Lil Uzi Vert's "Pink Tape" First-Week Sales Suggest It'll Be First No. 1 Rap Album Of 2023

It looks like Uzi started off the second half of the hip-hop year with fireworks.

BYGabriel Bras Nevares
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Lil Uzi Vert Pink Tape First Week Sales No 1

We've spent a little over a week with Pink Tape by Lil Uzi Vert, and it made a massive impact when it landed after a lot of anticipation. Whether for its variety, its fan favorites, or its most experimental moments, it seems like everyone has something to say about it. Not only that, but for the first time in 2023 for a rap album, it looks like enough people tuned in to take it to the top commercially. Moreover, HITS Daily Double reported that Pink Tape garnered 165K equivalent album unit sales in its first week. In addition, this marks the first time a hip-hop project in 2023 is expected to go No. 1, as it beat out Morgan Wallen's dominant 36-track behemoth One Thing At A Time for the top spot, with that album selling 111K this week.

Furthermore, other Top 10 debuts this week include K-pop group MY WORLD - The 3rd Mini Album at No. 9 and Rylo Rodriguez's Been One at No. 10. Another debut didn't make the Top 10, but still did great numbers, and that's Puerto Rican reggaetón (and more) producer Tainy with his star-studded album DATA at No. 16. Other hip-hop chart mainstays this week are Young Thug's BUSINESS IS BUSINESS at No. 13, Gunna's a Gift & a Curse at No. 8, Lil Durk's Almost Healed at No. 15, and Metro Boomin's Spider-Verse soundtrack at No. 19. Of course, SZA's SOS still got a lot of sales this week, as well, with it placing at No. 7.

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Lil Uzi Vert's Pink Tape's First-Week Sales

Given how many great hip-hop albums are included, to make a huge fuss over Pink Tape being the first to go No. 1 would be a disservice to the quality releases this year. Sure, maybe the output hasn't been as great as last year at this point, but it's also just been harder to break through. Regardless, Lil Uzi Vert had previously said that if their album goes No. 1, they'll drop "[the] album [we're] really looking for." As such, no matter how you slice it, this is great news.

Meanwhile, many fans expect this to be Luv Is Rage 3, as teased on their social media bio. With 26 tracks and a whole lot of styles, at least Pink Tape will surely contain highlights for many fans to enjoy throughout the whole year. As such, with one hyped rollout ending, another takes it place swiftly, and fans are very excited for more. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Lil Uzi Vert.

Read More: Lil Uzi Vert Tour 2023: Dates, Tickets & More

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.