Is Gold the New Platinum?

We have two weeks left to go in the year, and there is not one Platinum (in excess of a million copies) selling album for 2014. Heck, there is not even a Gold (in excess of 500,000 copies sold) album. Sales are getting pretty embarrassing in the Hip Hop world. It is so bad that Billboard has started adding streams, and singles sales to album sales. So, maybe Gold should just be seen as the new Platinum.






I guess the Internet is really a gift and a curse, as illegal downloads are really hurting album sales. I thought that Eminem's Shady compilation album (Shady XV) would come and save the day but in two weeks it has only sold 170k...not even up to the first week sales of Rick Ross's "Mastermind" album earlier this week. Iggy Azalea's The New Classic album is the highest selling rap album of 2014, and then Rick Ross's Mastermind comes next with 400k sold. Is it that the easier it is to download songs and albums, the more reluctant people feel about going to the store to actually get the physical copies of albums? I guess that is the problem. Cos downloading music illegally is super easy right now.

This Week's Top 10 Rap Songs on Billboard

Below are the top 10 Rap Songs on Billboard's "Hot Rap Songs" chart this week.

10. Try Me- DeJ Loaf

9.  L.A L.O.V.E (la la)- Fergie

8.  Lifestyle- Rich Gang feat. Young Thug feat. Rich Homie Quan

7.  Only- Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown

6.  Black Widow- Iggy Azalea feat. Rita Ora

Is J Cole Growing Dreads

I guess this is the new thing with rappers now; they go into a short hiatus, and they come back looking rough. Kendrick Lamar is currently unshaven and looking like he is growing dreads in most of his recent pics, same with J Cole now. I guess it has to do with going through the creative process of recording an album. No time for the barber and all that. I can relate, cos sometimes when I am inspired to write a story, I just give it my all, and forget to shave or get a haircut.

Nicki Minaj's Net Worth (2014)

32 year old female rapper, Nicki Minaj (Onika Tanya Maraj) has done a lot for herself since she got on the hip hop scene 5 years ago. She got signed by Lil Wayne in 2009, to his Young Money imprint, which is under the umbrella of Cash Money Records.

 
She has managed to stay at the top of the female rap scene for several years, and used her brand to build other businesses on the side outside music. According to Celebrity Net Worth, in 2014, Nicki Minaj has a net worth of $50 million. 

This Week's Top 10 Rap Songs on Billboard

Below is the top 10 rap songs on Billboard's 'Hot Rap Songs' chart this week.

10. Iggy Azalea- Beg For It feat. M0

9.  Try Me- DeJ Loaf

8.  L.A Love (la la)- Fergie

7.  Anaconda- Nicki Minaj

6.  Only- Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown

First Week Sales Prediction of Rick Ross' "Hood Billionaire" Album

The year is not done, and Rick Ross is about to drop another album. His last album, Mastermind dropped in March, and sold 179,000 copies first week. Apart from the fact that this album is not as good as Mastermind (it is not bad either), it is dropping just 8 months after his last official release, so I don't think it would sell as high as his last album. I predict Hood Billionaire would sell between 80-110k copies first week. 

But the advantage of releasing this album for Ross is that it might help push the sales of Mastermind to Gold status. Hood Billionaire is officially dropping next week Monday, November 24. 

No Rap Album Has Gone Platinum in 2014

Isn't that crazy? Album sales are so bad these days that we are in November of 2014, and not one rap album has gone Platinum. In fact, no rap album has gone Gold. Hip Hop album sales are at an all time low currently. And I guess a lot of rappers are scared of dropping their albums right now cos rappers just keep pushing back their albums.





We are at a time when elite rappers like Young Jeezy and T.I have to struggle for many weeks to sell what they normally sold out the gate in their first week in stores. Both artists aren't even close to going Gold...they ain't even close to the 300k mark yet. What's happening? Is it the illegal downloads? I don't think we can keep putting the blame on that. A lot of people outside Hip Hop are still selling huge numbers. At least Taylor Swift just sold over 1.2 million copies in her first week in stores, with her 1989 album. So, what's up with Hip Hop? Could it be that a change is needed?

Taylor Swift Goes Platinum in a Week With "1989" Album

This is the third time she is doing this; her two previous albums also went platinum in their first week in stores. In case you don't know what platinum stands for, it means her album sold more than a million copies. After 7 days in stores, Taylor Swift's 5th album, "1989" sold 1.3 million copies. Whoa! That is a lot. And the fact that she has been consistent with this pattern shows she really is a force to reckon with right now in the music industry.

Happy Birthday, Muna

One of Nigeria's finest female rappers, Muna turned a year older today. Check out these photos she shared on the Internet on her special day. Don't forget she is an ex-beauty queen. She won the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant back in 2007. Her full name is Munachi Abii. 

Pic: Blue Ivy and Beyonce

Check out this lovely pic of Blue Ivy, and Beyonce in New York from some days ago. This lil girl sure has her father's face. I am sure Jay Z melts every time she smiles at him. Blue is almost 3 years old, I think it is time Beyonce and Jay Z stop carrying her, and let her walk by herself. 

Pic: Diddy, Swizz Beatz, and Kanye West

This pic was taken in New York on Thursday, at Alicia Keys' annual "Black Ball" charity event...which was graced by a host of celebrities. This year's event was tagged Keep A Child Alive. Below is a pic of Diddy, Swizz Beatz (Alicia Keys husband), and Kanye West.

Pic: Pregnant Alicia Keys and Nas

Check out this pic of heavily pregnant Alicia Keys on stage with Nas. They have two songs together, so they could have been performing any one of them. This pic was taken on Thursday night at Alicia Key's annual Black Ball event, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. It's a charity event Alicia Keys puts together every year; this year's event was all about raising money for children and families living with HIV in India and Africa. Nice move.

Tracklist of Rick Ross's "Hood Billionaire" Album

Rick Ross dropped his 6th album (Mastermind) earlier this year, but he isn't slowing down. He is gearing up for the release of his 7th album, Hood Billionaire, which is scheduled to be released on the 24th of November.

Pic: Rick Ross Weight Loss

Hmm! Look at this pic of Rick Ross below. I don't know if it is me, but he looks kinda funny. It is almost like he is not losing the weight proportionately. It kinda looks like his legs are too skinny to carry his upper body right now. He needs to work on that, and turn that remaining fat in his upper body to muscles.

Pics: Missy Elliot's Cars

Missy Elliot posted this pic of her cars on Twitter a few days back, with the caption, " My cars was so filthy so since today is a nice day I'll grab a bucket and get to washing." I almost forgot how caked-up Missy is. She still is the best selling solo female rapper in Hip Hop history, with a total of 5 platinum selling albums. 

From left to right; that's a red Ferrari 599, a Lamborghini, and I don't know the brand of the black car. 

Pic: Young Buck and 50 Cent

50 Cent put this on his Instagram page a few days ago, with the caption... "It's y boy 50 follow me on hang with W/ I go live tomorrow new music. #SMSAUDIO." So I guess you should be expecting some new music from 50 and Young Buck in a bit. 

Pic: G-Unit (2014)

50 Cent shared this pic of the whole G-Unit on Twitter a couple of hours ago. This is from the set of the video shoot for Changes, one of the songs off their newly released EP, The Beauty of Independence.


 From left to right; Young Buck, Kidd Kidd, Tony Yayo, 50 Cent, and Lloyd Banks.

Pic: Nicki Minaj Shows Massive Cleavage

Well, it ain't new, but I guess people never get tired of seeing Nicki Minaj pics. Check out this pic she posted on Instagram yesterday, showing some boobie. The caption of the pic read..."Thx 4 my makeup Uzo💋 short bob by oscar💋 bra by my crazy "mother" Rushka 👅👅👅 #ItsASecret"

Forbes Cash Kings 2014: Hip Hop's 20 Highest Paid Acts

Information like this might not be a big deal in other genre's of music, but rap music is mostly braggadocios, so people want to know who and who are really making that cheddar. Forbes is very reputable with compiling list of net worth of billionaires the world over, so you can take their word for it when they put up a list like this for Hip Hop acts. This year's Cash Kings list have the regular suspects on it, but some surprises are present in the placements of individual rap artist on the list.

Below is Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings 2014 list...





20. Mac Miller- $7 million (tie)

20. Lil Jon- $7 million (tie)

20. DJ Khaled- $7 million (tie)

20. J Cole- $7 million (tie)

20. Rick Ross- $7 million (tie)

16. 50 Cent- $8 million (tie)

16. Swizz Beatz - $8million (tie)

Pic: Nicki Minaj and Donatella Versace

Nicki Minaj posted this pic of her and fashion icon, Donatella Versace on Twitter yesterday. I guess Nicki is really serious about getting into the fashion world big time.