T.I. Is King Again - Hits No. 1!

This week we have a new album entering the top of the Hip Hop charts and a couple of albums going gold. Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. better known as T.I. has the number one album in Hip Hop this week.  His seventh studio album 'No Mercy' enters the charts at number four selling 158,110 copies.   

He is followed by Nicki Minaj whose debut album, Pink Friday, actually moves up two spots to number six.  This week Pink Friday moves 80,667 copies bringing its total sales to 558,062 and giving Nicki a gold plaque.

Rihanna also moves up a few spots, from 10 to 7, with her fifth studio album, Loud. This week the Barbados born pop star sells 74,338 copies bringing her total sales to 276,992.

Kanye West falls out of the top ten, but not far, landing at number 13.  His critically praised album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, moves 68,747 copies.  To date MBDTF has sold 670,750 since its release 5 weeks ago.  Kanye has passed the gold mark and is well on his way to platinum.

Surprisingly, the Black Eyed Peas latest album 'The Beginning' falls from 6 to 19 in only the second week since its release.  I figured the listeners of horrible music would keep this in the top ten for months, much like what happen with their last offering.  Is the public’s musical taste getting better? Is this “the beginning” of the end for bad music (bad pun intended)?  This week the Peas move 56,110 bringing the albums total sales to 173,176.

Eminem moves up one spot and lands at number twenty five.  The Detroit rapper’s seventh studio album 'Recovery' moves 48,868 bringing its total sales well over 3 million.

Lil Wayne’s 'I Am Not A Human Being' EP continues to stand at number 44.  This week the New Orleans MC sells 27,314 copies pushing his total sales to 565,257. Normally we don’t go past the top 50 but there are a few notables this week.

Soulja Boy, who drops from 79 to 120, selling 8,000 copies of 'The DeAndre Way' and bringing his total sales to 21,000. Rick Ross finally pushes past gold with his 'Teflon Don' album. To date the album has sold 506,000 copies.