HIP HOP ALBUM SALES: WEEK ENDING 5/11/08

There was little movement in the rankings of R&B and Hip Hop on the charts last week. Mariah Carey continues to push towards platinum. The late '80s diva was topped by Neil Young, Toby Keith, Clay Aiken and Madonna respectively.

The Roots, despite limited marketing and promotion, have remain one of Def Jam's top Hip Hop sellers, since Kanye West, Jay-Z and Rick Ross. Ross cracked 500,000 units this week, with the push of his chart-topping T-Pain-assisted single "The Boss."

Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)

Rank..........................Artist............................Album........................This Week..................................Total

5............................Mariah Carey....................E=MC2..........................87,070....................................828,576

12...........................Lyfe Jennings.................Lyfe Change.....................31,663....................................112,123

28..............................The Roots....................Rising Down.....................20,741....................................74,665

29............................. Alicia Keys.....................As I Am........................16,594....................................3,453,019

34...............................Rick Ross........................Trilla...........................17,516....................................501,556


Atmosphere continues to impress with high chart appearances, despite independence. Shawty Lo cracked 100,000 units, as did Trina, with her new video and single. Southern rap continues to be a marketplace draw, as Flo Rida still fares well, and Lil Wayne's We The Best, an RBC Records release, sells over 20,000 copies of anticipatory material for The Carter III.

Other Notables

Rank..........................Artist................................Album.......................This Week................................Total

57............................Atmosphere.............When Life Gives You Lemons.....13,493.................................64,031

71...............................Flo Rida.........................Mail On Sunday...............10,639.................................224,686

103...............................Trina............................Still Da Baddest.................7,361.................................102,740

130............................Shawty Lo........................Units In The City................4,499.................................104,769

187.............................Lil Wayne...........................We The Best..................4,089.................................20,819


With next week releases from Kidz In The Hall, Foxy Brown and Bun B, who can start to heat things up for the summer time? Ummm, Of Course G-UNIT!!!!!! T.O.S. COMING JULY 1ST