If headlines are anything to go by, controversial Kanye West hasn’t had much to smile about of late.
However, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) released news to the contrary today.
The rapper’s latest album ‘Yeezus’ has been officially certified Platinum in the US.
Details after the jump…
Taking to Twitter, the industry juggernaut wrote:
Congratulations to @kanyewest on his 7th @RIAA #Platinum album award for ‘Yeezus” – he’s 7 for 7! W @DefJamRecords
— RIAA (@RIAA) January 15, 2014
The impressive feat brings West’s tally of Platinum albums to seven out of seven. {Editorial note: Solo, the rapper has released 6 LP’s. 2010’s ‘Watch The Throne’ with Jay-Z features in the overall count}
*******
It is worth noting, though, that the certification is for the shipment of one million units…not sales.
To date, ‘Yeesuz’ has sold 630,000 copies in the US – after debuting with 327,000 last June. Viewed in this context, the album doesn’t quite appear to be the raging success it may seem like on the surface. After all, in the seven months since its release, it’s only just doubling its first week figures. Shocking, as its total sales are the usual first week bench-mark for previous efforts.
Still, congratulations….?
![Did You Miss It? Erykah Badu Reflects on #Beyhive Attack After Claiming Beyonce Copied Her: "They Gon Tear Me Up [For Talking About This]"](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/beyhive-jay-z-beyonce-cowboy-carter-act-ii-thatgrapejuice-2024-erykah-badu-464x260.jpg "Did You Miss It? Erykah Badu Reflects on #Beyhive Attack After Claiming Beyonce Copied Her: \"They Gon Tear Me Up [For Talking About This]\".")
Bearly.
But it’s sold less than 700K.
Its gonna struggle to sell a million in the US like Roman reloaded and Born to die, Artpop has already sold 650k in the US within less then 2 months.
Roman Reloaded sold a similar figure two months in, at around 600k, as ARTPOP. As of mid- 2013 it was north of 900k but no updates have been given. So there’s definitely potential for it to reach 1M. Even if it has taken 2+ years. I see the same sort of sales pattern for Gaga, there both great artists and deserve it.
@Applause Chartflop will struggle too. The only reason it probably sold that much is because of massive discounts (since the day it was released) and the holiday season.
See: it dropping like a rock this week and selling 9K.
Took long enough. He pulled more publicity stunts than gaga & miley combined.
@Rosie
Did you see FartFlop’s 9K this week? Giving me a Ciara teas tbh.. Only difference Ciara would never slash the price so low
Daddy GayGay is just something else
And her stans dare come for Lordna and her 5M album
@APPLAUSE Meanwhile PRISM is already Platinum. Have a seat.
@Rosie, you are right, but i think they counted the 500k google free downloads, that´s why it went platinum.
This album deserves to sell well over 1 million; in fact it needs to be a diamond selling album.
The album is truly amazing and absolutely different from most of the rap albums to have come out in the 2000-present era.
Kanye is a genius; he’s underrated.
What is Def Jam waiting on to certify Music Of The Sun platinum and GGGB triple platinum???
Lord knows they are closer than Yeezus.
Congrats to Kanye tho.
He s the last genius left in the music business right now…
Congrats! LegendYe has 6 #1 albums & all of them are at least platinum plus. I’m sure this one will end up doing the same! I’m sure the next album will be another multi-platinum commercial success (and those people that prefer that style on him will be pleased). I’m just glad that Ye has always been a real quality ARTIST! I respect his genius!
@Tutesy Oh. That makes sense.
@H2O I posted about Fadga’s 9K last night but I think Sam deleted my comment. Absolute DEATH at it selling only 3K more than Godna, who is in her 102nd week with no current single out. Not to mention the total struggle it’s been going through on iTunes since the discount ended.
iTunes USA:
56. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
91. Lady Gaga – Artpop
I personally got my free copy via Google Play giveaway because I would have to be deaf to spend a cent on it.
Yeezus is trash. His worst album.
Thank you yeezus!
Congrats Yeezus. IMO One of his best album. He is speaking the truth on Yeezus. Some get it, others don’t.
I actually like the album. What’s funny is how this site rarely recognizes hip-hop unless it’s to slander an artist. Stick to
What the “girls” want to talk about (women singers) bc anything else can’t be taken seriously from any of the writers on this site. For the record, Kanye west albums was sitting on top or in the top of many year end chart list. Also, kanye west latest album was the most pirated Hip Hop album. Somebody’s listening to his music.
HE IS AN ANNOYING DIVA
This album was no worse than a lot of the s*** I hear on a regular basis, in fact it had messages in EVERY song besides “bound 2” and “Send it Up” Alicia Keys album has been certified Plat, despite it only selling 700k
This album was far from memorable though
@TGJ
Make a post, Katy announced major US tour dates with Tegan and Sara, Kacey Musgraves, and Capital Cities…
US Prismatic World Tour dates:
6/22/14 Raleigh, NC: PNC Arena
6/24/14 Washington, DC: Verizon Center
6/27/14 Nashville, TN: Bridgestone Arena
6/28/14 Atlanta, GA: Philips Arena
6/30/14 Tampa, FL: Tampa Bay Times Forum
7/2/14 Sunrise, FL: BB&T Center
7/3/14 Miami, FL: AmericanAirlines Arena
7/9/14 New York, NY: Madison Square Garden
7/11/14 Newark, NJ: Prudential Center
7/15/14 Montreal, QC: Bell Centre
7/16/14 Ottawa, ON: Canadian Tire Centre
7/18/14 Toronto, ON: Air Canada Centre
7/22/14 Pittsburgh, PA: CONSOL Energy Center
7/24/14 Brooklyn, NY: Barclays Center
8/1/14 Boston, MA: TD Garden
8/4/14 Philadelphia, PA: Wells Fargo Center
8/7/14 Chicago, IL: United Center
8/10/14 Grand Rapids, MI: Van Andel Arena
8/11/14 Auburn Hills, MI: The Palace of Auburn Hills
8/13/14 Columbus, OH: Nationwide Arena
8/14/14 Cleveland, OH: Quicken Loans Arena
8/16/14 Louisville, KY: KFC Yum! Center
8/17/14 St. Louis, MO: Scottrade Center
8/19/14 Kansas City, MO: Sprint Center
8/20/14 Lincoln, NE: Pinnacle Bank Arena
8/22/14 Minneapolis, MN: Target Center
8/23/14 Fargo, ND: FARGODOME
8/26/14 Winnipeg, MB: MTS Centre
8/28/14 Saskatoon, SK: Credit Union Centre
8/29/14 Calgary, AB: Scotiabank Saddledome
8/31/14 Edmonton, AB: Rexall Place
9/9/14 Vancouver, BC: Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
9/12/14 Portland, OR: Moda Center
9/13/14 Tacoma, WA: Tacoma Dome
9/16/14 Anaheim, CA: Honda Center
9/19/14 Los Angeles, CA: STAPLES Center
9/22/14 San Jose, CA: SAP Center
9/25/14 Glendale, AZ: Jobing.com Arena
9/26/14 Las Vegas, NV: MGM Grand Garden Arena
9/29/14 Salt Lake City, UT: EnergySolutions Arena
9/30/14 Denver, CO: Pepsi Center
10/2/14 Dallas, TX: American Airlines Center
10/5/14 Memphis, TN: FedExForum
10/6/14 Tulsa, OK: BOK Center
10/8/14 New Orleans, LA: New Orleans Arena
10/10/14 Houston, TX: Toyota Cente
Yesss read flopga! Artpop is the flop of the century, trashy Edm mess, I expected much much more from gaga
why are using my name b****
I f**** with kanye, I like the fact that he’s a cocky motherfugger..and unlike all those basic rappers who can only rap about h***,b****** and how much money they so call have…
kanye is a genius…yes I know he lost a lot of fans because of kim kadarshian..but who gives a s*** who he’s f******?
yeezus isn’t his best, but I blast it all the time…and as for his numbers, umm how many rappers are actually doing those numbers?
wayne, eminem, drake,? those three always kills the rap game when it comes to sales..
now riddle me this batman, how come when it comes to other artists going platinum, it’s always, they didn’t sell a million, a million was shipped
but let it be somebody who’s ass they’re kissing all the damn time…when they go platinum it’s not shipments, they actually sold 1 million…
sometimes it’s hard to determine how much a person actually sold, because of how much the company shipped..
I don’t trust billboard, media traffic,soundscan..back in the days music was based on talent..now all you have to do to get a hit song or album is payola..
The RIAA can do certifications based on either shipments or sales, it’s really up to the record label to choose which one they would rather do.
Interscope could get Artpop a platinum certification right now, and Lana could’ve had one a long time ago, but usually Interscope does their certifications based on actual sales.
However, if a label wants to go platinum based on sales as soon as possible, it must be at 950K sold in the US (where Lana will be in two-three weeks since she’s at ~940K right now).
@RATEDXXX
B**** IS JAZMINE RELEASING AN ALBUM THIS YEAR? #SERIOUSQUESTION. SHE WAS MY MAIN B**** FROM 08-10 OTHER THAN BEYONCE. THE GAME NEEDS HER RIGHT NOW
Born to die struggled for two years to go platinum. smh Rosie sit down h**.
And two out of Cierror’s last three albums have been out for 4+ years and still haven’t sold 500K combined. You’re the one who needs to take a seat here, especially since your fave’s last album fell out of the charts in less than two months.
iTunes USA:
50. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
92. Lady Gaga – Artpop
125. Lana Del Rey – Paradise
255. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die: The Paradise Edition
450. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die (Deluxe Edition)
936. Ciara – Ciara
Whatever. Sam Beyonce and Jay opening up the grammys. Im surprised u slow on this.
kanye west is a grown ass man acting like a little b**** all the time!! he I the most arrogant and obnoxious and full of him self person in the world!!! and to top it off he thinks he is god smh… boy please sit down somewhere , he is no genius he is a asshole and people are tired of him and it clearly shows with his album sales!!!
kanye west is a grown ass man acting like a little b**** all the time!! he I the most arrogant and obnoxious and full of him self person in the world!!! and to top it off he thinks he is god smh… boy please sit down somewhere , he is no genius he is a asshole and peopleare tired of him and it clearly shows with his album sales!!!,,,,
And?? Who gives a sh*t..
Sam doesn’t your cross eyed ass Stan for that clown Nicki?
Why you shading shipments when that b**** did the same exact thing? Girl bye
Say what you want but this man is a genious. I´m not into rap like that, but he is amazing. Arrogant or not. Most of you stay focused on hype and what´s cool or not. Really sad. How can Taylor Swift become a better seller than this man? Oh right, she´s “cool” in the media´s eyes. That said it doesn´t look like the album will surpass the million mark, maybe in a few years if his catalogue keeps selling.
I love Lana del Rey´s music, since day one. Why is it that her two stans on this site can´t leave a comment without mentioning Lady Gaga? Like it´s truly absurd. Nobody is even putting them against each other anywhere. They are so damn different. I don´t get it. Comparing her sales THIS week to Ciara´s first is absurd too. Artpop is underperforming and with the typical level of bashing the media and a part of the public like to display when something declines a bit, I doubt its commercial journey will change. She´ll have other eras. But like in Kanye´s case, the album is better than most and she´s definitely more talented than most. If Artpop is the flop of the century, I know about several albums from this same year which are the flops of the millenium then.
*plays Cola by Lana del Rey*
Big debut then a HOT MESS….that’s the reason H*** will stay mad @ Rihicon cause the kween is CONSISTANT. #DEAL
As much as I admire Kanye West(One of my fave MC’s) this album wasn’t his best body of work.. to me but Congrats anyways… p.s. Happy Bday to one of my Idol that I truly stan for Aaliyah
After 7 months? Hahaha. Beyonce got that in 2 weeks.
uhh^ we are talking about a rap album you dumb f***^ they don’t sell as fast as pop albums.