped shape the Hip-Hop and R&B genre.
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