In this week's Hip-Hop and R&B charts, Lil' Wayne's oft-delayed Tha Carter III lives up to it's expectations, Plies is the definition of a hustler, N.E.R.D. sees the Top 10 and Usher stands down.
The self -proclaimed "best rapper alive" Lil' Wayne's, long awaited and highly anticipated album, Tha Carter III, cashes in on the Cash Money Records President's declaration, as Young Moola's sixth studio set debuts at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 with 1,005,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. With Tha Carter III, Weezy becomes the first artist since 50 Cent in 2005, The Massacre, to sell more than 1 million copies of an album in a single week.
The sunshine state goon, Plies sophomore studio album Definition of Real enters Billboard 200 at No. 2 with 215,000. The follow-up to 2007's The Real Testament, matched the peaked position his certified gold debut achieved. Powered by his smash hit single "Bust It Baby Part. 2" featuring Ne-Yo, the set also features appearances from Keyshia Cole and J. Holiday on "1 Fan," the Trey Songz assisted "I'm Da Man," and "Please Excuse My Hands" with The-Dream.
After topping the charts with what was the second highest debuting album of the year- behind Mariah Carey's E=MC2, now third behind Lil'Wayne's No. 1, Tha Carter III, Usher's sixth studio album Here I Stand falls back two spots from No. 3 to No. 5 this week. Hit with a 30% decrease in sales, the set shifted an outstanding 101,000 copies. Powered by the hit lead single "Love In This Club" featuring Young Jeezy and the rising second single "Moving Mountains," in three weeks, Usher's certified Gold album has moved 689,000 copies.
With their first album in over four years, the alternative rock/hip-hop trio N.E.R.D.'s third studio album Seeing Sounds, debuts at No. 7 with 80, 000. The Star Trak/ Interscope set is the follow-up to the band's 2004 set, Fly or Die, which peaked at No. 6 on Billboard 200. The eclectic disc features the single "Spaz" which is accompanied by a video -featuring actress Lindsay Lohan- and the remix to the single "Everyone Nose" features Pharrell's rap click CRS with Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco.
After debuting at No. 6 last week, the Princess of hip-hop and R&B, Ashanti, sophomore studio album The Declaration descends seven notches to No. 13. The Universal Motown set was hit hard with a 61% decline in sales, but Shanti still was able to sell 34,000 copies this week. On the heels of her dazzling National Anthem performance at the NBA Finals, Ashanti's -Irv Gotti free set- in two weeks has moved 120,400 copies.
Houston native, Bun B sophomore solo release II Trill, continues it's descent, falling ten spots to No. 29 this week. Hit with a 17% decline in sales, the Rap-A-Lot/Asylum set moved 20,000 copies. Led by the Sean Kingston assisted single "That's Gangsta," after four weeks the UGK member's set has amassed 183,000 albums.
Mr. MI-YAYO, Rick Ross speeds down the charts dropping 11 spots to No. 50. Despite the "Boss" decline in standings, he is experiencing a 2% increase in sales, pushing 13,800 copies of Trilla this week. After 14 weeks, Ross' certified Gold sophomore set has scanned 578,000 copies.
Look for Rihanna, Blood Raw and 2 Pistols to make their mark on the Hip-Hop and R&B Charts next week.
Throwback Track
Zapp an Troutman "Computer Love"
THER.I.P.Y. BIO
The two mcs that make this trend-setting rap group have come a long way down their own dirt roads. Producing impressive beats since the age of twelve, Ken Jo's first love was the beat machine. Over the years, he's made beats for countless regional artists and many notables like Ludacris, R.Kelly, Juvenile, Field Mob (much of their upcoming DTP/Geffen release "Lightpoles and Pinetrees", 8Ball and MJG, Thrill Da Playa, head member of the multi-platinum 69 Boyz, and has even co-produced with his music idol Mr. DJ (Outkast's Grammy-winning producer). Although Paul D's first love was rap, he has never let his words stay confined to the beat. In 2002, he joined Black on Black Rhyme, the world's largest poetry troupe, and in 2005, he won the Southern Fried Poetry Slam in Charlotte, North Carolina, a competition which consisted of over 120 poets, solidifying him as the best spoken word artist in the Southeastern U.S. With one self-published book, "For Mullatoes Only", and a spoken word CD, "Freight Train of Thought", Paul is continuing to set higher goals for himself as a lyricist. He is also a certified 8th grade middle school teacher in inner-city Atlanta.2002 brought both good and bad changes for THER.I.P.Y. (an acronym meaning The Radiance is Purely Yours). Now in college at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Florida State University respectively, both Ken Jo and Paul D widened their perspectives on life. They linked up with manager and former high school friend of Ken Jo's, Gerard "G-Gracious" Singfield, to launch Jangalang Entertainment, an independent label named after a close friend, Chris "Jangalang" Mitchell, who was killed in a freak basketball accident in that same year. THER.I.P.Y. drew energy from the spirit of their lost friend and from their new experiences to put out "Strictly For Da Streetz" (2002), the critically-acclaimed underground album that featured over twenty original tracks! Ken Jo's bass-thumping production and smooth and unorthodox delivery mixed with Paul D's lyrical and melodic versatility made them a threat in any regard. THER.I.P.Y. began to gain fans by opening up for the likes of T.I., Field Mob, Cee-Lo from Goodie Mob, Bone Thugz-N-Harmony, Lil' Flip, 3-6 Mafia, Trick Daddy, Chingy, Freeway, and others. Now three years later, THER.I.P.Y. is now considered a local legend in their hometown of Albany, Georgia, amongst the musical greats before them like Suthern Klick (the first group from Albany to be offered a major label deal) and Field Mob, one of Hip-Hop's greatest duos today.
THER.I.P.Y. (an acronym meaning The Radiance is Purely Yours), got their first studio time in 2000 by winning a rap competition thrown by a local radio station in Albany, Georgia. The four-track demo, entitled Overdose, earned them respect amongst music heads in the city and gave them the confidence to self-produce their first album, "Off the Rip" (2000), in the attic (dubbed the Southern Chamber) of Ken Jo's parent's house. Ken Jo and Paul D began to forge a new sound, reminiscent of Outkast and Goodie Mob, one that focused more on the actual skill of rapping and making good music and less on material glorification. THER.I.P.Y. received regional recognition in the South Georgia/North Florida with these two albums but are still not content. Ken Jo and Paul D have marinated on all these past accomplishments to present their third album, "Cornerstone Jones", which they predict will change the rap game as we know it.
Management and Booking Contact:
G - Gracious, CEOJangalang Entertainment
(678) 939-6187
[email protected]
[email protected]
Grab a copy of the latest Ozone Magazine to check out Paul D's monthly "True Raps" Column. You can also go to ozonemag.com to check it out online.
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