This Week in Music History

February 8th — Feb. 14th: the College Dropout, the Life of Pablo, Supreme Clientele,

February 8th

John Williams is born in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, New York City (1932).

Television releases the album, Marquee Moon (1977).

Anderson .Paak is born in Oxnard, California (1986).

GhostFace Killah releases the album, Supreme Clientele (2000).

“Come and have a good time with G-O-D!”

Album Fact #1: GFK began working on Supreme Clientele while on retreat in Benin. The Wu-Tang lyricist was dying from diabetes, and he believed his only hope was Voodoo. And, after staying with a witch doctor for a few months, it surprisingly worked. Perhaps it was magic. Perhaps, it was the fact he also stopped drinking daily and (occasionally)smoking (lightly) laced blunts.

dead prez release the album, Let’s Get Free (2000).

Gil-Scott Heron releases his final album, I’m New Here (2010).

“And if you don’t love me/ here’s what I’ll do/I’ll take care of you”

Xiu Xiu releases the album, Girl with Basket of Fruit (2019).

Album Fact #2: The album art is a summoning sigil, which belongs to Vetis, The Life Promiser.

February 9th

Carole King is born in Manhattan, New York City (1942).

February 10th

Neutral Milk Hotel releases the album, in the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998).

Album Fact #3: Both illustrations were created by Chris Bilheimer, who at the time was designing artwork for the band R.E.M. Mangum met Bilheimer while living in Athens, and asked him to create the artwork for Neutral Milk Hotel’s upcoming album. Mangum was interested in imagery associated with early 20th century penny arcades, and would often buy postcards from thrift shops that featured this style. One postcard in particular featured three bathers at sea, which Bilheimer cropped and slightly altered to form the album cover.

Kanxye West releases his debut album, the College Dropout (2004).

Album Fact #4:

Regarding the infamous bear on the cover, Plain Pat said:

The bear just happened to be at the school where Def Jam had booked the photo shoot for the album,“ said Pat. I don’t think the bear was [premeditated]. I don’t remember us bringing a bear, I don’t remember him asking for a bear either.

The only “plans” Kanye had for this cover art were that he didn’t want his face on it, and didn’t want any writing featured on the front side.

J Dilla dies from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (a rare blood disease) — he was only 32 (2006).

February 11th

V*rg V*k*rn*s of B*rz*m is born in Bergen, Norway (1973).

D’Angelo is born in Richmond, Virginia (1974).

Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child fame, is born in Atlanta, Georgia (1981).

The Smiths release the album, Meat is Murder (1985).

Sorne releases the album, House of Stone (2011).

Whitney Houston dies from accidental drowning in a bathtub, caused by drugs — she was only 48 (2012).

Lil Ugly Mane releases his debut album, Mista Thug Isolation (2012).

Sun Kil Moon releases the album, Benji (2014).

February 12th

Gucci Mane is born in Bessemer, Alabama — however, he grows up in Atlanta, Georgia (1980).

Rush releases the album, Moving Pictures (1981).

Drake releases the “commercial mixtape”, If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late (2015).

Album Fact #5:

Drake initially intended IYRTITL to be a DJ Drama collaboration, uploaded to DatPiff. Fortunately, (yes…fortunately), Cash Money Records intervened, slapping the “commercial” loophole to the album.

Burial releases Kindred (2012).

February 13th

Henry Rollins of Black Flag is born in Washington, D.C (1961).

Black Sabbath release their self-titled debut album (1970)

Album Fact #6:

Historians usually regard Black Sabbath as the first metal album.

Fugees release their debut and only album, the Score (1994).

Boards of Canada release the album, Geogaddi (2002).

February 14th

Tim Buckley is born in Washington, D.C (1975).

PJ Harvey releases the album, Let England Shake (2011).

Tim Hecker releases the album, Ravedeath, 1972 (2011).

Album Fact #7:

The cover depicts MIT students pushing a piano off the roof of the undergraduate dorm Baker House in 1972 — an act which began a long-running university ritual.

Kanye West releases the album, the Life of Pablo (2016).

Album Fact #8:

Kanye updated the Life of Pablo a total of twenty times over the course of two years.

Uboa releases the album, the Origin of my Depression (2019).

Will be updating as needed — thank you for reading to the end ❤.