Weak Year For Hip-Hop Proves That God Is No Longer Listening To Rappers’ Shout-Outs

Brian Raftery | November 15, 2006 9:32 am
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Coolfer today takes a look at why hip-hop artists are having such a piss-poor year on the charts, noting that the genre’s audience is ignoring albums and instead buying ringtones and singles (or just downloading everything for free). We knew it was a bad year for rap, but the numbers are worse than we imagined:

Lloyd Banks’ Rotten Apple (Interscope) has moved only 234,000 in four weeks, with nearly 61% of that coming in the first week. After debuting at #3, Rotten Apple’s next three weeks were #15, #33 and #43. The critically loved Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor (Atlantic) by Lupe Fiasco has moved a scant 184,000 in seven weeks and has dropped to #94. At #95 is Young Dro’s Best Thang Smokin’ (Atlantic) with 281,000 in ten weeks…

Sure, there are a few artists hanging in there. Ludacris has moved 642,000 units in six weeks and is still in the top 20. Rick Ross’s Port of Miami is slugging it out in the bottom half of the top 100 and has sold 594,000 in 13 weeks. But wasn’t he supposed to be the second coming?

Missing from this analysis is TI, whose King has been certified platinum, and is still in the Top 200 eight months after its released. But it looks as though even the rush of last-minute hip-hop releases–including Young Jeezy, Nas, and, of course, Life magazine cover boy Jay Edgar Hova—aren’t going to be able to make up for the whole year (as for Clipse and Ghostface, we doubt they’ll be able to move far past their hardcore fanbases).

So what happened? Too much downloading? Too many unfunny skits? Or did people get one listen to Port Of Miami and Press Play and realize they’re just plain awful?

Hip Hop’s Transformation Into A Singles and Ringtone Business [Coolfer]