Nas secured the highest-charting debut on the Billboard 200 dated September 5. The veteran MC’s new album King’s Disease entered at No. 5, becoming the 10th Top 5 solo effort of his career.
King’s Disease sold roughly 47,000 album equivalent units in its first week with 18,000 of those copies coming from pure album sales. According to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, the project racked up 36.17 million streams during its first week.
Nas cracked the Top 5 for the first time when his sophomore album It Was Written debuted at No. 1 in 1996. Although King’s Disease is his 10th Top 5 solo release, it’s his 11th overall when counting The Firm’s The Album.
The Firm’s one and only project peaked at No. 1 in 1997. King’s Disease featured a reunion of the supergroup with AZ, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Dr. Dre appearing on the posse cut “Full Circle.”
Review: 'King's Disease' Is Food For True Nas Fans' Soul
Elsewhere on the Billboard 200, Taylor Swift’s Folklore album held onto No. 1 spot for a fifth straight week. She tied Lil Baby’s My Turn for most weeks at the top of the chart in 2020.
Lil Baby’s former chart-topping LP was prevented from re-entering the Top 5 by Nas, settling for No. 6 with around 43,000 album equivalent units sold for the week. Hip Hop dominated the rest of the Top 5 as two posthumous releases held down their positions for a second straight week.
Pop Smoke’s Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon (83,000 album equivalent units) remained at No. 2 while Juice Wrld’s Legends Never Die (70,000 album equivalent units) endured at No. 3. The original Broadway recording of Hamilton: An American Musical rounded out the Top 5 at No. 4.
Nas would’ve had higher numbers if he would’ve promoted the project better. He literally let everyone know days in advance
yea probably…but this album will do well over time…the word of mouth has been positive…for him to still be in the mix at 46yrs of age is impressive #KingsDisease
Damn man remember the days when an artist can sell 100k+ first week? Streaming really has killed the industry. It meant so much more to have a physical copy. If they would put albums in stores again I’d still buy them. Pay $12 for iTunes to stream unlimited music takes away from buying the album on the same platform
Its was illegal downloads that killed album sales. Streaming has provided an income source where at least the artists/industry make some money, albeit very little compared to the old days. Also you can Just order his album online so what u talking bout really? Its bizarre that only 18.000 physical copies been sold. Where are all these whining hiphop ‘fans’ at when a legend actually drops a dope album?
Illegal downloads didn’t kill album sales, it was a reaction to record labels treating hip hop like big business with the objective to mass produce a product as fast & as cheap as possible…people got tired of buying an album only 2 songs are good cause labels rush the product so people started downloading…then labels created ringtone rappers instead of letting artists be artists. Labels have their selves to blame for the decline in sales.
Ha, flop! King HOV can rack those numbers up in a split second. Nobody listens to this broke loser anymore. Nas gonna drop out of the charts in a week or two, bet on it. It’s the ROC in here!
You are pathetic! Still suck that D of Jay Z. This Nas album is fire full. Nas was never a big album seller. He did not sell his soul like your Daddy Jay Z that hang his nuts in your mouth nightly…You feel me!
He didn’t sell his “soul” because it never worked out, tried to make multiple hits for the radio, and it backfired. So Nas decided to stay in his lane/comfort zone. It’s business.
I’m waiting for the physical copies to drop….They won’t be out for months.
He’s an independent artist He’s not meant to do huge numbers, 47,000 is excellent for him, its not like back in the day
Ultra Wack flopped, King’s Garbage flopped. “Entrepreneur” by Pharrell and King HOV is the song of the year. King HOV is independent too, just has Universal to help with distribution, like how Master P did back in the day with No Limit and Priority. And he can still go platinum in a week. So no excuse for Nas to flop so hard. It’s the ROC in here!
Whatever writer or critic that does this in his spare time for 11 years now, pls get a life! So pathetic. Like Jay-z didn’t sell 23,000 with A Written Testimony?
That’s Jay Electronica’s album, dummy. King HOV was featured. And that album is a success if you look into the fact that all the pathetic impatient rap fans gave up on waiting for the album. And all the real niggas and rap fans were gifted the album when it dropped. They were rewarded for their patience. Broke ass Nas has all these stans that keep calling him the GOAT while tearing King HOV down, and this is the best he can do? LO-fucking-L! Try again, bitch. It’s the ROC in here!
Can’t lie, that song was trash lmao. Black man, black man, black man, black mannnnn, black man, black man. LMAO! I blame pharrel though.
For all the Nas haters, this album is fire and you know it. Now please tell us what album that you are listening too…There you have a folks! They listen to 1 record of a no good rapper that cannot even speak a full sentence. 1 record not the album… 1 record they will say that boy is bad. Where you have Nas a complete hot album, every single song is fire! Give me a break tools!
I’m listening to the “Entrepreneur” single which is a billion times better than Nas trash album. And you’d agree with me too if your hatred for King HOV wasn’t blinding you. It’s the ROC in here!
Jay Z got waaay more kissable lips than broke ass Nas
Get off the Jay and Nas dick……