Seven years after first teaming up on "RNP," Cordae and Anderson .Paak have something new to celebrate. Their collaborative album, Heavy Is the Crown, has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Rap Albums chart. It marks the first chart-topper in the category for both artists. It's a particularly satisfying achievement for a duo whose musical chemistry has been developing since Cordae's 2019 debut album.
The October 23 release earned 30,000 equivalent album units in its first week, with 19,000 coming from album sales and another 11,000 from streaming activity. The figures, published by Billboard, cover the tracking period of Oct. 23 through Oct. 29. While both artists have enjoyed chart success individually, neither had previously reached the summit of Top Rap Albums. Cordae came closest with 2022's From a Birds Eye View, which peaked at No. 4, while .Paak's highest placement was No. 3 with NxWorries' Yes Lawd! in 2016.
On X, Cordae celebrated his ltest victory. "[Eight] years in of doing music professionally, 14 years since my first mixtape. Good things take time ! Grateful for the journey. Thank you Jesus ! Thank Yall ! Still more work to do !"
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Cordae And Anderson .Paak Find Success With Heavy Is The Crown
The achievement comes after several collaborations that gradually turned their musical friendship into a full-length project. Their first record together, "RNP," appeared on Cordae's Grammy-nominated debut The Lost Boy. They reunited for "Two Tens" in 2023 and "Summer Drop" the following year, eventually deciding to share an entire album. The 11-track release features production from J. Cole and 9th Wonder, with additional contributions from Swizz Beatz and Conductor Williams. Its artwork even borrows inspiration from the comedy Step Brothers, which seems appropriate for two artists who clearly enjoy working together.
Their success wasn't limited to the Rap albums' rankings. Heavy Is the Crown also debuted at No. 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 11 on the Billboard 200. Interestingly, .Paak has previously topped the broader R&B/Hip-Hop chart as part of Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars, but the new release represents a separate milestone for his work in Rap.
"Airbender" has emerged as the project's biggest streaming track, collecting 2.4 million official U.S. on-demand streams during its opening week. The song also entered Billboard's Hot Rap Songs chart at No. 21, making this .Paak's first appearance on that ranking. Cordae, meanwhile, secured his fourth entry. After several years of making records together, the pair can now add a shared No. 1 album to their résumé.
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