Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 7/28/2013

Jay-Z was within 20,000 units of holding the #1 title for the third straight week with Magna Carta Holy Grail. Instead, he was challenged by Pop princess Selena Gomez, whose Stars Dance owned the charts this week.

With Jigga at #2, the crucial addition in the week came from his on-again, off-again friends and nemeses at Cash Money/Young Money Records. YMCMB released their first compilation in over a decade with Rich Gang. The crew project grabbed a Top 10 debut, as a true coming out party for the labels’ newer acts such as Busta Rhymes, Limp Bizkit and former No Limit Records rival, Mystikal.

Wu-Tang Clan member U-God missed the Top 200 with his latest, Keynote Speaker, which released on RZA’s Soul Temple Records. Additionally, Chamillionaire’s self-released Reign Fall EP also missed the 2,200-unit threshold to hit the Top 200 this week.

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YMCMB Is One Rich Gang

Bryan “Birdman” Williams & Ronald “Slim” Williams’ Cash Money Records released Baller Blockin’ in 2000. The soundtrack featured the label’s acts and close associates. Almost 13 years later, the label (along with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Records) released their latest compilation, Rich Gang. Ironically, Wayne and Birdman are the only carryovers between the two releases.

Among YMCMB’s “friends,” included Future, Chris Brown, Kendrick Lamar and French Montana. The album was also integral to label acts who have yet to release solo albums: Bow Wow, Detail, Caskey, Gudda Gudda, Cory Gunz and YM president Mack Maine. Notably absent from the effort is Drake, who Nicki Minaj cryptically spoke about, in regards to his relationship with the label he’s released three retail solo LPs.

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Rich Gang, which includes “Paint Tha Town,” scanned nearly 25,000 units, appearing in the Top 10. This out-performed Baller Blockin’, an album that would achieve gold certification the year it was released.

Cash Money Is An Army, Better Yet A Navy

Rich Gang marked the second consecutive Top 10 debut for Cash Money Records. Last week, the label’s newly-acquired Ace Hood released Trials & Tribulations to career-best chart positions and first-week sales amidst the success of “Bugatti.” In its sophomore week, the former Def Jam Records artist’s fourth album fell 22 spots, selling over 10,000 units in its second week.

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Also on the charts from the YMCMB family is Drake’s double-platinum Take Care (#166), and Lil Wayne’s gold-certified, I Am Not A Human Being II (#69). With Jay Sean’s Neon release yesterday (July 6), the label has brought six projects to retail in 2013.