ChartWatch for September 29, 2010
By DeVaughn Douglas
Its another week of ChartWatch, where we look at Hip Hop
artists in the top 50, I show you new albums coming out this week, and (as
always) I get to make fun of your favorite rapper. This week I have good news and bad news. Lets start with the bad news first.
There are only six Hip Hop albums in the top 50 and one of
them is the Black Eyed Peas (I know .I know.
They are still selling. I dont
know whos still buying .but theyre still selling. Take a breath. I told you there was good news as well.)
The good news is there are a lot of albums coming out this
week .and none of them are by the Black Eyed Peas.
Eminem leads the pack at number 5 with his latest album Recovery. The Detroit rappers return-to-form moves
another 64,425 copies bringing his total to 2,671,626.
Directly behind him at number 6 is Trey Songz with his new
album Passion, Pain & Pleasure. (I know hes not Hip Hop but we throw in some
R&B if they crack the top 10).
Songz moves 62,534 copies this week and has sold 306,637 copies since
his release two weeks ago.
The next album is a combination of R&B and Hip Hop. G.O.O.D Music artist John Legend collaborates
with The Roots to create Wake Up, an
album with social themes inspired by soul music from the 60s and 70s. Wake Up holds the number 8 spot this week
selling 59,760 copies.
Drakes Thank Me Later
drops from 15 to 19 but still sells 15,367 copies. So far the Canadian MC has sold a total of 1,098,607.
Rick Ross falls 8 spots to 32 by selling 10,112 copies of
his fourth album Teflon Don. So far, Ross has sold a total of 405,315
copies.
B.o.B claims the 46th spot with his debut album The Adventures of Bobby Ray. The Atlanta rappers album has sold a total of
389,601.
Finally, The Black Eyed Peas latest album The E.N.D rests
at number 50 selling 7,308 copies bringing the albums total sales to 2,772,805.
Dropping This Week
I know it was a boring column last week but nothing was
really hitting the stores. Thats
definitely not the case this week.
Ill start this week with the incarcerated rappers. Lil Wayne (Happy beleated bday) drops I Am Not A Human Being an EP being
digitally released this week. This album
is a prelude to his Tha Carter IV
which is to be recorded and released after the Louisiana rapper is released
from prison. The album features Drake,
Nicki Minaj, T-Streets, Lil Twist & Jay Sean with bonus tracks featuring
Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, Tyga and Lil Chuckee.
Those bonus tracks are not going to be on the digital album but will be
on the physical release that comes out in about a month.
Next up is Lil Boosie who releases his latest album entitled
Incarcerated. I guess the irony here is that Lil Boosie is
actually battling charges that could incarcerate him for life and may even
possible result in him receiving the death penalty. Boosie hasnt been to shy about using his
charges to promote his rap career (a statement that is so ignorant I dont even
have enough time to address it in this column) so if youre a fan of Boosie (or
prison) pick it up. The album features Webbie,
Big Head, Mouse, Foxx, Lil Trill, Lil Phat, K.T., and Shell.
Brothers Daniel and David Garcia make up the rap duo Kane
and Abel. After releasing two albums
with No Limit records the duo enrolled in school and started their own record
label. When they refused to testify
against their record labels financial backer, the incarcerated Richard Pena,
the brothers were sentenced to three years in prison. Well they are out now and still making
music. The New Orleans rappers (via the
Bronx) drop their ninth album this week, Back
On Money. Their last release was six
years ago so fans should look forward to hearing from the group again.
Hes not in jail (now), yet I feel like he fits in with the
last group of rappers. After releasing Back To The Trap House and The State v. Radric Davis, Gucci Mane
returns with his third studio album The
Appeal: Georgias Most Wanted. The
new album features Bun B, Swizz Beatz, Ray J, Nicki Minaj, Pharrell, Wyclef
Jean and Estelle. Hopefully Gucci will
be out long enough to tour and promote this album. Well see .
OShea Jackson b.k.a Ice Cube drops his ninth studio album
this week entitled I Am The West. It has been two decades since Cube released
his debut Amerikkkas Most Wanted (Although I know some out there would
disagree. Hey, if the music is good then
its all right with me. That being
said .Has anyone heard this? Is the music
good?). I Am The West features Jayo Felony (what?! Jayo still rapping?! I
can give it to you but what you gon do wit it!
I just a lost all of our younger readers), WC, Young Maylay, Doughboy,
OMG, JIGG, and Butch Cassidy. If you
like Ice Cube, go support. If you dont
like him dont even worry about picking up an album. Im pretty sure theres an Are We There Yet 3 in the making. Cube will be all right. so
the fact that he can still put out albums is a testament to his skills.
Group Home released their debut Livin Proof in 1995 and now they return with their sophomore album
on Babygrande Records entitled Gifted
Unlimited Rhymes Universal. The
album features Jeru the Damaja, Young Luchiano, Lord Jamar, and, the albums
namesake, a posthumous Guru. Guru is
actually featured on a few tracks on the album.
Lil Dap and Melachi, the duo that make up Group Home, first appeared on
a compilation album by Guru entiteled Guru
Presents III Kids Records.
Therefore, it is fitting that they get to honor their mentor with this
latest album.
Madlib continues his Medicine Show series with Medicine Show No. 9: High Fi Sounds for
Smokers and Drinkers Featuring Frank Nitti.
Madlib has been putting out a bunch of work since the beginning of this
year and it has all been of high quality.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
Mark Ronson releases his third studio album, Record Collection, this week. His last album, Version, was like a hipsters
tour of Hip Hop (meaning he puts something like an ODB sample with an Amy
Winehouse hook and non-Hip Hop listeners call it genius. Im not hating just saying) so this should be
more of the same. Even though I
criticize, I liked elements of the last album, so, if youre a fan, pick up a
copy. Record Collection features Q-Tip, MNDR, Ghostface Killah, Alex
Greenwald, Boy George, D Angelo, Pill, the London Gay Mens Chorus, Wiley,
Kyle Falconer, and Simon Le Bon.
I asked myself the other day, What the hell is 9th
Wonder up to? Apparently he has been
working with Big Remo. 9th
has made classic albums with artists like Murs, Jean Grae, Sean Price, Skyzoo,
and his former group Little Brother (make up already you guys). This week he and Big Remo drop 9th Wonder presents Big Remo:
Entrapment. The album features Khrysis,
9thematic, David Banner, Colin Munroe, Robert Alred, Ricky Ruckus, and Tyler
Woods. The album is produced mostly by 9th
Wonder but also features work from The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Young Guru, AMP,
and others.
I have written in this column about the next artists work on
his 4th album with Blue Sky Black Death. Now Hell Razah returns with his sixth solo
studio album Heaven Razah. The album features R.A. The Rugged Man,
Shabazz the Disciple, Darnell McClain, Timbo King, and Darnell McClain.
Fans of Westcoast rappers Yukmouth and C-Bo should look
forward to their newest album.
Collaborating under the name Thug Lordz the duo releases Thug Money. Besides not having the most imaginative of
title the album features Ampichino, The Jacka, Mr. Probz, Mike-D, D-Golder,
Trae, Eastwood, Dyson, Bo-Roc, and Tha Realest.
J-Bo, of the Young Bloodz, releases his second solo album, Herringbone Jones. Ill be real I didnt know he had a first solo album. You would have to be a fan of the Young
Bloodz to know this one was dropping.
Finally, in the
Im-From-Houston-So-Im-Going-To-Be-Biased-And-Put-A-Houston-Artist-In-The-Column
section, Trae the Truth drops his latest Cant
Ban Tha Truth .officially ..this week. Take a look at the AllHipHop review of the
album here.
Thats it for ChartWatch.
Well see if any of the artists dropping this week make the charts next
week.