Rap Albums on The Billboard Chart

Whiz Khalifa's latest album, Rolling Papers sold 59,000 copies this week, bringing the total sales of the album in 2 weeks to 257,000 copies. That is half way to GOLD status; i wish him luck on getting to 500k copies sold.

Jim Jones just dropped a new album titled Capo, and he did 21,000 in stores after a full week. I never even really heard about this album; that is all i can say about it.

Lupe Fiasco's Lasers sold 17k, this week, and is now at a total of 320,000 copies sold. Snoops Doggumentary sold 14,000 copies this week, bringing the total after 2 weeks to 64,000 copies sold.

Reakwon's Shaolin vs Wu-Tang album sold 2,700 copies this week, bringing the total sales to 52,000 copies sold.

Jay-Z and Gwyneth Paltrow Discuss

Apparently, Jay-Z is working on a new lifestyle website, and he got together with actress, Gwyneth Paltrow to discuss interests they have in common. Hmm! It is cool that jay is no longer ghetto, and he is making all these big moves, but what would his old fans think of all this...anyway, i think he has made it clear on the path he has chosen to take.

Below is more on the time they spent together.

Last Week, Jay-Z celebrated the launch of his new culture and lifestyle website Life and Times. Now, to usher in the launch, Hov has linked up with Gwyneth Paltrow, star of films like Iron Man and Se7en and wife of his "Beach Chairs" collaborator Chris Martin, to interview each other for their respective websites.

Paltrow's interview of Hov begins with him explaining his recent Internet endeavor. Although he's shyed away from social media networks like Twitter and Facebook in the past, Jay said that he's always wanted to to start a website that covers interesting and sometimes off-beat issues.

"I started working on it in its various incarnations over a year ago," he explained. "I've thought about it forever. You know how it works, seeing other sites and being either inspired or saying, 'That's shit. I would do it like'...there is a basic metric for what we cover but, more importantly, I believe it's how we cover it. The DNA is to basically let the subject speak for itself. We don't want to tell you what to think. As far as how personal? I would say it has to pique my interest."

During Jay's interview for his site, Paltrow revealed that she has been an avid Hip Hop fan for the majority of her adult life. She explained that not only is she a fan of acts like revered Public Enemy and LL Cool J, but that she is obsessed with N.W.A. She even said that at one point, she knew every lyric that Eazy-E, MC Ren, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre rhymed on their seminal debut Straight Outta Compton.

"I first was exposed to hip-hop when I was about 16 [in 1988] by some boys who went to collegiate," she explained to Hov. "The Beastie Boys were sort of the way in for us preppie kids. We were into Public Enemy, Run-DMC and LL Cool J. But then I went to LA the summer between my junior and senior year of high school and I discovered N.W.A., which became my obsession. I was fascinated by lyrics as rhythm and how [Dr.] Dre had a such different cadence and perspective from say, Eazy-E, who I thought was one of the most ironic and brilliant voices Hip Hop has ever had. It was an accident that I learned every word of Straight Outta Compton and to love something that a.) I had no real understanding of in terms of the culture that it was emanating from and b.) to love something that my parents literally could not grasp. But I was hooked. I can’t remember what I ate for dinner last night but I could sing to you every single word of N.W.A’s 'Fuck Tha Police' or [Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock's] 'It Takes Two.' Go figure.

Nas and Damian Marley- Land of Promise Video

I just copied the the link to the Nas and Damian Marley new video, Land of The Promise, off the Distant Relatives Video. I was really glad to see this video up, after seeing the video for Sabali (patience), just last month. Finally, the album is getting some recognition through all this videos.land of promise

Check out the video and tell me what you feel. This one, and sabali were both shot in Afrrica. Both artist are on a worldwide tour, and are in Africa right now. 

Rap Albums on Billboard Charts

New comer, Whiz Khalifa is at the top this week, selling 198,000 copies of his new album, Rolling Papers. His is the second biggest selling rap album opening for this year- lupe fiasco's lasers sold 204k copies in it's first week last month. I still love that Black And Yellow song, but i have not really heard enough material from him to say much about him.

Snoop Dogg is next with his new album, Doggumentary, which sold 51,000 copies after 7 days in stores. I think his sales have been on the low lately, so this isn't really a surprise. Old rappers don't sell that much anymore, even when they try to align with new rappers...maybe asides from Jay-Z, and maybe Nas. Busta Rhymes tries so hard, and still doesn't move huge units. When i say old rappers, i am referring to rappers that started rapping during the Biggie and Pac Era...the early 90's.

Lupe Fiasco's Laser's album sold 23,000 copies this week, bringing the total to 303,000 copies sold after a month in stores. I hope he can make it to 500k, because it would be disappointing for him to have a big first week sales and not make it to GOLD status.

Sorry, but i do not see what people like about this next artist- E-40. Anyway, his new double CD...or more liek two separate CD's that dropped the same day last week sold a cumulative 27,000 copies. Revenue Retrieving; Graveyard shift sold 14k, and Revenue Retrieving; Overtime Shift sold 13k.

Reakwon's Shaolin vs Wu-Tang sold 4,600 copies this week, bringing the total to 50k sold so far. And Pharoache Monch' W.A.R (We Are Renegades) album sold 4k this week, and is now at a total of 14,000 copies sold.

Who's Hot, And Who's Not

I got to know from you guys- who is hot in hiphop right now, and who is not? There is a lot of talk about rick ross being the hottest right now, and i think i can buy that, but i want to hear from you guys. Please, remember that i said HOT, not the most lyrical or the person who has sold the most rap albums, but just plain simple- who's hot.

I know people will still get me wrong and start mentioning eminem, and jay-z and them. When last did you hear a song from those guys on the radio? And when was the last time they featured on someone else's track and made an impression. I just want to know who you think is hot right now.

I would like to mention some other people that are on the scene and making waves. Nicki Minaj still has her buzz from last year, although i can't say it is on the level it was last year. Maybe lil kim was right- maybe she is just a burning match. But, i think otherwise, because she is very versatile, and skilled.

Lil Wayne? I still don't get that his 6 foot 7 foot song- i think it is not hot  enough to be an album single- and the first single at that. But he is still moving units from his EP I Am Not A Human Being, so that gives you an idea that people are still waiting on new material from him.

Drake? I don't know...i guess he is just aight right now. But i do believe he still has a lot to give.

Whiz Khalifa is definitely hot right now, and his album just dropped- Rolling Papers. I haven't gotten it yet, so i can not rate it. I am going to know how much it did in its first week in stores today. But already, estimations don't put him above the first week of lasers.

Yeah, that takes me to LUPE FIASCO. Lupe is not the type to jump on so many songs, because of his style, but he is doing pretty good. The official first single off the album (LASERS) "The Show Goes On" has already been certified GOLD; that means it has sold 500,000 copies as a single. I think that is pretty good. So, as for this year, Lupe Fiasco still has the highest selling rap album- that is for rap albums that dropped this year.

Yeah, you got to mention the guy who put lupe on- Kanye West. Kanye still has the buzz from last year, but i was really thinking he was going to own the first quarter of this year with that ALL OF THE LIGHTS track. That track is a banger, and i thought it would performance better than it is doing so far.

Wale is also hot, and a lot of people are complaining about his move to Rick Ross's Maybach Music imprint. Me, i think it is a smart move. He signed with the label this year, and he is already everywhere...i am just happy he is not going to end up like J.Cole. Cole has a lot of talent, but i guess jay-z does not have his time, because seriously, he is meant to have dropped his album by now. I guess the Roc Nation is not going to be as strong as jay planned it to be.

I got to mention my man GAME, even though he is more or less bubbling under the radar. He has been dropping dope mixtapes for the last 24 months or so, but i think we need an album from him, so he needs to work on that. He was widely complemented on the dopeness of his last mixtape- Purp and Patron, which was a double cd mixtape. I downloaded it and i got to say it was beyond what i expected from game. But, i think he needs to focus more on getting his album out.

Okay, those are all the artist i recognize...artist that made my radar, pls feel free to add yours. Thank you.

Mobb Deep and Nas on New Collabo Track

It is wonderful to know that Mobb Deep and Nas can actually work together again after feuding for considerable number of years. Back in 2001, it was a crazy war...Jay-Z was going at Nas and Mobb Deep, Nas was going at Jay-Z and Mobb Deep (more at Prodigy than havoc), and Mobb Deep was going at Jay-Z and Nas. It was just really crazy, but what surprised me was the Mobb Deep going at Nas issue. I have always been a nas fan and became a mobb deep fan because of the collabos they did together...LIVE NIGGER RAP on Nas's It Was Written album back in 1996, and on that same album, havoc did the hook of a track titled The Set up...Then you had them together twice in 1999; first on Mobb Deeps Murda Muzik album on a track titled It's Mine, and later on Nas's 4th album, Nastradamus on a track called FAMILY.

When i now heard about the beef, i could not believe it, because they had always been good together. And when mobb deep signed with 50 cent, who was going at nas at the time, Prodigy continued throwing shorts at nas. I am glad nas didn't reply him. Anyway, it is all good now, and they have a track together titled "dog shit". Prodigy just got out of jail last month, and has been doing a lot of collabs...i guess getting locked can make you reflect on your life.

Click on the link to listen to the track- mobb deep ft nas- dog shit

Game Needs 50 cent- That is What Sha Money XL is saying

Producer Sha Money XL, at a recent interview said that Game needs 50 cent at this point in his career. I think the reason people keep saying this is because they made beautiful music together, and the songs they made became big hits. But i do not think that game really needs them...he might need a formula for making a banger...like a club/radio smash, but not necessarily 50 cent. Before game went back to Interscope and started having problem with getting a release date for his album, he was doing good. Doctor's Advocate was dope...L.A.X was super dope, even though it sold the least from his 3 albums.

Read what sha had to say below-

"Game is cool, I think he just needs me," Sha said in an interview with radio host EI8HT. "I gave him 'Hate It Or Love It,' I gave him that record. He needs 50 [Cent], he needs us, he needs a Unit. And you see he tried to make a play to get back to us. I hand delivered that record, 'Hate It Or Love It,' so he just needs that banger and he'll be all right. He can rap but he needs to stop shouting out so many names in the songs and just rap. He's got that sh*t. He comes with it, but, he's like Nas, they don't pick the right beats sometimes." ("Street Disciplez Radio")

Why do people keep saying nas selects bad beets? Well, if he does and can still be TOP FIVE DEAD OR ALIVE, then he is something else. Back to game, i think he needs to drop that album a.s.a.p. What the hell is he waiting for?