Hip Hop Isn’t Dead : Nas Scores Sixth #1 Album

Published: Wednesday 25th Jul 2012 by David

In an age where the likes of Lionel Richie, Lady GaGa, Drake and Taylor Swift continue to wow fans with record breaking sales figures, to suggest ‘music doesn’t sell anymore’ is without a doubt an inaccurate conclusion.

For, as further proof that consumers only purchase the music they believe in, today saw Nas join an elite group of acts enjoying the fruits of their commercial labor in the face of the industry’s downtown.

Find out how below…

By way of 149,000  units, the Rapper’s latest LP ‘Life Is Good’ is now sitting pretty atop the Billboard 200, marking his sixth time atop the tally.

Exceeding expectations by 24,000 copies, the album is also #1 on the R&B/ Hip Hop album chart, outselling Frank Ocean‘s ‘Channel Orange’ which pulled a cool 54,000 units in its second week of release.

Our two cents:

Clearly benefiting focusing their efforts on pushing the album and not its lead single, here’s hoping his first week success encourages more entertainers to follow suit- instead of placing all their eggs in the Hot 100 basket.

For, it should be noted that many of the last year’s highest moves ( ‘Take Care’ , ‘Roman Reloaded,’Tuskegee‘) have all soared on the album’s front while stalling on a singles tip.

A sign, that $10 spent on an LP will always be worth more than $1 spent on a three minute single.

Congratulations!

Your thoughts?

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  1. ENOUGH ONIKA July 25, 2012

    I never thought hip hop was dead, it was the QUALITY of hip hop that was dying. Nas isn’t one of those “hip-hop” artists who follows the latest clear channel trend (fill in any rap artist here). He brings forth that real music which is blowing up the hot 100..

    • Im July 25, 2012

      so wasn’t he collabing and co-signing them clear channel trend rappers who u are here downplaying,stay there thinking nas is doing all this off is name and is fans only,u are ignorant…anyways gratz to him.

      • ENOUGH ONIKA July 25, 2012

        Um who the f*ck cares if he does a collabo or cosigns any other artist who chooses to follow a trend, hell thats where all your moneys probably going so why not profit off it if someone wants to feature him, helps his brand. But “HIS” albums don’t follow in that trend and thats what I was saying “ignorant.” Learn to comprehend and stop trying to create drama by pretending to be insightful when your an idiot.

      • ENOUGH ONIKA July 25, 2012

        Plus i don’t care who he’s doing the music for, if it’s good music, I’ll purchase.

  2. TEAM BREEZY COME GET YOUR MAN! July 25, 2012

    “Exceeding expectations by 24,000 copies, ”

    SMH. That’s a damn shame. Not 240k copies, but 24, 000 copies. the internet has really killed music sales. pretty soon, selling 5000 copies the 1st week will be considered a major feat.

    oh, and I see that rihanna shade: “A sign, that $10 spent on an LP will always be worth more than $1 spent on a three minute single.” Riri might not have #1 albums or sell a lot in the 1st week, but her albums have legs and end up doing well sales-wise. Maybe not Adele numbers, but enough to keep her signed to Def Jam and make her the most popular artist in the media.

    • Jayla July 25, 2012

      get a life, too much time on your hands to be typing that much

    • danforth July 25, 2012

      who cares what rihanna sold. i’m tired of these dumb stan wars about record sells. record sells are determind by who the machine markets best that’s all. nas is an old head. he don’t care abt that.

  3. TEAM BREEZY COME GET YOUR MAN! July 25, 2012

    “Exceeding expectations by 24,000 copies, ”

    SMH. That’s a damn shame. Not 240k copies, but 24, 000 copies. the internet has really killed music sales. pretty soon, selling 5000 copies the 1st week will be considered a major feat.

    oh, and I see that rihanna shade: “A sign, that $10 spent on an LP will always be worth more than $1 spent on a three minute single.” Riri might not have #1 albums or sell a lot in the 1st week, but her albums have legs and end up doing well sales-wise. Maybe not Adele numbers, but enough to keep her signed to Def Jam and make her the most popular artist in the media.

    • TEAM BREEZY COME GET YOUR MAN! July 25, 2012

      OOPS! DOUBLE POST! SORRY!

  4. JJFan1814 July 25, 2012

    I’m surprised TGJ hasn’t hopped on Rih’s d*** today and posted how she broke her toe while bartending recently…..

    HMMM!!

    • danforth July 25, 2012

      did she really? oh well. i see you like jj. that’s my girl i hope the family pulls it together.

    • RICHANDBLACK11(JUST LIKE BEY) July 25, 2012

      good for that s*** lmao

  5. ASAP (As Sincere As Possible) July 25, 2012

    Great title, TGJ.

    The album is one of Nas’ best. It’s the best rap album of 2012! I’m so glad he sold 150k, that’s one of the best opening week numbers this year so far. And it’s not just about the fact that he made it without any Hot 100 hits. It’s mostly about slaying the albums chart without airplay. None of his singles were played by urban radio, yet he sold five times more than some of the “artists” who get top 5 urban hits all the time. Congratulations!

    • Im July 25, 2012

      you making it sound like nas was underground and no one was hearing from him and he just out of the blue release this album without any promo and put them numbers up,nas bin working with certain people collabing with certain hot artist putting is self out there,promoting,don’t you think fans of those artist went out and got is album because nas work with there fav…even though he didn’t have any top hot hits,off the back of is fans alone is name and fans of others ofcourse he was going to do well…..i am just saying,anyways congratz to him it,s a nice album nasty nas.

      • ASAP (As Sincere As Possible) July 25, 2012

        Do you honestly think that people gave 10 dollars to buy Nas’ album because he collaborated with Chris Brown and made a cameo in a Nicki Minaj video? The people who bought it believe in good music and top notch lyrical ability. He released 4 singles and radio didn’t play them and that’s a fact. But he still slayed.

  6. UMo July 25, 2012

    😆
    I bet this was a hard article for you to write Sam. Last week was the official street date for your girl Francine, and yet Nas beat her.

    If I remembering correctly, you were saying that Ocean releasing Channel Orange digitally a week before the street date was brilliant because it would allow him to top the charts for 2 consecutive weeks…as if Zac Brown and Nas just didn’t were going to be competition for the c*** sucker. That didn’t happen did it?

    I love it when you’re wrong. 😉

  7. UMo July 25, 2012

    😆
    I bet this was a hard article for you to write Sam. Last week was the official street date for your girl Francine, and yet Nas beat her.

    If I remembering correctly, you were saying that Ocean releasing Channel Orange digitally a week before the street date was brilliant because it would allow him to top the charts for 2 consecutive weeks…as if Zac Brown and Nas just weren’t going to be competition for your fellow c*** sucker. That didn’t happen did it?

    I love it when you’re wrong. 😉

    • Jayla July 25, 2012

      lol

  8. BitchICan’tEvenSpellWelfare July 25, 2012

    It’s a fantastic album! Loving it!

  9. TAYLOR SWIFTS NUMBER 1 FAN!!! July 25, 2012

    likes that Taylor swift got a mention.

    This year has been poor for first week sales….. -waits for Taylors album-

  10. Casual July 25, 2012

    Nas has a fan base, as does Drake, Nicki Minaj, and especially Lionel Richie. I think it’s a pretty safe bet that nearly all of those sales were from fans who’ve previously bought a Nas album. I think it’s also safe to say the second week numbers aren’t going to look good.

    • Jayla July 25, 2012

      irrelevant post

  11. nicko July 25, 2012

    All I have to say is that “PF:RR” sold over 3OO k in its 1st week

    • Benron (F*** you h**) July 25, 2012

      No it didnt.

      • checory July 25, 2012

        It sure didnt lol

    • truth tea July 25, 2012

      it sold 253k. and it wasnt hip hop.

  12. danforth July 25, 2012

    my nicca nas. i will always be a fan of this great mc. i’m tired of people talking numbers all the time. so what if a cd doesnt sell 300k or goes platinum 1st week. don’t mean its not a good cd. i’m more suspect of quick knee jerk sells anyway.

  13. Benron (F*** you h**) July 25, 2012

    I will say what the Rihanna fans always say “Number one albums are worth nothing” Thesee b****** be over here acting like what number one albums mean sucsess. Nope. Nicki Will not go platinum ,Chris wont go platinum, Nas wont go platinum, but who will go platinum? ROBYN RIHANNA FENTY!

    And jsyk, doesen’t it mean that Frank Ocean is a “flop” HE dint hit number one!

    • truth tea July 25, 2012

      please, nas is a real artist, not a pop gimmicky generic trash bag like your fave.

    • Jessica July 25, 2012

      oh please CRACKANNA only opens her legs to sell records and everyone is trashing her LMAO!!! Look at NO LIE by 2 Chainz and he’s telling the truth!!! Nas doesn’t have to use crack to sell records unlike that w****, NEXT!!!

  14. NICK July 25, 2012

    LOVE IT !!!!!! CONGRATS NAS!!!!

  15. Boss July 25, 2012

    Dope Album .

  16. kelly July 25, 2012

    Sam,

    I see you have this week billboard chart news! Can you tell us where Rita Ora How we do is ? You know that song, the one which was suppose to be a SUMMER SMASH, Snatching wigs and ending careers? Last week is was 67.

  17. antertain July 25, 2012

    Greatness deserves great recognition.
    Happy for my fav rapper

  18. MISHKA July 25, 2012

    Congrats to him.

  19. TeamBreezy July 25, 2012

    Congrats to NAS, but TGJ stop trying to digg into this story and over analyze it …NAS has always had a base and they came out and supported …the END

    #yall be reachin like a motha fucka

  20. aishaaguilerakeys July 25, 2012

    Congrats, Nas !

  21. the real xoxo July 25, 2012

    This is the best hip hop album in years! if it doesnt get a grammy i will give up.

  22. the real xoxo July 25, 2012

    some of these comments are just proof that you kids care more about sales rather than the quality of the music itself. lil waynes carter 4 sold nearly a mill in a week but it was trash! life is good is amazing.

  23. Anne July 25, 2012

    That’s an ok figure considering the lack of promo or a hit, it shows he has somewhat of a base but not a big one. Like I said it’s just ok, TGJ is acting like its impressive but I disagree.

  24. Tbozfan10 July 25, 2012

    When people say “music doesn’t sell” anymore, it’s a figure of speech. They mean in comparison to not all that long ago, I remember in 2002 when I followed music sales very closely. I remember when 100,000 copies sold in a week wouldn’t even get anyone in the top 20 on the billboard 100. Now you see albums in the top tier with sales of around 12,000. My how things have changed.

  25. MH July 25, 2012

    I’m glad, the album is pure bliss. Definitely worth my money.

  26. theman July 26, 2012

    Selling 100,000k previously would get you in the top ten. Now, you surely wouldn’t make with 12-15k in the top ten. Lol thats a gross exaggeration. Again, great music of substantial quality will do well, if promoted properly. These numbers are great for Nas.

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