Eminem Blocks One Of Rap’s Hottest New Stars From Earning Her First No. 1
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – APRIL 30: Rapper Eminem, performs at the Paradiso on April 30th 2000 in … [+] Amsterdam, Netherlands. Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) rules the Top Rap Albums chart for a third week, blocking Ice Spice’s Y2K from hitting No. 1. (Photo by Frans Schellekens/Redferns)
More than a quarter-century into his time in the spotlight, Eminem remains one of the most popular names in the hip-hop world. He can still easily conquer the Billboard charts with a new album, as they are always highly anticipated, and his fan base remains massive.
The rapper is so successful that when he delivers a new project, it often rules for several frames on some of Billboard’s genre-focused rankings. This week, Eminem holds at No. 1 on a handful of tallies, and by keeping in first place, he stops one of the hottest new names in hip-hop from earning her first leader.
Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) dominates the Top Rap Albums chart once more this week. The set debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s ranking of the most-consumed rap-only projects in the country three weeks ago. Ever since, it’s managed to control the list, facing little serious competition for the throne.
This week, Ice Spice launches her debut album Y2K on the same tally. Her first full-length kicks off its time on the Top Rap Albums chart at No. 2. If Spice had waited a little longer, giving Eminem’s new blockbuster a few more frames to decline in popularity, she likely would have had a much better shot at reaching the summit for the first time.
Y2K marks Spice’s second trip to the Top Rap Albums tally. Her breakout EP Like…? reached No. 4 on the same chart back in April of 2023. That set helped her become a superstar in the hip-hop world, and it led to several Grammy nominations.
Nearly the same match-up takes place on the similar Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Eminem is in charge, but Spice has to settle for third place, not second. In between the two rappers comes SZA with her blockbuster SOS, which has been performing exceptionally well on genre rankings for more than a year.
In its debut week of availability, Y2K shifted 28,000 equivalent units, according to Luminate. Eminem’s latest moved a little less than 50,000, while SOS managed a just under 31,000. Both the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts use methodologies that include both sales and streams in order to show which titles are the most-consumed in America.
