This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: February 15
Feb. 15 is a significant day in hip-hop and R&B for many reasons. Megan Thee Stallion was born on this date in 1995. She rose to prominence with her 2020…
Feb. 15 is a significant day in hip-hop and R&B for many reasons. Megan Thee Stallion was born on this date in 1995. She rose to prominence with her 2020 smash single, “Savage,” whose remix (featuring Beyoncé) topped the Billboard Hot 100 and won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. She won a third GRAMMY award for Best New Artist at the same event, becoming only the second female rapper to do so since Lauryn Hill in 1999.
Cash Money Records boss and rapper Birdman was also born on this day in 1969. He is credited with discovering and mentoring Lil Wayne, with whom he would release the collaborative album Like Father, Like Son in 2006. Featuring hits like “Stuntin' Like My Daddy,” “Leather So Soft,” and “You Ain't Know,” the album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several iconic albums and singles have been released on Feb. 15 over the years.
- 2000: Trick Daddy dropped his third album, Book of Thugs: Chapter A.K., Verse 47. With features from Twista, Mystikal, and Trina, it reached No. 26 on the Billboard 200 and No. 8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.
- 2000: Sisqo's phenomenal hit, “Thong Song,” was released. The second single from his solo debut album, Unleash the Dragon (1999), it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
- 2011: Saigon released his debut album, The Greatest Story Never Told, through Suburban Noize Records. It debuted at No. 61 on the Billboard 200, with 11,000 copies sold in its first week.
- 2019: Insane Clown Posse released their fifteenth album, Fearless Fred Fury, under Psychopathic Records. The project peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard 200 and went to No. 2 on the US Billboard Independent Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Feb. 15 has also been marked by important cultural milestones in R&B and hip-hop.
- 1969: Sly & The Family Stone's “Everyday People” began a four-week stay at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning the group their first number-one hit. The song also reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart.
- 1979: R&B/disco icon Donna Summer bagged her first GRAMMY at the 21st Annual GRAMMY Awards, winning Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Last Dance.” The song also won its writer, Paul Jabara, the award for Best R&B Song at the same event.
Industry Changes and Challenges
This day is also remembered for several unfortunate events that rocked the industry.
- 1961: Jackie Wilson was shot twice by a girlfriend named Juanita Jones in a fit of rage. While he survived the incident, he lost one of his kidneys.
- 1965: R&B and jazz sensation Nat King Cole died of lung cancer at the age of 45. He earned numerous accolades during his brief but colorful career, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Feb. 15 is far from the average date when it comes to R&B and hip-hop. It's a date that has witnessed everything from the release of genre-defining albums and big GRAMMY wins to chart-topping successes and the passing of an icon.
