Nas secured the highest-charting debut on the Billboard 200 dated September 5. The veteran MC’s new album King’s Disease entered at No. 5, becoming the 10th Top 5 solo effort of his career.
King’s Disease sold roughly 47,000 album equivalent units in its first week with 18,000 of those copies coming from pure album sales. According to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, the project racked up 36.17 million streams during its first week.
Nas cracked the Top 5 for the first time when his sophomore album It Was Written debuted at No. 1 in 1996. Although King’s Disease is his 10th Top 5 solo release, it’s his 11th overall when counting The Firm’s The Album.
The Firm’s one and only project peaked at No. 1 in 1997. King’s Disease featured a reunion of the supergroup with AZ, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Dr. Dre appearing on the posse cut “Full Circle.”
Elsewhere on the Billboard 200, Taylor Swift’s Folklore album held onto No. 1 spot for a fifth straight week. She tied Lil Baby’s My Turn for most weeks at the top of the chart in 2020.
Lil Baby’s former chart-topping LP was prevented from re-entering the Top 5 by Nas, settling for No. 6 with around 43,000 album equivalent units sold for the week. Hip Hop dominated the rest of the Top 5 as two posthumous releases held down their positions for a second straight week.
Pop Smoke’s Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon (83,000 album equivalent units) remained at No. 2 while Juice Wrld’s Legends Never Die (70,000 album equivalent units) endured at No. 3. The original Broadway recording of Hamilton: An American Musical rounded out the Top 5 at No. 4.