This Week in Music History

We take a look back at unforgettable moments that happened during the first few days of February.

Beyonce - Beyonce has a total of 16 Grammys, and 6 of them came in 2010, when she broke the record for most Grammy Awards received by a female artist in one night.

1 / 15

This Week in Music History - Beyoncé's record-breaking Grammy night, 50 Cent's <em>Get Rich or Die Tryin'</em> and Janet Jackson' Nipplegate all happened during the same week. In celebration of Black History Month, we take a look at other memorable moments that took place during the first week in February.

Bob Marley - Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited for helping spread Jamaican music to the worldwide audience.

2 / 15

Stuff of Legend - Bob Marley was born in Nine Mile, Saint Ann, Jamaica, on Feb. 6, 1945. Though his time was cut short, he remains one of music’s most influential figures to this day. He died of cancer at the age of 36. Marley stands with Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur and Elvis Presley as one of music’s highest-earning dead celebrities.

Funkdafied - Funk master Rick James was born February 1st 1948. Over the course of his 20-plus year career, he released several gold and platinum albums, produced hits for Teena Marie and became one of the most sampled artists in hip-hop. James died of a heart attack at the age of 56 in 2004.

3 / 15

Funkdafied - Funk master Rick James was born on Feb. 1, 1948. Over the course of his 20-plus year career, he released several gold and platinum albums, produced hits for Teena Marie and Mary Jane Girls and became one of the most sampled artists in hip-hop. James died of a heart attack in 2004. He was 56.

On the Wall - Michael Jackson released “Off the Wall,” the title track from the first of four collaborations with legendary producer Quincy Jones, February 2, 1980. The single peaked at no.10 on the charts.

4 / 15

Off the Wall - Michael Jackson released “Off the Wall,” the title track from the first of his four full-length collaborations with legendary producer Quincy Jones, on Feb. 2, 1980. The single peaked at No. 10 on the charts.

Control - After two false starts, Janet Jackson became a superstar in her own right when she released &lt;em&gt;Control&lt;/em&gt; February 4, 1986. The album went on to sell 5 million copies and produced five Top 10 singles, including “When I Think of You,” Jackson’s first no.1 single.

5 / 15

Control - After two false starts, Janet Jackson became a superstar in her own right when she released Control on Feb. 4, 1986. The album went on to sell 5 million copies and produced five top 10 singles, including “When I Think of You,” Jackson’s first No. 1.

ADVERTISEMENT
Tupac Shakur - Barely two months after his death, Pac's &quot;The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory&quot; launched a series of high-selling posthumous releases by selling 663,000 CDs in one week.

6 / 15

Locked Up - Tupac Shakur was sentenced to one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years in prison on sexual abuse charges on Feb. 7, 1995. He was later released on appeal.

Hospitalized - Former Milli Vanelli band member Rob Pilatus was hospitalized after being hit over the head with a baseball bat February 4, 1996 in Hollywood. Pilatus was attempting to steal the assailant’s car. He died of an overdose two years later.

7 / 15

Slippery Slope - Former Milli Vanilli band member Rob Pilatus was hospitalized in Hollywood after being hit over the head with a baseball bat on Feb. 4, 1996. Pilatus was attempting to steal the assailant’s car. He died of an overdose two years later.

Gone Too Soon - The legendary Bronx lyricist died of a heart attack and respiratory failure February 7, 2000. He was 28. Reports say he was 698 pounds at the time of his death.

8 / 15

Gone Too Soon - Legendary Bronx lyricist Big Pun died of a heart attack and respiratory failure on Feb. 7, 2000. He was 28. Reports say he was 698 pounds at the time of his death.

Sec. of the Treasury - Rapper 50 Cent says he has turned 50 cents into hundreds of millions of dollars. “Look at that profit margin,” the rapper exclaimed. “And I pay my taxes!” Driving down the deficit and getting the economy moving again will be just as easy, President Obama says. He plans to pump money into a diverse portfolio of smart investments. “Tim Geithner has nothing on my man,” said Obama.

9 / 15

A Star Is Born - 50 Cent made history when his classic debut, <em>Get Rich or Die Tryin’</em>, hit stores on Feb. 4, 2003. The LP sold 872,000 copies in only four days—making it the best-selling first week for a debut album. Snoop Dogg’s <em>Doggystyle</em> previously held the record with 802,858 units sold in one week.

7 Second Delay - Feburary 1st, 2004, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s Superbowl XXXVIII halftime show performance instantly went from PG to racy when JT accidentally ripped JJ’s clothes during a medley of their hits. The wardrobe malfunction led to the FCC fining CBS an unprecedented $550,000. The controversy caused certain networks to enforce delays for live broadcasts.

10 / 15

Seven-Second Delay - On Feb. 1st, 2004, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s Superbowl XXXVIII halftime show performance instantly went from PG to racy when JT accidentally ripped part of JJ’s shirt off during a medley of their hits. The wardrobe malfunction led to the FCC fining CBS an unprecedented $550,000 and prompted certain networks to enforce delays for live broadcasts.

ADVERTISEMENT
No.1 - Usher’s “Yea” featuring Ludacris dropped February 3, 2004. Marking Usher’s fourth no.1 single, the song spent 10 weeks at no.1 and set the table for Ush’s &lt;em&gt;Confessions&lt;/em&gt; to sell 1 million records in its first week. The album has sold over 10 million copies to date domestically.

11 / 15

No.1 - Usher’s “Yeah!,” featuring Ludacris, dropped Feb. 3, 2004. The singer’s fourth No. 1 single, the song spent 10 weeks at the top spot and set the table for his <em>Confessions</em> to move a million records in one week. The album has sold over 10 million copies to date domestically.

Suicidal Thoughts - Singer Houston of “I Like That” fame stunned the music world when word spread that he attempted to jump out of his hotel room window on the 13th floor February 2, 2005. According to reports, he was under the influence of PCP at the time. He was reportedly moved to a lower floor and locked in his room where he gouged his own eye out.

12 / 15

Suicidal Thoughts - Singer Houston of “I Like That” fame stunned the music world when word spread that he attempted to jump out of his hotel room window on Feb. 2, 2005. According to reports, he was under the influence of PCP at the time. He was allegedly moved to a lower floor and locked in his room, where he gouged his own eye out.

Busta Rhymes (@BusaBuss) - Busta Rhymes enlisted T.I. for his ‘Stop The Party’ remix. And instead of sending a thank you card, he thanked the King via Twitter! TWEET: “@Tip THANK U 4 SMASHIN THAT #STOP THE REMIX BIG HOMIE!!!KING, SALUTE!!!”

13 / 15

On-Set Violence - Busta Rhymes’ bodyguard, Israel Ramirez, was gunned down outside the set of his video shoot for “Touch It” in Brooklyn on Feb. 5, 2006. The killing remains unsolved.

Ladies Night - Beyonc&#233; broke her own record by winning six Grammys in one night January 31, 2010. She’d previously won five Grammys in 2004— tying a record shared with Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Alisson Krauss and Lauryn Hill.

14 / 15

Ladies Night - Beyoncé broke her own record by winning six Grammys in one night on Jan. 31, 2010. She’d previously won five Grammys in 2004—tying a record set by Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Alisson Krauss and Lauryn Hill.

London - The band hit the road for their first UK tour in 1984 after their album, which spawned hits &quot;Your Love Is King&quot; and &quot;Smooth Operator&quot; was certified 4x platinum.

15 / 15

Call It a Comeback - Sade dropped her first album in 10 years, Soldier of Love, on Feb. 5, 2010. The LP moved 502,000 units in its first week, eventually hitting platinum and becoming one of the year’s best-selling albums.