Jay-Z is back on top with 4:44, his fourteenth albums to claim the #1 spot. Behind him is another newcomer to the charts, Issa Album by 21 Savage. Kendrick Lamar takes #3, DJ Khaled takes #4, and Drake takes #10 to round out the top ten hip-hop releases. With Bruno Mars, 2 Chainz, Post Malone, Khalid and SZA in the top 20, it's a pretty great week for rap music.
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1) JAY-Z — 4:44: Jay-Z’s formerly Tidal-only release has now found its way on iTunes and Apple Music. The record clocks 262,296 TAEU and 173,728 sales, and it's the 14th Jay-Z album to go #1 on the Billboard 200. Jay-Z holds the record for most #1 albums, with Bruce Springsteen and Barbra Streisand tied in second place.
2) 21 Savage — Issa Album: Getting caught right behind one of the most successful musical artists of all time is no easy feat, but the ATLien was able to do it without any features. The 14-track LP records 76,561 TAEU and 21,819 sales.
3) Kendrick Lamar — DAMN.: Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. hits #3 this week, with 53,860 TAEU and 12,594 sales. It's the same spot he was in last week, and a really great space given the fact that the record has been out for thirteen weeks now.
4) DJ Khaled — Grateful: DJ Khaled's insanely star-studded album was at #1 last week, but has since slipped back into the #4 spot. With features by Jay-Z, Beyonce, Drake, Rihanna, and many more, the album tallies 50,204 TAEU and 7,856 sales. Khaled also holds the #2 and #3 songs on the Hot 100.
5) Drake — More Life: At #10 is Drake's More Life playlist. Featuring the likes of Young Thug, Skepta, and Travis Scott, the release has floated around the top 10 for seventeen weeks now, adding 28,768 TAEU and 1,133 sales.
6) Bruno Mars — 24K Magic: Coming in the #11 spot is Bruno Mars with 24K Magic, his third studio album. With 28,086 TAEU and 10,886 sales, the nine-track effort may clock in at a meager half-hour, but with smash singles like "24K Magic" and "That's What I Like", it's enough to lock in a 34-week run in the upper echelon of the charts.
7) 2 Chainz — Pretty Girls Like Trap Music: The most recent album from 2 Chainz is at the #12 spot this week, jumping back from last week’s #6 position. Pretty Girls Like Trap Music is a fitting title, as the Atlanta rapper has the tendency to be rather hilarious on the microphone, even when he's kicking a string of braggadocios rhymes. This week, the album lays claim to 27,259 TAEU and 5,208 sales.
8) Khalid — American Teen: Sliding from #11 to #13 is Khalid's American Teen, his debut album featuring the hits "Location" and "Saved". The Texas R&B star clocks 26,231 TAEU and 3,093 sales as the record celebrates nineteen weeks on the charts.
9) Post Malone — Stoney: Post Malone's debut album has been greatly successful thus far, and continues to thrive in the #14 spot. With 25,854 TAEU and 1,598 sales, the album still has gas even thirty-one weeks after its release. Kudos Post!
10) SZA — CTRL: The much-anticipated debut from SZA is locked into the #15 spot this week, just a couple slots behind the #13 spot of last week. CTRL, out on Top Dawg Entertainment, clocked 24,350 TAEU and 4,240 sales this time around.
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While "Despacito" holds strong to the #1 position, DJ Khaled's "Wild Thoughts" certainly seems to be picking up momentum on the radio and streaming services. With “Wild Thoughts” at #2 and "I'm The One" is at #3, DJ Khaled is having pretty great week. French Montana's "Unforgettable" enters in at the #9 position, and Jay-Z doesn't have any tracks until the #23 position with "The Story of O.J.” Still, the Jigga Man does have nine songs total on the Hot 100 now that 4:44 has entered the Billboard fold.