On Nov. 23, 2009, Chris Brown dropped “Crawl,” a single from Graffiti, his third studio album. The track reached No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. Kurupt, one-half of The…
On Nov. 23, 2009, Chris Brown dropped “Crawl,” a single from Graffiti, his third studio album. The track reached No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. Kurupt, one-half of The Dogg Pound, was born on Nov. 23, 1972. The duo’s debut album, Dogg Food, debuted at the top of the Billboard 200. In addition, Kurupt was the vice president of Death Row Records, which has been associated with big names such as Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre. Here are more hip-hop and R&B events from Nov. 23.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
With the release of these historic albums on Nov. 23, several hip-hop and R&B artists advanced their careers and won over many music lovers:
- 1993: Snoop Dogg’s debut album, Doggystyle, was released via Death Row Records. Some of its well-known tracks are “Gin and Juice” and “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None).” The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 and sold over 800,000 copies in the first week.
- 1999: Nas released Nastradamus, his fourth studio album. It debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America about a month after its release. Many critics lauded the production of tracks such as “You Owe Me,” “Come Get Me,” and “Shoot ’em Up.”
- 2004: Fantasia dropped her debut album, Free Yourself, which spawned chart-topping hits such as “Truth Is” and the title track. The album reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and received nominations for multiple GRAMMY Awards. In addition, it showcased Fantasia’s powerful vocals, leaving no doubt that she belonged in the spotlight.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Here are some memorable performances from Nov. 23:
- 2002: Usher headlined the MTV Staying Alive Concert, which was held at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa. The show was part of a global initiative to raise awareness about HIV and support programs aimed at preventing the disease.
- 2004: Black Eyed Peas performed at the Bellville Velodrome in Cape Town. This came three days after the group took the stage at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg to promote their third studio album, Elephunk.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Check out these industry changes and challenges from Nov. 23:
- 1998: Tito Jackson attended the sentencing hearing of Donald James Bohana, who murdered Delores “Dee Dee” Jackson, his former wife and mother to his three sons, T.J., Taryll, and Taj. Delores “Dee Dee” Jackson died in 1994 after allegedly drowning in Bohana’s pool. Her loved ones suspected foul play because she couldn’t swim and was afraid of deep water. After Bohana was found guilty of second-degree murder, he was sentenced to at least 15 years in prison.
- 2001: Louisiana native O.C. Smith died at 69. He was known for hits such as “Little Green Apples,” “Together,” and “Love to Burn.” In the 1980s, Smith founded the City of Angels Church of Religious Science, where he served as a minister for nearly two decades.
These events from Nov. 23 make the date unforgettable for hip-hop and R&B artists and music enthusiasts. Come back tomorrow to discover the most notable events that took place on that day in hip-hop and R&B history.