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Chance The Rapper is officially back. While the rapper has released a handful of singles in the past few years he seems to be finally gearing up to drop the long-awaited follow-up to his critically maligned 2019 album The Big Day. He revealed that the album is called Star Line and while details are sparse at the moment fans are mostly just happy to have something to look forward to again. The presumed first single from the record dropped last week and Chance didn’t waste any time teasing his next release.

Much like he did with his previous single Chance took to Instagram to drop a teaser for the new song in advance of its release. The track is called “Together” and the teaser also includes the reveal that DJ Premier handled production on the song. In the caption he said “next week: #starline.” That caused fans to go on a full on frenzy in the comments. They repeatedly ask if the entire album is dropping next week. But it looks like it’ll just be the next single. Elsewhere in the comments fans are hyping up both this release and its predecessor. Check out the preview he shared below.

Read More: Chance The Rapper Supports Starting A Revolution Instead Of Voting

Last month, Chance dropped his new single “Buried Alive.” The short, lyric-oriented song saw Chance explaining his feelings on fan reactions to The Big Day and being counted out by many rap fans. The track was met with overwhelming positivity from those excited to hear Chance showing off his rap skills once again. The reveal that DJ Premier worked on the newest song has fans thinking Chance may have been previously teasing potential collaborators. If that’s true, Lil Yachty, Lil Wayne, and Vic Mensa could all also appear on the forthcoming project.

What do you think of the preview of new DJ Premier-produced music that Chance The Rapper shared to Instagram? Are you looking forward to the release of his new album Star Line whenever it finally releases? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Chance The Rapper Slams Critics Of Underpaid Black Women In Entertainment

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Tommy Richman has made waves across the internet with the release of his new song, “MILLION DOLLAR BABY.” The track, which dropped on April 26, made a big impact on streaming platforms, thanks to its infectious funky vibes and Richman’s effortlessly smooth vocal riffs. Building anticipation, Richman initially teased the song on TikTok with a nostalgic VHS-style video featuring him and his crew vibing to the music. Soon after, the teaser quickly caught fire, scoring millions of views on the popular social media platform. Now, many are wondering just who the artist is, especially as Tommy Richman sets his sights on topping the Hot 100. Here’s what we know.

Read More: Tommy Richman, Paco, & Jonah Roy Collide For Spooky “GHOULS N GHOSTS”

Background

Tommy Richman’s upbringing in Woodbridge, Virginia, a suburb just outside of Washington, D.C., was notably devoid of music. Growing up in a household where his father, a drum teacher, and his legally deaf mother didn’t necessarily foster a musical environment, Richman discovered his passion for music independently, according to an interview with Lyrical Lemonade. Despite the absence of melodies at home, he felt a profound connection to music and decided to pursue it on his own. Richman’s formative years were subsequently deeply influenced by the vibrant music scene of the Washington metropolitan area. Early on, he began receiving vocal lessons, dedicating himself to refining his musical talents and absorbing insights from the musicians around him. Additionally, the immersion in the local music community shaped Tommy Richman’s artistic journey. Furthermore, it fueled his development as a musician.

Tommy Richman’s Rise To Stardom

Richman made his debut in 2016 with the track “Ballin’ Stalin.” Since then, he has released several more singles, including: “Sand Man,” “Tu Pax,” “Chrono Trigger,” and “Bad Boys.” Tommy Richman isn’t afraid to bend, shift, and switch genres, which is becoming increasingly evident. Inspired by a diverse spectrum of artists, including Mötley Crüe, KISS, Lil Wayne, and 50 Cent, Richman’s creative process is deeply rooted in emotional intuition. This also allows him to effortlessly transition between alternative vibes and R&B tones within his music. His tracks exemplify his genuine approach. 

“Electrify Tonight” captivates with its rich, inviting melody, while “Games” exudes infectious energy, showcasing Tommy Richman’s raw authenticity and musical versatility. These songs are a testament to his ability to connect with listeners on a profound level. His versatile musical talent quickly caught the attention of multi-platinum artist Brent Faiyaz. By August 2023, Richman had signed with Faiyaz’s label, Iso Supremacy, in collaboration with PULSE Records. This new partnership led to an exciting opportunity for him to open for Faiyaz on his F*ck the World, It’s a Wasteland Tour later that year. A significant moment also came when Richman, alongside FELIX!, was featured on Brent Faiyaz’s track “Upset,” marking Tommy Richman’s breakthrough in the music industry. Hailing from Virginia, this level of success was exceptional. 

Read More: Brent Faiyaz Returns With New Album “Larger Than Life”

Reflecting On His Success

Reflecting on his journey in an interview with Miami New Times, Tommy Richman expressed the challenges of getting recognition in his hometown. He stated: “There’s a lot of passion through the scene back home, and I feel like it’s because a lot of people don’t get a fair shake. It’s really hard to have your voice heard there. That’s probably why a lot of people from Virginia left, like Pharrell and Timbaland. It’s kind of key for an artist to leave their nest. That way, you can appreciate where you come from.”

He also went on to reminisce about the time he spent making music in his mother’s basement and expressed his gratitude for everyone who had helped him get to where he is now. “When I would work in my mother’s basement for hours on tracks, and she’d be telling me to get a real job like most moms, I’d be like, ‘No, no, no, it’s gonna work out,’” he said. “And now, to be recognized by other hardworking people, I’m just very grateful, and it definitely inspires me to keep going.”

Tommy Richman’s Newfound Fame

Tommy Richman’s music has gained millions of streams, propelled by his distinctive production style and fearless disregard for genre boundaries. In 2023, he released his EP, The Rush. However, pn April 26, 2024, he dropped the infectious track “MILLION DOLLAR BABY.” This song quickly went viral and catapulted him to TikTok stardom. It has also inspired numerous creators to dance to its catchy beat and create fun edits using the song, leading to its #2 debut on the Billboard Hot 100. Next week, it challenges Kendrick Lamar‘s “Euphoria” for the top spot on the same chart. Despite having a relatively small discography, Tommy Richman has amassed millions of fans worldwide, with more joining in.  

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Kendrick Lamar fans and Drake fans are not as different as they think. After Kendrick Lamar used Drake’s house with child sex offender markers as his cover art for the “Not Like Us” diss track, it seems like some pgLang followers got creative with Google Maps’ option to customize locations. Moreover, they now read things like “Owned by Kendrick,” “A-Minor,” “Kendrick’s dog,” etc. K.Dot’s supporters are using the Internet narratives much in the same way that the OVO camp (including its boss) has done during this beef. For this and for the horrid allegations thrown at both MCs, there’s a lot more even playing field that die-hards on either side would have you believe.

Furthermore, no one knows how this beef will age, what will clear up, what more will come out, and whether or not Kendrick Lamar will really go overkill and risk a desperate look with yet another diss. Drake is in an interesting position right now to double down or change course, and we know that either option could be very deadly. The question now is what it will take for him to do that, and whether K.Dot’s pressure tactics will ever backfire when the hype behind a drop is so massive. Allegations aside, both are fearlessly calculating and strategizing their efforts.

Read More: Lil Wayne Divulges On Drake Being With His Girl While In Jail In Pre-Kendrick Lamar Diss Interview

Drake’s House Targeted By Kendrick Lamar Fans On Google Maps

Elsewhere, Drake is rumored to have responded to Metro Boomin‘s “diss beat” online, although it’s an alleged response since it’s hard to find where the actual screenshotted comment comes from or if it’s just doctored. Either way, he did directly respond to the daughter claims by outright denying them on his Instagram Story, but not to any of the other claims that Kendrick Lamar put forth. The Toronto superstar asked Mr. Morale for some paperwork on his snitching claims and claimed that he pressured Tupac’s estate to take down his earlier diss, but no direct statements emerged about the harsher accusations. Kendrick, on the other hand, grouped all of Drake’s shots together as lies and kept claiming them as such in these diss tracks, which is still a sidestep.

Whether it’s Drake’s house or Kendrick Lamar’s height, there’s been a lot of para-social fun on social media with folks documenting and clowning the magnitude of this moment in mainstream hip-hop. The culture is debating a winner, and Kendrick Lamar and Drake might not have even dealt the killing blow yet. Once there’s proof on the table, then this might be a different story, and it hopefully should be taken seriously. But for now, not even Google is safe from this war.

Read More: DJ Vlad Receives Backlash For Threatening Black Professor’s Job Over Drake Vs. Kendrick Lamar Comments

Musicians put in the work to perfect their craft and churn out great music that their teeming fans will love and appreciate. It takes so much to put out a music album, and one of the ways musicians track how much their work is appreciated is through album sales. Music data relating to album sales began in 1991, thanks to SoundScan, now known as Luminate. Since such data came into existence, only 26 albums have sold a million copies in the first week.

Selling a million album copies in the first week is no mean feat. However, some artists have managed to do it, with a few of them even going ahead to do it more than once. Some of the artists that sold a million album copies in the first week include Norah Jones (Feels Like Home), Limp Bizkit (Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water), and Garth Books (Double Live). Others on the prestigious list include Lady Gaga (Born This Way), The Beatles (1), Backstreet Boys (Black & Blue), and Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard). There are more artists on the list, with Taylor Swift and Adele among the most dominant musicians, releasing albums that sold over one million copies in the first week. Here are 11 albums that sold one million copies in their first week.

11. Drake – Views (2016)

Canadian rapper Drake released his fourth studio album, Views, on April 29, 2016. The album was released under three record labels: Cash Money Records, Republic Records, and Young Money Entertainment. In Views, Drake showed his musical diversity by taking influence from West African and West Indian music. He also made his first full foray into Jamaican dancehall music. Other music genres featured in Views include R&B, Afrobeat, pop, and UK funky. Views did remarkably well thanks to its diversified sound as it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Views sold 1.04 million equivalent album units in its first week. Equivalent album units combine streaming and song downloads in addition to traditional album sales. The measurement was introduced in the mid-2010s as a solution to the drop in album sales in the 21st century. Drake’s actual album sales for Views in the first week was 852,000 copies. Besides hitting high equivalent album unit sales, Drake also smashed streaming records with his Views album as it hit a staggering 245 million streams.

Read More: Every Rap And R&B Album That Sold 1 Million Units In A Week

10. Jay-Z – Magna Carta Holy Grail (2013)

Magna Carta Holy Grail was Jay-Z’s 12th studio album. Days before the album’s release, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) changed its rules for gold and platinum certification. Before releasing the album on July 4, 2013, Jay-Z sold one million digital copies to Samsung, which then offered the copies to its users for free. Due to that action, the RIAA ruled that artists no longer had to wait 30 days to get certification for digital sales. Hence, Jay-Z’s one million album sales to Samsung began counting immediately after Magna Carta Holy Grail‘s release, meaning the album went platinum soon after its release.

Jay-Z featured artists like Nas, Rick Ross, Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean, and his wife, Beyoncé, on the album. Some of the hit songs on the album include “Holy Grail,” “Oceans,” and “Tom Ford.” Besides the one million digital album copies sold to Samsung, Magna Carta Holy Grail sold 528,000 physical copies in its first week and topped the US Billboard 200 chart upon its release. Jay-Z earned six Grammy Award nominations for the album, with “Holy Grail” winning the award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

9. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III (2008)

Tha Carter III was Lil Wayne’s sixth studio album. It was released on June 10, 2008, and sold 1,006,000 copies in its first week. Lil Wayne featured several big names in the album, including Jay-Z, Fabolous, Robin Thicke, Kanye West, the late Static Major, and Busta Rhymes. The album had several hit songs, including “A Milli,” “Lollipop,” and “Got Money,” and cemented Lil Wayne’s status as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Tha Carter III received several award nominations, including Album of the Year at the 2009 Grammys. That year’s award season was successful for Lil Wayne, as Tha Carter III earned him a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Meanwhile, “Lollipop” won Best Rap Song, while “A Milli” won Best Rap Solo Performance.

Read More: Lil Wayne Says “Tha Carter III” “Holds No Significance” To Him

8. Usher – Confessions (2004)

Usher released his fourth studio album, Confessions, on Mar. 23, 2004. The R&B album had instant hits like “Yeah!,” “Burn,” “My Boo,” and “Confessions Part II.” Confessions sold 1,096,000 copies in its first week, solidifying itself as one of the greatest R&B albums. Confessions also came with some controversy due to its theme. There were wide beliefs that the album was themed around Usher’s personal relationships. However, Jermaine Dupri, who mainly produced Confessions, claimed the album was more reflective of his personal story. Besides incredible album sales, Confessions also earned Usher a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.

7. 50 Cent – The Massacre (2005)

After announcing himself to the world with his Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ album in 2003, 50 Cent followed it up with The Massacre two years later. The album debuted at no. 1 on the US Billboard 200 thanks to hits like “Candy Shop,” “Just A Lil Bit,” and “Hate It Or Love It.” The Massacre sold 1,141,000 copies after its first week and solidified 50 Cent’s impact in the rap game. Hip-hop bigwigs like Dr. Dre, Eminem, Sha Money XL, and Scott Storch helped produce The Massacre. 50 Cent also featured Eminem, Olivia, Jamie Foxx, and Tony Yayo in the epic album, which was widely positively received and considered as one of his best albums.

6. Britney Spears – Oops!… I Did It Again (2000)

Oops!.. I Did It Again was a befitting name for Britney Spears’ second studio album. A year before its release, Britney debuted with a highly successful album, …Baby One More Time. Hence, she was under pressure to replicate the success of her first album. Britney welcomed the challenge and worked with several highly sought-after producers. Eventually, she put out a pop album that incorporated funk and R&B, earning her high praise and critical acclaim. Oops!.. I Did It Again enjoyed massive commercial success. It sold 1,319,000 copies in its first week and held the record for the fastest-selling album by a female artist and the largest first-week sales for a female album for 15 years.

Read More: Britney Spears Reveals The Origin Of One Of Her Biggest Hits

5. Eminem – The Eminem Show (2002)

Eminem’s fourth studio album, The Eminem Show, sold 1,322,000 in its first week. The album featured songs like “Without Me,” “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” and “White America.” Eventually, it sold 27 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. Eminem incorporated more rap rock in The Eminem Show than he did with his previous albums. The Eminem Show was themed around The Real Slim Shady’s hip-hop prominence and his mixed feelings about fame. Eminem also took a step back from his Slim Shady alter ego in the album, as he deviated from being satirical.

4. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)

The Eminem Show was not the first album with which Eminem sold over a million copies within the first week. On May 23, 2000, the rapper released his third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP. Dr. Dre mainly produced the highly successful album, which went on to sell 1,760,000 copies in its first week. The album’s success helped to propel Eminem to the forefront of America’s hip-hop culture. Some of the album’s most popular songs include “Stan,” “The Real Slim Shady,” and “Bitch Please.”

3. NSYNC – No Strings Attached (2000)

NSYNC is a famous boy band consisting of Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, and JC Chasez. Although the band is not as popular as before following a long hiatus, it remains one of the top-selling bands of all time. After making waves with their first two albums, NSYNC took it a notch higher with their third studio album, No Strings Attached. After its release on Mar. 21, 2000, No Strings Attached sold a mindblowing 2,416,000 copies in its first week. NSYNC repeated the feat with their next album, Celebrity, which sold 1,878,000 copies a week after its release on July 24, 2001.

2. Taylor Swift (The Tortured Poets Department, 2024)

Taylor Swift’s knack for singing about her romantic travails in her albums means her teeming fans would always anticipate her next album release. Hence, when she announced an album was on the way during the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swifties readied their earbuds in anticipation, as the album was Taylor’s first since her split from Joe Alwyn. Taylor released The Tortured Poets Department, her 11th studio album, on April 19, 2024. Unsurprisingly, her latest work sold 2,610,000 copies in its first week.

However, TTPD isn’t Taylor’s first album to sell over a million copies in its first week. The beloved songstress achieved that feat six other times with her previous albums. These include: 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which sold 1,359,000 copies in its first week; 1989, which sold 1,287,000 copies in its first week; Reputation, which sold 1,216,000 copies in its first week; Red, which sold 1,208,000 copies in its first week; Midnights, which sold 1,140,000 copies in its first week; and Speak Now, which sold 1,047,000 copies in its first week.

1. Adele (25, 2015)

While Taylor Swift has sold over a million album copies with seven albums, Adele needed just one album to achieve the feat three times. On Nov. 20, 2015, Adele released 25, her third studio album. The album’s title reflected the singer’s life and mind frame when she was 25 years old and featured classics like “Hello,” “Water Under the Bridge,” and “Love in the Dark.” Adele’s 25 enjoyed so much commercial success. It racked in a massive 3,378,000 album sales in its first week, breaking the record for first-week sales. The album sold over a million copies in a week for the second time in December 2015, selling 1,112,000 copies. It repeated the feat for a third time in January 2016, selling 1,158,000 copies in a week.

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