This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: April 9

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1962: The Marvelettes released the hit single “Playboy” from their third album of the same title. It was their second top ten pop hit, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also performed well on the R&B chart, peaking at No. 4. 
• 1996: Chino XL released Here to Save You All, his debut album, via American Recordings. Featuring collaborations with Rass Kass and Kool Keith, it peaked at No. 56 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at No. 39 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. 
• 1996: MC Eiht dropped his second album, Death Threatz, which featured guest performances from N.O.T.R. and Young Prodeje. It reached No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 1996: American rapper and former N.W.A member MC Ren released his second album,  The Villain in Black, through Ruthless Records. The album, which spawned the singles "Mad Scientist" and "Keep It Real," debuted at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2002: The hip-hop duo Twiztid from Detroit released their first EP, Mirror Mirror, featuring guest appearances from Violent J and Blaze Ya Dead Homie. It reached No. 103 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 5 on the Independent Albums chart.
• 2013: American rapper Rich Boy dropped his second studio album, Break the Pot. It included guest appearances from Bobby V, Kalenna Harper, Maino, Doe Boy, and Mista Raja and peaked at No. 39 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2013: Tyga released his third album, Hotel California, which spawned the singles “Show You,” “For the Road,” “Dope,” and “Molly.” The project debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It also charted well in the UK, peaking at No. 55 on the UK Albums chart and at No. 4 on the UK R&B Albums chart. 
• 2021: American Hip-Hop boy band Brockhampton released their sixth album, Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine. It peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and entered the top 10 in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.
• 2021: Doja Cat released “Kiss Me More” (featuring SZA) as the lead single from her third album, Planet Her. The song was a huge hit internationally, topping charts in Singapore, Mexico, and New Zealand, and reaching the top five in eighteen countries, including the UK, where it peaked at No. 3 on the singles chart, and the US, where it reached No. 3 on the Hot 100. It also won the award for Best Pop/Duo Performance at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards, earning both Doja and SZA their first GRAMMY wins. 

Cultural Milestones

• 1987: Two-time GRAMMY-winning R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan was born. Her debut album, Fearless, released in September 2008, reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It spawned the top 40 singles “Bust Your Windows” and “Need U Bad,” which peaked at No. 31 and 37, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. 
• 1988: Trinidadian-born British R&B and soul singer Billy Ocean's "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car" topped the Billboard Hot 100. It was also the star's third U.S. No. 1 single and topped the charts in several countries, including Norway, Ireland, Canada, Belgium, and Australia.
• 2000: R&B singer Craig David's debut single "Fill Me In" from his studio album Born to Do It debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. Singles chart, making the crooner the youngest British male solo artist to write and release a No. 1 hit in the chart's history.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1988: American southern soul and R&B singer Dave Prater Jr. from the vocal duo Sam & Dave died aged 50. He is best known for the 1966 hit "Hold On I'm Coming," which topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
• 2009: Randy Cain died at the age of 63. He was a founding member of the legendary Philadelphia soul/R&B vocal group The Delfonics, known for hits such as “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love),” “Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” and “La-La (Means I Love You).”
• 2021: Legendary American rapper DMX dies aged 50. The Hip-Hop icon, known for hits such as "Ruff Ryders Anthem," "X Gon' Give It to Ya," and "Party Up," had been hospitalized a week earlier following a reported drug overdose.