This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: March 8
March 8 is remembered for hosting many consequential events in R&B and hip-hop. To start off, Kameelah Williams was born on this date in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1978. She…
March 8 is remembered for hosting many consequential events in R&B and hip-hop. To start off, Kameelah Williams was born on this date in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1978. She was the lead vocalist of the 90s R&B trio 702, best known for their 1999 hit “Where My Girls At?,” which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Harlem rapper Sugarhill Ddot was also born on this day in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2022 with the breakout singles “I Wanna Love You” and “Stop Cappin,” which would land him a recording deal with Priority Records in 2023.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Various artists have dropped seminal records on this day.
- 1994: Gang Starr released Hard to Earn, their fourth album. It spawned their first Billboard Hot 100 charting single, “Mass Appeal,” which reached No. 67. The album itself peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard 200.
- 2011: Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan fame released his fifth album, Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang. Featuring collaborations with Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Nas, Ghostface Killa, and GZA, it debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums chart.
- 2019: British rapper Dave dropped his debut album, Psychodrama. Supported by the hit singles “Disaster” and “Location,” it debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and was awarded the Mercury Prize for Best Independent Album.
- 2019: Juice Wrld released his second album, Death Race for Love, the final record released during his lifetime. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, amassing 165,000 album-equivalents in its first week.
Cultural Milestones
March 8 has witnessed numerous cultural highlights as well.
- 1970: Motown star Diana Ross gave her first performances as a solo artist at Caesar's Monticello in Framingham, Massachusetts. She had left The Supremes just two months earlier to pursue a solo career.
- 2003: 50 Cent's “In Da Club” began a nine-week stay at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Dr. Dre-produced hit also reached No. 1 in Canada and several European countries, including the UK, Denmark, and Ireland.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Here are some tragic moments and difficulties that the industry has suffered over the years.
- 2011: Bernard St. Clair Lee passed away at the age of 66. He was a member of the R&B/soul trio The Hues Corporation, known for their 1974 hit “Rock the Boat,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one week.
- 2021: Rising Houston rapper Obe Noir was shot and killed at the age of 31. He is remembered for hits such as “Make It Home (featuring Trae Tha Truth),” “Streets is Suicide,” and “Grill & Bar (featuring Dante Higgins)”.
It's clear to see why March 8 remains one of the most memorable dates in hip-hop and R&B. Apart from being the birthday of several celebrated artists and the release date of genre-defining records, it's a day that saw Diana Ross play her first show as a solo artist and 50 Cent score his first number-one single.
