Kanye West and Nicki Minaj Take Over the Billboard Charts

The results are in. Kanye West and Nicki Minaj respectively debuted at no. 1 and no. 2 on the Billboard 200 charts this week.

West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" earns the rapper his fourth consecutive no. 1 album, selling 496,000 units in its first week. West nearly goes gold in one week despite having leaked well over half of his album himself roughly a month before it hit stores.
Last-minute controversy may have also tampered with 'Ye's sales. The MC made national news when he blasted "The Today Show's" Matt Lauer for "forcing my answers" two weeks ago; and once again found himself in headlines following a rant during his secret show at New York's Bowery Ballroom last Monday (November 22) in which he complained that Taylor Swift never defended him. West was also booed during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this past Thursday (November 25). Early projections had "Fantasy" selling between 500 and 600,000 based on first-day sales.
Meanwhile, Minaj's "Pink Friday" lands at no. 2, selling 375,000 in its first week. The LP marks the second highest debut for a female rapper in history. Lauryn Hill's "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" sold 423,000 in its first week to debut at no. 1 back in 1998.
Ne-Yo's "Libra Scale" debuts at no. 9 after moving 112,000 units. "Scale" marks the first time one of Ne-Yo's albums hit stores without having produced a Top 10 single.