Alicia Keys and Mary J Blige held their one-two punch for a third consecutive week. Released a week earlier than Blige, Element Of Freedom, Keys’ album took the #5 spot (behind Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Susan Boyle and surprising indie Rock #1 debut from Vampire Weekend). Keys’ J Records release still appears two weeks away from platinum. Blige’s Stronger (With Every Tear), a Geffen project went respectively to #7 (separated by another Gaga release, an EP). The two have been leaders (along with Rihanna and Robin Thicke), of an R&B/Pop takeover on the charts since October.
The Black Eyed Peas remained in the Top 10 with The E.N.D.. The Los Angeles-based quartet continues to fluctuate on the charts unlike typical urban releases. The release may be soon to reach double-platinum, a rarity in the present climate.
Rihanna slid two simple spots to #13. With increased radio spins and various authorized and unauthorized remixes to her “Hard” single, she represented Def Jam lovely with her Rated R break from silence. Last week she achieved a gold plaque to coincide with her “fan mail from 27 million.”
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Lil Wayne gave rebirth to the compilation. We Are Young Money remained in the Top 20. The project proves to be Universal Motown’s top Rap priority leading up to Rebirth. The Rap industry will see whether Drake or Nicki is the first to release a solo album in 2010.
* Please note: figures below approximated to nearest thousandeth.
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Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)
| Rank | Artist | Album | This Week | Est. Total |
| 5 | Alicia Keys | Element of Freedom | 48,000 | 889,000 |
| 7 | Mary J Blige | Stronger (With Every Tear) | 35,000 | 475,000 |
| 10 | Black Eyed Peas | The E.N.D. | 32,000 | 1,855,000 |
| 13 | Rihanna | Rated R | 24,000 | 550,000 |
| 18 | Young Money | We Are Young Money | 21,000 | 232,000 |
Omarion was one of the lone new additions to the charts this past week. His third solo LP, Ollusion, debuted in the Top 20. Released on Capitol/EMI, the album features Gucci Mane as well as Watts DXnext alum Jay Rock, although has garnered very mixed reviews.
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The repackaging of Eminem’s Relapse (as Relapse: Refill) with a handful of new songs, continues to prove as excellence in Interscope Records’ business plan. The release came in at #23 last week, and will try to usher the Dr. Dre-produced effort to hard-to-earn 2,000,000 mark.
Jay-Z‘s Blueprint 3 heads towards the 1.6 million mark. In classic Blueprint marketing form, the Brooklyn emcee has two singles rotating in radio: the Mr. Hudson-assisted cover of Alphaville’s “Forever Young” and the Swizz Beatz-helmed “On To The Next.” As these singles penetrate new Alt and Pop markets, Jay-Z may easily be able to achieve two million units sold on this project as well.
50 Cent is at 365,000 with Before I Self Destruct. The Interscope album may be Fif’s last with his second major label. Earlier this week, Young Buck, onetime G-Unit artist asked for a sit down with his boss (who still holds his recording contract), after three years of turmoil. If that happens, expect a media blitz and potentially album movement.
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After watching their former manager get sentenced to football numbers earlier this month, The Clipse remain trying to seek six figure sales with Til The Casket Drops. The Virginia veteran duo, and dope-rap pioneers released a new video this week, in the Sean C & LV-produced “Freedom.” The video addresses the recent controversy, while their album features Cam’ron and Kanye West.
| Rank | Artist | Album | This Week | Est. Total |
| 19 | Omarion | Ollusion | 19,000 | 19,000 |
| 23 | Eminem | Relapse | 17,000 | 1,777,000 |
| 26 | Jay-Z | Blueprint 3 | 15,000 | 1,549,000 |
| 66 | 50 Cent | Before I Self Destruct | 7,300 | 365,000 |
| 163 | Clipse | Til The Casket Drops | 2,900 | 62,000 |
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With a slow week ahead, will RJD2 make a profound chart appearance? Can J Stalin or Big Noyd put on for the indies?
