Kanye Out-Selling 50 Cent
Billboard says that “it looks like 50 Cent is headed for retirement,” if store reports continue to trend the way they were by mid-afternoon on September 11. The performer had told SOHH.com that he would quit the rap game if his new G-Unit/Interscope album, “Curtis,” was outsold by Kanye West’s Def Jam set “Graduation,” both of which were released on 9/11.
Sales data is finalized Sunday at midnight when the Nielsen SoundScan week officially ends, but early indications are that West will be the victor, at least in the first week.
According to executives with three of the major labels, whose job duties include projecting first week scans based on early store sales reports, “Graduation” could come in at the 575,000-700,000 range, while “Curtis” is being projected in the 500,000-600,000 range.
Meanwhile, Kenny Chesney’s “Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates,” also released 9/11, is projected to arrive the 400,000-550,000 range, with one sales projecting guru putting the country star neck and neck with 50 Cent.
