By David Jenison
Sure Ludacris’ new album is called Red Light District, but the rapper didn’t top the charts by lying on his back.
The hard-working Atlanta-based hip-hopster helped make Usher’s “Yeah!” the biggest track of the year and appeared on such high-profile hits as Missy Elliott’s “One Minute Man,” Jermaine Dupri’s “Welcome to Atlanta” and Chingy’s “Holidae Inn.” Ludacris also just inked an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Universal Music as his new disc, powered by the radio hit “Get Back” and a Spike Jonze-directed music video, debuted on top of Billboard’s latest album sales chart Wednesday.
Regarding his album title, Ludacris says, “I know that the first thing people think of when they hear ‘red light district’ is Amsterdam, but I’m referring to a state of mind. Where there are no limitations to what I can say or I can do. On this album I talk about everything.”
And people are listening. Red Light District sold 322,000 copies for the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen SoundScan numbers released today. Luda has now claimed two number one albums in just over 14 months; he previously topped the charts in October 2003 with Chicken & Beer.
With Luda on top, U2’s radioactive How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb kept glowing at two by moving 280,000, while Eminem ‘s Encore stepped up one slot to number three with sales of 273,000.
Lindsay Lohan took enough time out from dominating tabloid headlines to land the week’s next best bow as her debut disc, Speak, sold 261,000 discs at number four. Lohan, who broke out in the 2003 film Freaky Friday, contributed the theme song “Ultimate” to that film’s soundtrack. She also had two songs in her recent film Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.
The rest of the Top 10 stocking-stuffers were holdovers: Now That’s What I Call Music! 17 at five, Shania Twain’s Greatest Hits at six, Destiny’s Child’s Destiny Fulfilled at seven, Toby Keith’s Greatest Hits 2 at eight, Jay-Z and Linkin Park’s Collision Course at nine and American Idol Clay Aiken climbing to 10 with Merry Christmas with Love.
Teen R&B singer Mario, first heard on the Dr. Doolittle 2 soundtrack, wrapped up the 13 spot with Turning Point opening with sales of 161,000. Cam’ron’s Purple Haze disc moved a solid 123,000 units to debut at 20, despite news of his recent split with Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records. The rapper, who scored a major radio hit in 2002 with “Oh Boy,” also releases albums with the Diplomats.
Blue Skies, the rookie release from American Idol season three runner-up Diana DeGarmo, had a cloudy debut, selling just 47,000 to open at 52. That’s lower than both Justin Guarini and William Hung, who opened at 20 and 34, respectively.
Finally, with the Grammy nominations last week, a pair of albums bolted up the charts. Green Day’s American Idiot, which earned seven nods, nearly doubled its sales and jumped 11 spots to 15. Kanye West, who scored a leading 10 nods, saw his College Dropout reenter the charts at 159, also on double sales.
Here’s a recap of the Top 10 albums of last week:
1. Red Light District, Ludacris
2. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, U2
3. Encore, Eminem
4. Speak, Lindsay Lohan
5. Now That’s What I Call Music! 17, various
6. Greatest Hits, Shania Twain
7. Destiny Fulfilled, Destiny’s Child
8. Greatest Hits 2, Toby Keith
9. Collision Course, Jay-Z and Linkin Park
10. Merry Christmas with Love, Clay Aiken
Credit: E! Online