Juvenile Believes His Solo Album Sales Are Better Than JAY-Z & Nas
Juvenile is raising eyebrows with his latest career hot take comparing his album sales to those of East Coast rap legends such as JAY-Z and Nas.
In a recent interview, the legendary New Orleans rapper made the bold claim during a spirited debate about whether or not Southern music gets it’s just due. Juvenile didn’t hold back, challenging the notion that lyrical prowess alone defines success in the rap game. In the act of his defiance of the status quo, the Cash Money Records icon stated that his classic album 400 Degreez has outsold any solo record released by rap giants JAY-Z or Nas while on the topic of hitmaking and impact.
“A hit is a hit,” Juvenile declared. “You don’t have to be the best rapper. Some of the best rappers… can’t make a hit. That s##t don’t mean nothing. The best rapper in the world don’t mean nothing if you ain’t got no f###ing hits.”
Juvenile doubled down on his assertion, directing listeners to “check the numbers” when it comes to album sales.
“N###as always talk about man, ‘Nas da da da, JAY-Z…’ Okay, who sold the most records?” he questioned rhetorically. “I think that’s what counts, right? Yeah. Let’s not go off the, let’s just do numbers. Know what I’m saying? Yeah. Let’s see who sold the most records on each solo album?”
Juvenile continued, “Numbers don’t lie, man.”
“Pick your best Nas album. Pick your best Jay-Z album, right? Yeah. And I’m going to take 400 and you tell me who sold the most on a solo album. I’m taking 400.”
Juvenile’s 400 Degreez, released in 1998, was a monumental success, solidifying Cash Money Records as a dominant force in Hip-Hop. The album sold over four million units in the U.S., spawned hits like “Ha” and was certified 4x-platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).
On the flip side, JAY-Z’s debut album Reasonable Doubt sold over 1.5 million units in the U.S. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2002. Nas’ debut album, Illmatic, sold over 2 million units total and was initially slow to gain commercial traction but has since been widely regarded as a classic.
However, HOV did best Juvenile with his album Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, which sold more than five million units in the nationwide and was certified 5x-platinum by the RIAA.
Check out the interview clip above.