This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: March 24

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1992: American Hip-Hop group Arrested Development dropped their first studio album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of…, through Chrysalis Records and EMI. The album was met with a largely positive reception, peaking at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
• 1992: En Vogue released their second album, Funky Divas. Featuring hits like “My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It),” “Love Don't Love You,” and “Give It Up, Turn It Loose,” the record debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It remains the group's best-selling album of all time, with over 4 million copies sold in the US alone.
• 1998: Cappadonna from the Wu-Tang Clan dropped his debut solo album, The Pillage. With guest performances from fellow Wu-Tang members and affiliates like Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon, it entered the Billboard 200 at No. 3 and at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. 
• 1998: C-Murder released his debut album, Life or Death, through No Limit and Priority Records. The project did well commercially, peaking at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. 
• 1998: Das EFX launched their fourth album, Generation EFX. With features from M.O.P., Redman, and Miss Jones, it reached No. 48 on the Billboard 200, with 22,000 copies sold in its first week. 
• 1998: Hieroglyphics released their debut album, 3rd Eye Vision, under their Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings label. It peaked at No. 88 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at No. 26 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. 
• 2009: Jim Jones released Pray IV Reign, his fourth album. The album went to No. 1 on the Top Rap Albums chart, No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and No. 9 on the Billboard 200. 
• 2009: Slim Thug released his second album, Boss of All Bosses, via his very own Boss Hogg Outlawz label. It peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. 
• 2009: British-American rapper and producer MF Doom released his sixth solo studio album, Born Like This, under the pseudonym "DOOM" through Lex Records. Produced in collaboration with Madlib and J Dilla, the album debuted at No. 52 on the Billboard 200 chart.
• 2017: Mike Will Made It dropped his debut album, Ransom 2. The project featured a star-studded line-up of performers, including Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Young Thug, Big Sean, and 2 Chainz. It debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. 
• 2023: Atlanta R&B singer 6LACK released his third studio album, Since I Have A Lover, through Interscope Records. It bagged the singer a GRAMMY nomination for Best Progressive R&B Album at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
• 2023: American rapper and singer Quando Rondo dropped his second studio album, Recovery, which he dedicated to his close friend Lul Pab, who was shot and killed in 2022. It featured a guest appearance by YoungBoy Never Broke Again on the track "Give Me a Sign."

Cultural Milestones

• 1937: R&B/soul singer and pianist Billy Stewart was born. He is remembered for hits such as “Sitting in the Park” and “I Do Love You,” which peaked at No. 4 and No. 6, respectively, on the Billboard R&B chart. 
• 1970: American DJ and record producer Maseo was born. He is one-third of the seminal hip-hop trio De La Soul, and has featured as a vocalist on tracks such as “Bitties in the BK Lounge”  and “Afro Connections at a Hi-5”. Maseo's vocals also feature on the Gorillaz's “Feel Good Inc.,” one of the biggest De La Soul collaborations.   
• 2009: Music icon Prince launched the website Lotusflow3r.com to promote the release of his triple album set featuring Lotusflow3r, MPLSound, and Elixer. The platform ran for just one year before it shut down.
• 2020: Versus co-founders Swizz Beatz and Timbaland battled it during a five-hour musical duel. 

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1997: American R&B and soul singer Harold Melvin died aged 57. The crooner rose to prominence in the 70s as a member of the Philadelphia group Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, with whom he scored a No. 1 hit with the 1972 song "If You Don't Know Me by Now."
• 2009: Legendary Motown drummer Uriel Jones died aged 74. The musician played on some of the biggest Motown hits, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by the Temptations, and "For Once in My Life" by Stevie Wonder.
• 2019: Philly battle rapper Tech 9 (real name Akhiym Mickens) died at the age of 32, just one day before he was to be arraigned in court on child pornography charges. His death was ruled a suicide by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.