With a couple of debuts in the top 5, it was a great week for hip-hop on the Billboard 200. Kendrick Lamar gets crowned with the No. 1 spot with his surprise album, untitled unmastered., a compilation of eight tracks that didn't quite fit onto To Pimp a Butterfly. Despite zero promotion, it's still the top-selling hip-hop album of 2016, though it didn't have to compete with the TIDAL-only release of The Life of Pablo.
The new joint album from 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne, ColleGrove, made its debut at No. 4. Elsewhere, The Weeknd, Kevin Gates, and Bryson Tiller all moved up a spot of two after slipping last week. Rounding out the list are the mainstays, Fetty Wap, Future, G-Eazy, and Flo Rida, each of whom continue to move steady numbers.
1) Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered.: Kendrick scores big again, taking the No. 1 spot with untitled unmastered., his exquisite compilation of outtakes from last year's To Pimp a Butterfly, which itself went No. 1. Though it sold almost 200,000 less than TPAB, untitled unmastered. still moved an impressive 177,509 TAEU (total album equivalent units) and 142,084 in pure sales. Congrats Kendrick!
2) Rihanna - ANTI: Rihanna stays put at No. 3 with her eighth studio album. Riding high off the success of the album's lead single, the Drake-featuring "Work," which currently sits at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for the fourth consecutive week, ANTI moved 58,324 TAEU and 18,395 in pure sales in its seventh week on the charts.
3) 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne - ColleGrove: Tity Boi and Weezy F Baby have a long history of collaborating together, and that chemistry was recently revamped with the ColleGrove project. Making its debut at No. 4, the album was able to sell 53,092 TAEU (34,287).
4) The Weeknd - Beauty Behind the Madness: Abel Tesfaye makes his back into the top 10 this week after spending last week at No. 12. This time around he comes in at No. 9, adding 30,289 TAEU (11,637) to his already-super-successful sophomore LP Beauty Behind the Madness.
5) Kevin Gates - Islah: Kevin Gates climbs up a few spots this week, moving from No. 13 to No. 10 with his latest album. Another 30,275 TAEU (13,332) are tacked on to the very impressive numbers Gates has already managed to achieve with his debut.
6) Bryson Tiller - TRAPSOUL: Not only did Bryson Tiller receive the key to his city this week, but he also sold another 28,657 TAEU (8,231) of his debut album. This week, Tiller comes in at No. 11. TRAPSOUL has now sold over 250,000 copies.
7) G-Eazy - When It's Dark Out: G-Eazy doesn't budge this week, coming in at No. 15, as his latest album managed to pull in another 26,020 TAEU (5,591).
8) Future - EVOL: Moving up one spot to No. 18 is Future Hendrix, with his latest album -- his third in eight months -- EVOL. Another 21,508 TAEU (6,295) are earned by one of the hardest working, influential rappers in the game right now.
9) Fetty Wap - Fetty Wap: The self-titled record from New Jersey's brightest crossover star comes in at No. 20 this week, slipping down three spots from last week. His hit-laden debut moved another 20,520 TAEU (4,546).
10) Flo Rida - My House: Flo Rida knows how to move units -- always has. Coming in at No. 21 this week is his My House EP, selling 18,153 TAEU (1,696) in its 49th week on the chart.
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Overall not a whole lot has changed in the Top 100 this week. Once again, the No. 1 spot is held down by good friends -- perhaps with benefits -- Rihanna and Drake, who continue to dominate the airwaves with their latest smash "Work." As was the case last week, Bieber comes in at No. 2 with "Sorry" and Flo Rida grabs No. 4 with "My House."
Kendrick, who had the top-selling album of the weel, had two songs break into the Top 100, with "Untitled 2" appearing at No. 79 spot and "Untitled 7" making its debut at No. 90. Does untitled unmastered. have what it takes to get a couple of tracks through to the top 50? We'll see next week.
