Despite being a severely heartbroken when I found out that Swizz Beats was dating and had gotten my future ex-wife, Alicia Keys pregnant, I am still a big fan of her music, in particular, her sophomore album, The Diary of Alicia Keys. She has an amazing voice, writes amazing songs, plays the piano and has a nice hip hop style to her joints. I didn’t love her last two albums like the I love Diary. Almost every song on the album is amazing. When she did unplugged for MTV and played her hits including the song Diary, I melted. Alright, I’m sounding like a schoolboy with a crush. Anyway, some of her songs have been stuck in my head since last night, thanks to my roommate so, enjoy a few songs from her album, The Diary of Alicia Keys.
And a bonus from her Unplugged Performance featuring Mos Def, Common and Damian Marley
And now the moment you all have been waiting for, the hip hop savior, Drake!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But for real though, everyone knows by now that Drake’s debut album, Thank You Later leaked last week and it has the “internet going nuts.” Drake has perhaps the most hyped debut of all time. It hasn’t been since 50 Cent since I can remember a debut album having this much anticipation. Fortunately, I got my hands on a copy last week and have listened a couple times including today. I have also had several discussions with various characters who all have different opinions about the album but can agree that it’s pretty solid. I have heard that it’s amazing and quite possibly the best album of 2010. I have heard that is alright but nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary and everything in between. I want to first shout out drake for giving props to J Dilla on the album. You never hear a rapper with that much popularity shouting out underground cats so, he scored big points with me for that. Secondly, I don’t like the sound of the album. I’m sure music heads might appreciate the production but for me, it sounds weak, light and Enya-ish. Take that for what it is because I know NOTHING about music or how to make it. I just rap. I was just hoping that the beats would have been a little harder hitting and head knodding. The album feels similiar to 808′s and Heartbreaks and Alica Keys new album, which I wasn’t a big fan of either. I just find myself sitting there doing nothing to the music. I guess that forces you to listen to what Drake is saying but as a hip hop head, WHERE ARE THE BEATS MAN?????? Over and Up All Night are the hardest tracks on the album. My second complaint is that the album has A LOT of singing on it. It feels like more of an R&B record than a hip hop record which, isn’t really a bad thing considering who is selling records these days. It’s just not MY cup of tea. Now for the good. Drake has set himself apart of any other “newcomers” in rap by being able to sing and rap pretty well. He is a good rapper and although every verse sounds the same, he says some dope things. He also has a way of making the music personal but still relatable. Also, you rarely hear mainstream rappers get personal like Drake and still be successful. Drake does this well. So props for that. I know that Drake will sell a lot of copies and will be the man of the year as far as mainstream rap is concerned, well until Kanye drops that hip hop shit. And although Drake isn’t doing anything out of the ordinary for Drake, he did what he should have done and made a solid album that will keep him in the limelight for a while. Hopefully next time, there will be some BEATS on the album and a little less airyness and singing. Here is my favorite joint, Up All Night featuring everyone’s favorite female emcee, Nicki Minaj(where is Lauryn Hill when we need her).
I’m sure everyone expected WAY more hating than that. Thank Me Later
It’s Wednesday and the weekly numbers are in for the first week in March. Sade is still holding on to the top spot, moving 127K. Black Eye Peas are still dominating things with another 50K and my boo, Miss Keys is still sitting up top. Here is top
Freeway and Jake One passed the 10K mark. Eminem and Jay-Z are neck and neck and Drizzy Drake is almost at 400K. A couple big releases later this year are Little Brother’s final album, Leftback and Meth, Ghost and Rae’s Wu-Massacre. Hopefully they will do at least 60K first week. Until next time……
Sorry for the evening post but I wanted to update everyone with some weekly numbers before the night was up. Sade and Jaheim held tight up top. Black Eyed Peas are STILL “selling out” of the stores and Miss Keys is holding on strong too. Check the top
Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)
Rank
Artist
Album
This Week
Est. Total
1
Sade
Soldier Of Love
190,000
694,000
3
Black Eyed Peas
The E.N.D.
65,000
2,131,000
5
Lil Wayne
Rebirth
58,000
324,000
7
Alicia Keys
Element of Freedom
39,000
1,078,000
8
Jaheim
Another Round
36,000
148,000
And for the bottom.
Rank
Artist
Album
This Week
Est. Total
32
Jay-Z
Blueprint 3
16,000
1,631,000
45
Eminem
Relapse
14,000
1,853,000
61
Freeway & Jake One
The Stimulus Package
9,000
9,100
163
Mathematics
Return of the Wu & Friends
3,400
3,400
200
Galactic
Ya-Ka-May
2,700
7,800
Freeway and Jake One dropped their album, The Stimulus Package under the Rhymesayers imprint and failed to bring hope back to hip hop fans. Mathematics, who is a Wu-Tang affiliate also dropped an album, Return of the Wu & Friends and moved 3,4oo. I have higher hopes for the Raekwon, Method Man and Ghostface album, Wu-Masscre as well as Little Brother’s final album, Leftback. I guess I’ll wait until they drop. Shout out to Sade for coming back very strong. Until next week…..
Fail on my part for posting this so late but here are the weekly sales numbers. The only major release was from perhaps the hottest artist on the planet, Lil Wayne. His highly anticipated album, Rebirth dropped on February 2nd. With two singles/videos and a lot of mixed feelings, Rebirth finally came out despite the setbacks. He debuted at number 2 moving just over 175K in his first week. Considering how well Carter III sold and his current hype, I would call this disappointing. However, 175K in a week is still pretty solid in these current times. I bet his No Ceilings mixtape had over a million downloads in a few days. Here is the top.
Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)
Rank
Artist
Album
This Week
Est. Total
2
Lil Wayne
Rebirth
176,000
176,000
5
Various Artists
2010 Grammy Nominees
71,000
165,000
6
Black Eyed Peas
The E.N.D.
70,000
1,999,000
11
Michael Jackson’s
This Is It
35,000
1,439,000
13
Alicia Keys
Element of Freedom
34,000
1,000,000
And for the bottom.
Rank
Artist
Album
This Week
Est. Total
28
Young Money
We Are Young Money
21,000
291,000
30
Jay-Z
Blueprint 3
19,000
1,597,000
34
Eminem
Relapse
18,000
1,824,000
53
Drake
So Far Gone
12,000
369,000
69
50 Cent
Before I Self Destruct
8,500
387,000
Young Money is staying strong on the charts with Wayne, We Are Young Money and Drake still moving units. Alicia Keys hit platinum and Black Eyed Peas are still murdering people. Until next week, enjoy your weekend and go cop that Sade album. I heard it’s amazing.
Sorry I slacked yesterday on updating everyone with the weekly numbers. It will NEVER happen again. I promise(singing Jagged Edge’s song). Anyway, here are the weekly numbers. Not really anything exciting happening except Hope For Haiti now is still moving units. Corraine Bailey Rae debuted selling just over 50K, Michael Jackson’s This Is It is still sitting up top and Alicia Keys is ALMOST platinum. Here is the top.
Rank
Artist
Album
This Week
Est. Total
2
Various Artists
Hope For Haiti Now
143,000
314,000
6
Michael Jackson’s
This Is It
55,000
1,404,000
7
Corinne Bailey Rae
The Sea
53,000
53,000
10
Black Eyed Peas
The E.N.D.
40,000
1,929,000
11
Alicia Keys
Element of Freedom
37,000
965,000
And for the bottom.
Rank
Artist
Album
This Week
Est. Total
28
Young Money
We Are Young Money
19,000
270,000
40
Jay-Z
Blueprint 3
14,000
1,578,000
41
Eminem
Relapse
14,000
1,805,000
85
Kid Cudi
Man On The Moon: The End Of Day
6,600
289,000
86
50 Cent
Before I Self Destruct
6,600
379,000
I look forward to seeing how many units Sade can next week. Her new album Soldier of Love drops February 9th. Until next week stay tuned.
This is my first post from Los Angeles. I touched down last night and am greeted today by beautiful weather and a trip to VIP Records in Long Beach. Some of you may remember VIP from Snoop’s video, What’s My Name? Here is the video just to remind you. We road around bumping the Twinz album, Conversation while enjoying the sunshine.
Anyway, here are the weekly numbers. MTV’s Hope For Haiti project topped the charts at number one moving just under 175K. The 2010 Grammy Nominations CD moved just under 50K while Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige and Black Eyed Peas stay up top. Here’s the top.
Nothing surprising here. The produced RJD2 sold some pretty miniscule numbers but I bet he sells more at his shows then in the stores. I can imagine it is pretty hard to find that album at your local Best Buy. I want to remind everyone that I will be rocking in Los Angeles at The Mint this Sunday, January 31st. Anyone in the area please come out and support. I hear that it is cold and snowy in Chicago. I can’t say that I miss home just yet. Until next week……
January is half over and the numbers keep “rolling” in. Only one, “noteworthy” album dropped last week. Omarion’s Ollusion came out and it was clear that NOBODY cared. Well, 19,000 people cared. I have been having an internal struggle because a part of me really wants to hear the album but I feel like I already know it’s gonna be horrible. Ack Right or whatever his single is, is kind of dope I guess. Anyway, it’s amazing that Black Eyed Peas are STILL moving more units that most people. Alicia Keys is still creeping towards platinum status, Mary J. Blige is still doing pretty well and Young Money is sticking around. Here is the top.
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
1,855,00
13
Rihanna
Rated R
24,000
550,000
18
Young Money
We Are Young Money
21,000
23o,000
And for the bottom.
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
I’m not sure why people aren’t rushing out to by Clipse album but are STILL supporting Blueprint 3. Wait, dumb statement. Teenage girls aren’t bumping the Clipse like that. Oh well. Stay tuned until next week. Hopefully Omarion can move a few more units before he gets dropped again.
Another week is upon us and the numbers are in. As always, shout out to HipHopDx for keeping a player current in this wonderful world of sales figures. Not much has changed since last week, Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige stay on top. Black Eyed Peas are still moving more units per week than most artists period. And Young Money and Rihanna sold just over 25K. Here are the top steppers
Eminem and Jay are still doing pretty well. It looks like even with radio and tv on his side, Gucci Mane won’t hit gold any time soon. And Wale is slowing trying to reach 100k. Stay tuned until next week. Make sure you download both Roots’ projects. They are ill.
The weekly numbers are in thanks to HipHopDx. There isn’t really any exciting news or surprises. Black Eyed Peas and Eminem still continue to move units while Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige are still holding on up top. Young Money is doing alrigh too but I wonder if they are disappointed especially with the hype surround Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Drake? Check out the top.
It looks like Gucci Mane is really falling off after a few weeks. Wale continues to climb slowly to that 100K mark. Let’s help him hit it. Stay tuned for next weeks numbers.
