This Day in Hip Hop & R&B History: June 2
June 2 is a remarkable date in hip-hop and R&B, and it’s not hard to see why. This day has ushered in many culture-defining moments whose impacts we still feel in the music industry. One groundbreaking artist whose…
Pink, Mya, Lil Kim and Christina Aguilera onstage at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York City on September 6, 2001. Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect
June 2 is a remarkable date in hip-hop and R&B, and it's not hard to see why. This day has ushered in many culture-defining moments whose impacts we still feel in the music industry. One groundbreaking artist whose birthday falls on this day is the American R&B singer Leela James, who was born in 1983. Her 2005 debut album, A Change Is Gonna Come, debuted at No. 148 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 42 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. She also starred on the reality TV series R&B Divas: Los Angeles, appearing on the second and third seasons.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several acclaimed hip-hop and R&B albums were released on this day:
- 1998: American rapper Master P released his seventh album, MP da Last Don. The record debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 112, but later topped the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2009: Legendary hip-hop producer and rapper J Dilla's fifth album, Jay Stay Paid, was released by the New York-based label Nature Sounds. The posthumous release, featuring vocals from Havoc, MF Doom, Raekwon, M.O.P., and Black Thought, debuted at No. 96 on the Billboard 200.
- 2015: Chicago drill pioneer Lil Durk dropped his debut album, Remember My Name, on Def Jam Records. It debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
- 2023: American rapper and singer Toosii released his second album, Naujour, via South Coast and Capitol Records. It reached No. 19 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
June 2 is associated with pivotal cultural developments in hip-hop and R&B:
- 1998: American gangsta rap icon 50 Cent made his debut on a major label, delivering a verse on "React," the third single from the hip-hop group Onyx's third album, Shut ‘Em Down. Largely unknown then, the rapper would quickly rise to stardom, propelled by his infamous shooting in 2000 and the release of the hit single, "In Da Club," in 2003.
- 2001: A cover of Labelle's 1974 chart-topping hit "Lady Marmalade" by singers Christina Aguilera, P!nk, and Mya, and rappers Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott, went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Lil' Kim's best-selling single and the longest-running US number-one single by a female rapper until it was dethroned by Iggy Azalea's "Fancy," which spent seven weeks atop the chart in 2014.
Industry Changes and Challenges
June 2 has heralded controversial moments and low points in the industry:
- 2016: Freddie Gibbs was arrested in France in connection with an alleged rape that happened in Austria in 2015. The "Thuggin'" hitmaker was extradited to Vienna for trial and was eventually acquitted of all charges.
- 2022: American rapper Young Thug was denied bail a month after being arrested on RICO charges, along with several Young Slime Life affiliates. This came after prosecutors put up a spirited argument, labeling him the "most dangerous" part of the YSL gang.
June 2 is a date that is etched in the minds of hip-hop and R&B fans for several reasons. This day saw several industry icons release some of their most seminal work.
