Rapper 50 Cent's album 'Get Rich or Die Trying' hit No. 1
Rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson rode in one of the biggest waves of media hype in recent memory to a stellar No. 1 bow this week, selling more than 872,000 copies of his latest disc "Get Rich Or Die Trying" and leaving all competition in the dust.
Sales number was all the more impressive given that "Get Rich" (Interscope) hit the stores on Thursday --two days after the standard street date for major label releases. That means 50 Cent could boost his numbers even higher in the coming week.
The hip-hop phenom has graced the pages of publications from Vibe to the New York Times in recent weeks. The press and record buyers alike have latched on to Jackson's hard-bitten pedigree on the streets of Queens -- complete with drugs, hustling and a murder attempt that left the burgeoning star bleeding from nine bullet wounds.
His career as a rapper, initiated by an encounter with now-deceased Run DMC member Jam Master Jay and burnished in the world of underground mixtapes in his native Queens, kicked into high gear last year, after superstar Eminem signed him to a million-dollar contract.
This week's perf was also a welcome change for record executives, who have suffered through an extended dry patch in the release schedule over the past month, following the seasonal rush over the holiday selling period.
"Get Rich" eclipsed its nearest competition on the album charts this week -- the Dixie Chicks' multi-platinum smash "Home" -- almost eight times over. The Columbia Records release nevertheless boosted sales by 10% to 114,000 units.
Detroit showman Kid Rock leapt four spots ahead into third place with his latest effort, "Cocky." The Lava/Atlantic release, which enjoyed a sales jump of more than 30% to 104,000, got a boost from the strong performance of Rock's new duet single with Sheryl Crow, "Picture."
Rap vet moves up
Strong airplay also propelled rap veteran LL Cool J's latest effort "10" (Def Jam) to a whopping five-fold sales increase in the latest session, to 66,000 units. Album, which has moved 665,000 copies to date, shot up to nine from 84th place.
After 50 Cent, the best debut of the frame came from Oklahoma country crooner Blake Shelton. His sophomore effort for Warner Bros. Records, entitled "The Dreamer," hit the ground at 9th place and shifted just shy of 77,000 units.
A bit further down, the soundtrack to the Fox comicbook actioner "Daredevil" managed a formidable bow in 11th. The Wind-Up Records release, which features tracks by Saliva, Fuel and Nappy Roots among others, scanned 59,000 discs.
Also opening strong were "In The Mood -- Love Songs" (RCA) from Alabama at 15 (51,000 sold), "Definitive Collection" (Motown) from R&B veteran Lionel Richie at 21 (43,000), the self-titled debut from the All-American Rejects from DreamWorks at 25 (40,000), and the latest installment of the "Wow!" gospel series (Verity) at 29, with just under 37,000 sold.
All eyes will once again be on 50 Cent for next week's rankings, as he enjoys his first full week in stores, but new material from country act Vince Gill could also see a respectable open in the coming sesh.
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