Late rapper Tupac Shakur grabs his third posthumous chart-topper as ”Loyal to the Game” enters the Billboard chart at No. 1.

The set, which sold 330,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, becomes the late rapper’s fifth No. 1 on the tally.

Since his 1996 murder, Tupac’s album sales total more than 18 million units in the United States, with a career total of 24.4 million. His last posthumous album, ”Better Dayz,” debuted in 2002 at No. 5 with 366,000 copies; it has sold 1.6 million to date.

Despite rising fortunes for most titles as the gift-giving crunch hit full swing, last week’s No. 1, Ludacris’ ”Red Light District,” suffered a 34 percent sales decline to 214,000 and plummets to No. 12 on the chart.

Leading the stocking-stuffer charge is 17th installment of ”NOW That’s What I Call Music,” which makes a 5-2 jump on a 33 percent gain to sales of 323,000. A 15 percent increase to 315,000 copies keeps Eminem’s ”Encore” secure at No. 3 for a second week, while Shania Twain’s greatest hits set moves from 6 to 4 on a 31 percent spike to 311,000.

Though sales rose 7 percent to 297,000 units, U2’s two-week stint at No. 2 with ”How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” a ends with slide to No. 5. Destiny’s Child’s ”Destiny Fulfilled” jumps 7-6 on a 25 percent gain to 267,000.

Ashanti’s ”Concrete Rose” opens at No. 7 with sales of 245,000, becoming her first album of non-holiday material to fail to debut at No. 1. Last year’s ”Chapter II” entered at the top with sales of 326,000 copies and has sold 1.5 million to date.

Although sales of Toby Keith’s ”Greatest Hits 2” were 25 percent larger at 238,000, the set remains moored at No. 8 for a second week.

A 41 percent increase to 237,000 pushes Usher’s ”Confessions” back into the top 10. ”MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups Presents Jay-Z/Linkin Park: Collision Course” falls 9-10 to round out the top tier, despite a 27 percent rise to sales of 236,000 copies.

Credit: Billboard.com