Little more than a year after her self-titled debut bowed at No. 1 on The Billboard 200, Ashanti scores her second chart-topper with “Chapter II.” The Murder Inc./Def Jam album sold 326,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan, and replaces Beyonce’s “Dangerously in Love” (Columbia) at the summit. Ashanti’s debut, which has sold more than 3 million copies to date, opened with sales of 502,500 copies in April 2002.
“Chapter II” has already spawned a hit single in “Rock Wit U (Awww Baby).” The cut has pierced the top-5 of Billboard’s Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts. “Rock Wit U” is also one of the three most-played videos on MTV and BET.
Beyonce’s “Dangerously in Love” falls to No. 2 on a 42% sales dip to sales of 183,000 copies. Her two-week total is now just under 500,000 copies. First single “Crazy in Love” featuring Jay-Z reached No. 1 last week on the Hot 100.
Sales of Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father” (J Records) remained consistent, down only 16% to 100,000 copies. In its fourth week on the chart, the set remains steadfast at No. 3.
Michelle Branch’s “Hotel Paper” (Maverick) falls 2-4 in its second week on the chart, the victim of a 46% sales dip to 85,000 copies. The album’s second-week numbers still best the 68,000 copies her 2001 debut, “The Spirit Room,” sold in its strongest week on the chart. That set has sold 1.8 million copies since its release August 2001 release, and spent 89 weeks on The Billboard 200.
50 Cent’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” (Shady/Interscope) is up one to No. 5 after suffering just a 2% drop to sales of 77,000 copies. “Get Rich” swaps places with Metallica’s “St. Anger” (Elektra),” sales of which fell 18% to 72,000 copies to put it at No. 6.
The rest of the top-10 sees Evanescence’s Wind-Up debut, “Fallen,” up one to No. 7, while Monica’s “After the Storm” (J) falls one to No. 8. Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me” (Blue Note/Capitol) is No. 9, and Three 6 Mafia’s “Da Unbreakables” (Hypnotize Minds) falls to No. 10 from its No. 4 debut last week.
“Nashville Star” winner Buddy Jewell’s self-titled Columbia Nashville debut lands at No. 13 on sales of 52,000 copies, while fellow country singer Tracy Byrd nests at No. 33 with his “The Truth About Men” (RCA), his career best debut on The Billboard 200.
Other notable entries include Twiztid’s “The Green Book” (Psychopathic, No. 52) and Los Tigres Del Norte’s “Herencia Musical: 20 Corridos” (Fonovisa, No. 67).
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