This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: September 23

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1997: MC Breed released his sixth album, Flatline, through Wrap Records. The project failed to chart on the Billboard 200 but made it to No. 48 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2003: Shady Records and Interscope Records released Obie Trice’s debut studio album, Cheers. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 5 and did even better on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, reaching No. 3. Within months, the album bagged a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling more than half a million copies in the U.S.
• 2003: Murphy Lee released his debut album, Murphy’s Law. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. By the end of the year, just like Obie Trice’s debut, the album had sold more than 500,000 units, earning it the coveted Gold certification from the RIAA.
• 2008: Jazmine Sullivan released Fearless, her debut studio album, through J Records. It snagged the No. 1 position on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. The album also has a Platinum certification from the RIAA.
• 2016: Mick Jenkins released his debut album, The Healing Component, featuring guest appearances from Kaytranada, BadBadNotGood, and Noname. The album peaked at No. 110 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2016: T.I. dropped his third EP, Us or Else, featuring the singles “We Will Not” and “Warzone.” It reached No. 175 on the Billboard 200 and No. 12 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2022: DaBaby launched his fourth album, Baby on Baby 2, which featured a sole guest appearance from Anthony Hamilton. The project was a moderate chart success, peaking at No. 34 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2022: Lucki released Flawless Like Me, his debut studio album, through Empire. Featuring collaborations with Babyface Ray and Future, it debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200.

Cultural Milestones

• 1930: Ray Charles was born in Albany, Georgia. Widely regarded as one of the most important and influential musicians of the 20th century, he was central to the development of several popular genres, including R&B, soul, jazz, and rock and roll. In addition to receiving 17 GRAMMY Awards, Charles was conferred numerous honors during his six-decade career, including the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors. He was also one of the stars inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during the inaugural induction ceremony in 1986. 
• 1943: Twins Walter Scott and Wallace Scott were born in Fort Worth, Texas. The pair found success in the 60s through to the 80s as members of the critically acclaimed R&B/soul group The Whispers. The group is best remembered for the hits “And the Beat Goes On” and “Rock Steady,” both of which hit No. 1 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.
• 2021: Nas performed at Forest Hills Stadium in New York during the Concert to Feed NYC and was later honored with a key to Queens. The event was organized to support City Harvest, a food rescue organization.
• 2023: Long Beach’s Hip Hop Celebration: 50th Anniversary Series kicked off with an event at the Recreation Park. Hosted by the Long Beach Public Library, the occasion featured panel discussions, performances, and competitions revolving around hip-hop, celebrating the city’s connection to the genre.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1997: Organized Konfusion dropped their third and final album, The Equinox, on Priority Records. It went to No. 141 on the Billboard 200 and No. 29 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2016: Ty Dolla Sign released the commercial mixtape, Campaign, through Atlantic Records. With featured performances from Meek Mill, Trey Songz, Wiz Khalifa, Migos, and Future, the project reached No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 28 on the Billboard 200. 
• 2020: Mozzy released Occupational Hazard via Mozzy Records and Empire Distribution. The album peaked at No. 190 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 38 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.
• 2022: British rap collective D-Block Europe dropped their second album, Lap 5. The project peaked at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and topped the UK R&B Albums Chart. Complex UK also ranked it No. 11 on its “Best Albums of 2022” list.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2019: Ryan Reavis was arrested after the police found guns and drugs in his home during a raid, allowing them to connect him to Mac Miller’s accidental overdose in September 2018. Another man, Cameron James Pettit, had been taken into custody earlier that month for allegedly selling Miller drugs days before his death.
• 2021: Alfred James “Pee Wee” Ellis, James Brown’s musical director and bandleader, died aged 80. He and Brown co-wrote 26 songs, including “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)” and “Cold Sweat.” The former has been adopted by multiple social movements, including Black Lives Matter (BLM).