Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 5/23/2010

Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 5/23/2010
May 26, 2010 08:05:00 AM CDT

by Allen Jacobs

Hopeful for a #1 debut, Damian Marley & Nas' Distant Relatives project began its run on the charts at #4. The Universal Republic/Def Jam Records collaborative release fell behind The Black Keys, Justin Bieber and a new addition of Glee music. The Africa-inspired project did clear 50,000 units, with its rich commentary on the parallel relationship between Hip Hop and Reggae. Lil Wayne, K'Naan, Dennis Brown and Joss Stone appear on the work produced by Damian and brother Stephen.
The other major debut was the anticipated reunion album of Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal. A decade after their acclaimed and commercially successful Rawkus Records debut, Train of Thought, Revolutions Per Minute has been met with a new dose of rave reviews, as the duo finds themselves on Warner Brothers/Asylum Records. With co-executive production by Sha Money XL, R.P.M. features appearances from Bun B, J. Cole, Mos Def and Jay Electronica, among an assortment of Pop/R&B appearances. The album debuted at #17, moving over 20,000 first-week units.
As usual of late, Usher's Raymond v. Raymond maintained its #7 place. B.o.B. Presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray also held at #13, as the Rebel Rock sensation has the strongest commercial debut in Rap thus far in 2010. Another genre-bending Georgia talent, DXnext alum, Janelle Monae's sophomore album, The Archandroid debuted at #16. With strong cosigns from both Big Boi and Diddy, the Bad Boy/Atlantic Records starlet furthers her ascent to the mainstream.



* Please note: figures below approximated to nearest thousandth.

Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)



Rank Artist Album This Week Est. Total

4

Damian Marley & Nas

Distant Relatives

57,000

58,000



7

Usher

Raymond v. Raymond

41,000

721,000



13

B.o.B. Presents

The Adventures of Bobby Ray

23,000

170,000



16

Janelle Monae

The Archandroid

21,000

21,000



17

Reflection Eternal

Revolutions Per Minute

21,000

21,000



Ludacris fell to #30 with Battle of the Sexes. The DTP/Def Jam album remains the imprint's most successful 2010 album to date, and carries itself towards a gold plaque, possibly due by mid-summer. Trina's Pop-inspired album, Amazin' sits on the cusp of 50,000 units sold. The Diamond Princess' independent release boasts backing by EMI Records, similar to releases by Raekwon and Twista last year.



Another Warner Rap release, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Uni5: The World's Enemy slipped to #82. The radio-friendly album features a reunited cast of Bone brothers, who have shot an assortment of videos to support the DJ U-Neek-produced effort.

Once kin to the same Ruthless Records family that spawned Bone Thugs, 8Ball & MJG remained in the Top 100 with Ten Toes Down. Distributed through E1 Entertainment, the Grand Hustle project is executive produced by T.I., and features an extensive guest-list of contemporaries and newer artists influenced by the Memphis mainstays.



Another comeback act, Cypress Hill, may be bidding the Top 200 farewell, with their Rise Up. The Priority Records release features production by Pete Rock and Alchemist, as well as high-profile appearances from Tom Morello and Pitbull. The reunion of B-Real, Sen Dog and DJ Muggs has yet to pass the 40,000 mark, though it remains close.



Rank Artist Album This Week Est. Total

30

Ludacris

Battle of the Sexes

13,000

417,000



59

Trina

Amazin'

6,700

49,000



82

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Uni5: The World's Enemy

5,700

45,000



89

8Ball & MJG Ten Toes Down 5,300

29,000



191

Cypress Hill

Rise Up 2,500

37,000

From HipHopDX.com
 
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11334/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-5-23-2010

Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 5/16/2010

Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 5/16/2010
May 19, 2010 11:05:00 PM CDT

by Allen Jacobs

Urban music made it back into the Top 10 last week, as Usher's Raymond v. Raymond crept back up for a #7 appearance. Pop sensation Justin Bieber, Country-Poppers Lady Antebellum and Indie Rock outfit The National held down the Top 3 respectively.
B.o.B. Presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray went to #13, still keeping the top of the charts dominated by Georgia talent. The Black Eyed Peas climbed back into the Top 20 with The E.N.D. as they have time and time again throughout the last year. The Interscope release has now cleared 2.5 million copies sold.
Ludacris and Monica returned to the Top 40, both neck-in-neck as they've been throughout their album campaigns with Battle of the Sexes and Still Standing respectively. Both efforts stand a chance at gold within the next couple months, as both just cleared the often-challenging 400,000 milestone

* Please note: figures below approximated to nearest thousandth.

Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)

Rank Artist Album This Week Est. Total

7

Usher

Raymond v. Raymond

43,000

680,000



13

B.o.B. Presents

The Adventures of Bobby Ray

27,000

148,000



19

Black Eyed Peas

The E.N.D.

19,000

2,518,000



29

Ludacris

Battle of the Sexes

14,000

405,000



32

Monica

Still Standing

13,000

406,000
Trina's Pop-inspired album, Amazin' and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Uni5: The World's Enemy closed out the Top 50. The Slip-N-Slide princess cleared 40,000 overall units, while a seemingly reunited Bone Thugs (complete with a freed Flesh-N-Bone and a semi-supportive Bizzy Bone) sit just under the mark. Both releases feature major label distribution, from EMI and Warner Brothers respectively.
Memphis veteran duo 8Ball & MJG went from working on Diddy's Bad Boy label to working on T.I.'s Grand Hustle imprint with Ten Toes Down. Distributed through E1 Entertainment, the group's first official album in three years features Slim Thug, Soulja Boy, Bun B and of course T.I. The work sits just under 25,000 as their label-mate, B.o.B., reigns near the top of the charts.

One of B.o.B.'s album sidekicks, Bruno Mars, debuted at #99 with his EP It's Better If You Don't Understand. The Atlantic Records hopeful gained a lot of exposure through the hit of "Nothin' On You." Providence, Rhode Island's Sage Francis made a Top 200 debut with L(i)fe. Released on Anti Records (who works with The Coup and Busdriver), the release sees the former Anticon/Non-Prophets affiliate combine his dense, lyrical songwriting with musical backdrops courtesy of members of bands, Death Cab For Cutie, Granddaddy, DeVotchKa and others.


Rank Artist Album This Week Est. Total

48

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Uni5: The World's Enemy

9,400

39,000



49

Trina

Amazin'

9,400

42,000



62

8Ball & MJG

Ten Toes Down

7,300

23,000



99

Bruno Mars

It's Better If You Don't Understand

5,400

5,400



137

Sage Francis L(i)fe 3,900

3,900

From HipHopDX.com
 
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.11284/title.hip-hop-album-sales-the-week-ending-5-16-2010