B. Cox reflects on the year that was 2003. In a year that saw Western Powers kick their war against dictatorships in the Middle East into full gear and saw the U.S. biggest state in political turmoil, the music scene was successfully and commercially thriving. It was highlighted by the emergence of the unlikeliest of superstars in 50 Cent, who served as triumphant comeback story: from underground sensation to on his death bed to global music superstar in the span of two years. Meanwhile, the biggest star in hip-hop, Jay-Z, was planning his exit with his supposed final studio album and farewell tour which was planned to lead to his new life as a record label executive and businessman. 2003 marked a year of great commercial success with tons of hits topping the charts from a multitude of artists over a number of genres. It was the year that the South, namely Atlanta's hip-hop and R&B scene made its strong push towards being the major player it had been threatening to be almost a decade and when international acts and songs from reggae, soca and reggaeton made a huge impression on the American listening public and in the clubs. Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Online www.vaultclassicpod.com Support The Vault Classic Music Review on Buy Me A Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpod Build Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes! https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8 Show Notes AllHipHop: The REAL REcap-The Best of 2003 News https://allhiphop.com/features/the-real-rap-recap-the-best-of-2003-news/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy