This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: March 28

Rappers Takeoff, Offset, and Quavo of Migos attend the BET Hip Hop Awards 2017 at The Fillmore Miami Beach

Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

Throughout the history of Hip-Hop and R&B, few dates stand out as much as March 28. This day has seen some of the most significant events in the development and evolution of these genres. One artist born on this day in 1972 is the American R&B and Soul singer-songwriter and producer Ledisi. Over the course of her three-and-a-half-decade career, she has released 11 studio albums, the most successful arguably being her sixth, Pieces of Me (2011), which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

Over the ages, March 28 has witnessed the release of influential singles and albums:

1990: The Dogs dropped their self-titled debut album, which featured their best-known song, “Crack Rock.” While the project didn't chart on the Billboard 200, it reached No. 37 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
1995: Big L released his debut album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, through Columbia Records. Featuring the singles “No Endz, No Skinz,” “M.V.P.,” and “Put It On,” it debuted at No. 22 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at No. 149 on the Billboard 200.
1995: West Coast rapper King Tee released his fourth album, IV Life, which would be his first release on MCA Records following his departure from Capitol Records. It peaked at No. 171 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 23 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
1995: Rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard, a member of the Hip-Hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released his debut studio album, Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version. The album reached No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
2000: Common dropped his fourth album, Like Water for Chocolate. With guest performances from MC Lyte, Cee-Lo Green, Mos Def, and Jill Scott, it reached No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
2006: T.I. released King, his fourth album, through his Grand Hustle Records label and Atlantic Records. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with over half a million copies sold in its first week. It also reached No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts.
2006: Ghostface Killah released his fifth album, Fishscale, via Def Jam Records. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 110,000 copies in its opening week. The album also reached No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts.
2011: Rapper and producer Big K.R.I.T. released his self-produced mixtape, Return of 4Eva, with guest appearances from David Banner, Chamillionaire, Big Sant, Raheem DeVaughn, and Joi. The release enjoyed a positive reception, with Rolling Stone naming it the 32nd best album of 2011.
2016: American rap icon Lil' Kim dropped her fourth mixtape, Lil Kim Season, through I.R.S. Records. Its promotional single, “#Mine,” reached No. 20 on the Billboard Rap Digital Songs list.
2025: Nav dropped his fifth album, OMW2 Rexdale. With guest appearances from Metro Boomin, Playboi Carti, and Don Toliver, it reached No. 37 on the Billboard 200 and No. 14 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
2025: Lil Durk released Deep Thoughts, his ninth album. The project debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 20 on the UK Albums chart.

Cultural Milestones

This day has ushered in culture-defining moments that are as relevant today as when they occurred:

1957: Oran “Juice” Jones was born in Houston, Texas. He is best known for his 1986 hit “The Rain,” from his debut album, Juice, which topped the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart (now the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart) for two weeks. The song also peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 29th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
1981: American rock band Blondie's 1981 single “Rapture” began a two-week-long run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first No. 1 song in the U.S. to feature a rap verse. During the rap section, the song referenced hip-hop artists Fab 5 Freddy and Grandmaster Flash.
1985: Four-year-old Alicia Augello Cook made her debut on The Cosby Show episode “Slumber Party.” She would grow to become the R&B superstar Alicia Keys.
2001: In an interview with MTV News, rapper and record producer Sean Combs, known as Puff Daddy at the time, revealed he decided to change his moniker to P. Diddy. He decided to get a fresh start after he was acquitted of serious charges related to a previous shooting incident.

Industry Changes and Challenges

This day has also been the backdrop for some of the most controversial events in Hip-Hop and R&B history:

1999: Rapper Freaky Tah, of the American Hip-Hop group Lost Boyz, was murdered in Queens, New York. His son, Freaky Kah, joined the group after the murder to carry on his legacy.
2014: American rap trio Migos were involved in a highway shooting in Miami, Florida, after leaving a nightclub. Although none of the group's members were hurt, one of their bodyguards suffered a gunshot injury to the leg.
2025: Young Scooter was fatally shot on his 39th birthday while attempting to flee from the police. One of the first rappers to sign on Future's Freebandz label, he initially garnered attention with his Street Lottery mixtape, which spawned the hit “Colombia.” He also featured on several other hits, including Young Thug's “Guwop” with Offset and Quavo, and Future's “Jet Lag” with Juice WRLD.

March 28 will forever be etched in Hip-Hop and R&B history. From influential album releases to the untimely death of Freaky Tah, this date has shaped the industry into what it is today.

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Bianca BarrattWriter