The Notorious B.I.G. - Duets Debuts at # 3!

With sales of 727,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, Mary J. Blige's "The Breakthrough" (Geffen) emerges as the No. 1 title on The Billboard 200, followed by Jamie Foxx's "Unpredictable" (J) and the late Notorious B.I.G.'s star-filled "Duets: The Final Chapter" (Bad Boy) to fill the chart's top three slots.
At 33 million units, CD sales were up by a whopping 34% from the previous week and up 2% compared to the same week a year ago. At 602 million units, sales in 2005 lag behind 2004 by 10%.
A boatload of guests -- including Eminem, Jay-Z, R. Kelly and Blige -- join the Notorious B.I.G. on "Duets" in the No. 3 position on the chart based on sales of 438,000 copies. The Bad Boy release comes nearly nine years after the rap icon's death.
SOUNDSLam.com:

The Biggie Duets came in #3 in the country last week. So ‘damn, why they try to stick him for his paper?’

Last Tuesday marked the triumphant return of the late great Notorious B.I.G. to the charts. His newest, and final release with Bad Boy entitled, Duets: The Final Chapter, saw a heavy consumer push as the #1 Hip-Hop and #3 R&B album in America. Overall, Duets finished the week at #3 on the Billboard 200, moving 437,649 units in its first week.

Duets blends previously recorded tracks from B.I.G. with some of today’s most popular Hip Hop and R&B artists. The album features lyrics from Eminem, Jay-Z, Bob Marley, Mary J. Blige, 2pac, Big Pun and others, laced with beats from Scott Storch, Timbaland, Just Blaze, Swizz Beats and, of course, Diddy.


Source: Billboard.com / SoundSlam.com