Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 12/2/2012

December 05, 2012

Alicia Keys takes a #1 spot on her new label, and some interesting numbers. Ghostface Killah & Sheek Louch wave the Wu-Block flag into the Top 100, as Krizz Kaliko lights up the charts for a second time.

In addition to a new #1 on the R&B/Pop side of things, two veteran releases hit the Top 200, as well as another re-packaging of an earlier 2012 album, for the second straight week.

Alicia Keys' fifth album, Girl On Fire, sold over 150,000 units in its first week. This is Keys' first release since J Records, where she was the flagship artist, merged into RCA. In addition to a Nicki Minaj featured appearance, Keys collaborated with husband Swizz Beatz and Dr. Dre on this effort.

The long-discussed Wu-Tang Clan & D-Block collaboration, by way of Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch sold nearly 9,000 first-week copies. The eOne release featured the three active members of D-Block/The LOX, as well as seven original Wu members. Krizz Kaliko's second release of 2012 and first EP slipped into the Top 200. Neh'Mind is the latest in a series of digital EPs from Strange Music's roster.

Finally, following Nicki Minaj's recent re-packaging of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (as The Re-Up), Epic Records' Future re-released Pluto (as Pluto 3D). This pulled the album containing "Same Damn Time" from the bottom of the charts last week at #191 to #63, and increasing weekly sales by over 6,000 units.

Alicia Keys Still Is A Girl Who Can Set The Charts On Fire

Alicia Keys' Girl On Fire took the #1 amidst a crowd of musical ladies including Taylor Swift, Rihanna and P!nk. The New Yorker's latest album features the self-titled hit single as well as the recently-released "Brand New Me." Now with RCA Records, this is Alicia's lowest-selling first week of her career. 2009's The Element Of Freedom sold over 275,000 more copies in its first days at retail. A platinum mainstay, the new label regime behind the the talented vocalist/piano player will be challenged to follow suit in the coming months.

Wu-Block Comes Out

The long-discussed merging behind two New York high-profile Hip Hop groups came to fruition this fall. The Wu-Block project was took official shape when led by Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch, who have toured together multiple times. The Staten Island and Yonkers delegates brought in members of their crews on various songs from the project. Notably absent from the Wu was RZA, both as a vocalist and producer, as well as U-God, while Erykah Badu appeared on the Termanology-produced "Drivin' Around." Other producers of note included Erick Sermon and Red Spyda.