May 21 is a remarkable day in hip-hop and R&B that has seen many groundbreaking developments in these genres that have had a massive impact on popular culture. One iconic artist whose birthday falls on this date is the American rapper Notorious B.I.G., who was born in 1972. His debut album, Ready to Die, which was released in 1994, peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. His second album, Life After Death , is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time and spawned hit singles such as “Hypnotize” and “Mo Money Mo Problems.”
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several critically acclaimed hip-hop and R&B albums, mixtapes, and singles were released on this day:
- 1996: American rapper Too Short released his 10th album, Gettin’ It (Album Number Ten) through Jive Records. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and went to No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2002: American rapper 50 Cent released his debut official mixtape. Guess Who’s Back? peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard 200 and No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2002: American rapper P. Diddy dropped I Need a Girl (Part Two). It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
- 2013: Moroccan-American rapper French Montana dropped his debut album, Excuse My French. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts.
- 2021: American rapper 42 Dugg released his fourth mixtape, Free Dem Boyz. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
This day has seen several industry titans achieve important cultural milestones:
- 1971: R&B and Soul legend Marvin Gaye released his 11th album, What’s Going On. Its title track was the fastest-selling single at the time, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Billboard R&B/Soul Singles chart for five weeks.
- 1977: Music superstar Stevie Wonder’s single “Sir Duke,” from his 18th album, Songs in the Key of Life, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is a tribute to the jazz legend Duke Ellington, who died in 1974.
- 2003: American R&B singer Ruben Studdard won season two of American Idol, becoming the first male and African-American contestant to win the coveted title. Following his victory, he dropped his winning song, “Flying Without Wings,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
May 21 is a memorable date for fans of hip-hop and R&B for many reasons. This day stands out for hosting the release of many culture-shaping albums and mixtapes and for important cultural moments, including the first African-American contestant to win American Idol.
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