Jay-Z's new album, "Volume 2: Hard Knock Life," has avoided the second-week slide that has plagued several chart-topping rap debuts this year, and will hold on to the top spot on next week's "Billboard" album charts.
While "Hard Knock Life" moved almost 150,000 less copies than it did in its first weeks in release, Jay-Z's new album still sold more than 207,000 units. Following Jay-Z at number two is Lauryn Hill's "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," which climbs two spots after falling to number four last week. Bizzy Bone's solo debut, "Heaven's Movie," his first project outside of the confines of the Bone Thugs Family makes an impressive charting at number three, selling some 130,000 copies. The only other record to crack the top 10 in its first week is former Dogg Pound rapper Kurupt, whose double album slides in at number eight with more than 82,000 records sold. Albums taking a second week tumble include A Tribe Called Quest's swan-song, "The Love Movement," falling from number three to number 12 and the new No Limit Records compilation, "Mean Green Presents Major Players Compilation," which drops from number nine all the way back to 32. Other records making a strong showing out of the gates are Cypress Hill's "IV" at number 11, Mack 10's "Recipe" at 15 and, of all things, Phil Collins' new greatest hits package, "Hits" at 18. Arrivals further down the charts include, Cake debuting at number 33 with "Prolonging the Magic," Twista & Speedknot Mobstaz at 34 with "Mobstability," Depeche Mode's "Singles 86-98" at 38, John Mellencamp's self-titled record at 41, Tela's "Now or Never" at 49, Less Than Jake at 80 with "Hello Rockview" and Sepultura at number 82 with "Against."
