This Day in Hip-Hop and R&B History: March 21

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1989: Oaktown's 3.5.7 released Wild & Loose, their debut album. The project, which was produced by MC Hammer, reached No. 23 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 126 on the Billboard 200. 
• 1995: Channel Live dropped their debut album, Station Identification, through Capitol Records. It spawned their biggest hit, “Mad Izm,” which peaked at No. 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 3 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. The album itself reached No. 58 on the Billboard 200 and No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2000: Trina released her debut album, Da Baddest Bitch. With guest appearances from Trick Daddy, Twista, and J-Shin, it peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard 200 and at No. 11 on the  Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2000: Irv Gotti dropped the compilation album Irv Gotti Presents…The Murderers through Murder Inc. Records and Def Jam Recordings. With features from Busta Rhymes, Memphis Bleek, Lil' Mo, and Shade Sheist, the album reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2000: Legendary R&B singer Aaliyah released the hit “Try Again” to soundtrack the American action film Romeo Must Die. The song, produced by critically acclaimed hitmaker Timbaland, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and got the singer nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 43rd Annual GRAMMY Awards.
• 2000: Ice Cube dropped his sixth studio album, War and Peace Vol. 2 (The Peace Disc), with Lench Mob Records. It included hits such as “You Can Do It,” “Hello,” and “Until We Rich,” which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 3 and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
• 2024: Los Angeles hip-hop duo BlueBucksClan released the song “Made for the Pole” featuring rappers Hit-Boy and Wiz Khalifa.

Cultural Milestones

• 1942: New Orleans R&B singer Richard “Dimples” Fields was born. He is best known for his 1982 single “If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another,” which topped the Billboard R&B chart and reached No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. 
• 1945: Rose Stone was born in Dallas, Texas. She is one of the lead vocalists for the R&B/funk band Sly and the Family Stone, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the group. Besides her work with the band, she has had a successful career as a session singer, appearing on records by diverse artists, including Ringo Starr, Michael Jackson, Phish, and Bobbysocks. 
• 1995: Diggy Simmons, the son of Run-DMC's Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, was born in Queens, New York. He scored his only Billboard Hot 100 entries in 2011 with the single “Do It Like You” (featuring Jeremih) and his feature on Mindless Behavior's “Mrs. Right,” which peaked at No. 80 and No. 72, respectively.
• 1997: The biopic Selena, which chronicles the life of Texan-born Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, was released. R&B and pop singer Jennifer Lopez, who played Selena in the film, garnered praise for her performance, with many considering it her breakout role.
• 2014: Colombian singer Shakira released her 10th studio album. Rihanna was a guest vocalist on the hit single “Can't Remember to Forget You.”

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2004: R&B and soul singer and producer Johnny Bristol died at age 65. The Motown legend is best known for his 1974 single “Hang On in There Baby,” which reached No. 2 on the U.S. R&B chart, now known as the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. He also cowrote and produced songs for many influential Motown artists, including Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and The Supremes, and Gladys Knight and the Pips.
• 2017: GRAMMY Award-winning Haitian rapper, singer, and producer Wyclef Jean was handcuffed and detained by Los Angeles police after being erroneously identified as a robbery suspect. The former Fugees member vowed to sue the Los Angeles Police Department.