Pop star Rihanna did not debut Top 3. Behind feel-good story of the year, Susan Boyle and controversial dancer Adam Lambert, Ri-Ri‘s Rated R premiered at #4, selling a tad under 200,000 units. The dark Def Jam relationship-rebound release has been met with mixed reviews, from one of the label’s biggest stars.
Michael Jackson could be platinum after next week. The This Is It collection includes Jackson hits like the
50 Cent‘s potential last album from Interscope remained in the Top 20 for its second (charted) week. Before I Self Destruct boasts two bonus films, and some of the best critically-received work the Queens superstar has delivered since The Massacre.
Speaking of, The Black Eyed Peas climbed four spots with The E.N.D. The Electro-Pop work may be a departure from even the group’s more recent two albums, but the
Jay-Z bounced back into the chart-twenties again with Blueprint 3. The Atlantic Records-distributed effort is within 100,000 units ofBlack Eyed Peas, for overall 2009 sales. After that, all that remains is another 100,000-plus units in Eminem‘s Relapse as 2009’s top-selling Rap album.
* Please note: figures below approximated to nearest thousandeth.
Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)
| Rank | Artist | Album | This Week | Est. Total |
| 4 | Rihanna | Rated R |
181,000 | 181,000 |
| 11 | Michael Jackson’s | This Is It |
108,000 | 890,000 |
| 19 | 50 Cent | Before I Self Destruct |
66,000 | 227,000 |
| 21 | The Black Eyed Peas | E.N.D. | 54,000 | 1,441,000 |
| 28 | Jay-Z | Blueprint 3 | 37,000 | 1,337,000 |
Cash Money Records loves Black Friday. Birdman and Jay Sean both debuted within five places of each other, collectively scanning over 60,000 units. The young Pop star nearly topped the label co-founder, as both are stars of radio in 2009.
Another label founder, Damon Dash, found success in BlakRoc. With only three days on charts, the self-titled project from The Black Keys that found Hip Hop guests including Jim Jones, M.O.P. and Mos Def debuted at #125. This may be the most successful Dame Dash project since Beanie Sigel‘s The B.Coming.
Rakim slid to #147 with The Seventh Seal. The album, released through Bay Area’s SMC Records, featured an appearance from Maino, and production from Jake One, Nottz and longtime affiliate Nick Wiz. The effort is SMC’s most successful project this year, who also released projects from Capone-N-Noreaga and The Jacka.
Pittsburgh’s Wiz Khalifa, a DXnext alum, made it to the Soundscan charts for the first time in his career. Deal Or No Deal, released on iHipHop/Rostrum Records, scanned just under 6,000 units. The project features former Young Money star Curren$y, and marks Wiz‘s first nationally-distributed album.
| Rank | Artist | Album | This Week | Est. Total |
| 29 | Birdman | Pricele$$ |
36,000 | 36,000 |
| 33 | Jay Sean | All Or Nothing |
31,000 | 31,000 |
| 125 | BlakRoc | BlakRoc |
7,500 | 7,500 |
| 147 | Rakim | The Seventh Seal | 5,900 | 18,000 |
| 148 | Wiz Khalifa | Deal Or No Deal |
5,900 | 5,900 |
Will Rihanna get a #1? Will Birdman continue Cash Money‘s chart-assault? Stay tuned to HipHopDX to find out.
