From Akon to Jay-Z, R&B/hip-hop a solid performer

By Gail Mitchell

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - There was no major-league comeback to rival Mary J. Blige's 2006 breakthrough or Mariah Carey's 2005 emancipation. And hip-hop sales overall weren't anything to write home about. But R&B/hip-hop in 2007 still managed to chime in with several headline-making notes.

Building on the momentum sparked by the fourth-quarter 2006 release of his sophomore album, "Konvicted" (Konvict/Upfront/SRC/Universal Motown/UMRG), music man of the hour Akon parlays his lead atop Billboard's Hot Rhythmic Artists charts into four additional chart-topping slots: Top Artists and Top Artists-Male (which combines the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Hot 100), Top Billboard 200 Artists-Male, Hot 100 Artists and Hot 100 Artists-Male.

Beyonce continues to be the female artist to beat in R&B and pop. Kick-him-to-the-curb anthem "Irreplaceable" netted the former Destiny's Child frontwoman honors atop the Hot 100 Songs and the Hot 100 Airplay recaps as well as the queen-bee post on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artists, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artists-Female and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Artists.

Also of note: Akon and Justin Timberlake were the only top R&B/hip-hop acts to finish in the top 10 of the Top Billboard 200 Albums recap for 2007. Beyonce is at No. 11, while Kanye West comes in at No. 12. The only other R&B/hip-hop entry in the Top Billboard 200 Albums top 20 is Jay-Z with "Kingdom Come" (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/IDJMG) at No. 20.

STRONG SONG SHOWING

It's a different story on the recap of the Hot 100 Songs. R&B/hip-hop acts log six of the top 10 songs: Beyonce, Rihanna featuring Jay-Z ("Umbrella"), Gwen Stefani featuring Akon ("The Sweet Escape"), T-Pain featuring Yung Joc ("Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')"), Akon featuring Snoop Dogg ("I Wanna Love You") and Fergie featuring Ludacris ("Glamorous").

Championing blue-eyed R&B/soul alongside Timberlake were two new ambassadors: Amy Winehouse and Robin Thicke. Thicke by far leaves the deepest impression among R&B/hip-hop fans, netting nods as Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artists-Male, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Airplay for "Lost Without You." Thicke also left his soulful imprint on adult R&B listeners, topping the Hot Adult R&B Artists rankings and Hot Adult R&B Songs.

This time last year, rap icon Jay-Z claimed a No. 1 debut with "Kingdom Come," which clocked in with an opening-week total of 680,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That momentum maintained year-end locks on several categories: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Artists, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Rap Album Artists and Top Rap Albums.

Jay-Z finishes out 2007 and rings in a positive outlook for 2008 with another No. 1 debut, for "American Gangster" (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/IDJMG), opening with 425,000 scans. That ties the rapper with Elvis Presley for the second-highest number of No. 1s overall (10). Only the Beatles have more, with 19. It will be interesting to see how strong the legs are under "American Gangster" when the year-end tallies roll around again.

GRADUATING WITH HONORS

West's "Graduation" (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/IDJMG), the third chapter in his school of hip-hop trilogy, earned applause for its 957,000-unit first-week debut -- and injected a much-needed dose of excitement back into the game. It comes in at No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums list followed by two sales bright spots in 2007: T.I.'s album "T.I. Vs T.I.P." (Grand Hustle/Atlantic/AG) scanned 468,000 in its first week, and 50 Cent's "Curtis" (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope/IGA) sold 690,000 units.

At a time when music groups are more an exception than the rule, brothers Spectacular, Baby Blue, Pleasure and Slick Em -- better-known as Pretty Ricky -- suggestively sang their way to the top of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artists-Duo/Group category. Their hit single "On the Hotline" claims No. 36 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while album "Late Night Special" (BlueStar/Atlantic/AG) pulled in at No. 30 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

Others making noise in marquee categories include T-Pain and Yung Joc atop Hot RingMasters and Hot Rhythmic Songs, respectively. Cementing his reputation as one of this year's most valuable assist men, T-Pain also claims Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriters status, while fellow songwriter/producer/artist Timbaland heads the Hot 100 Songwriters and Pop 100 Songwriters lists. Another production up-and-comer, Polow Da Don is No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Producers recap.

Beyond the recap numbers are R&B/hip-hop stories begun in 2007 that still resonate. There is Musiq Soulchild's revitalized career with "Luvanmusiq" after a shift from Def Jam to Atlantic; notable bows by such newcomers as J. Holiday, Rich Boy, Chrisette Michele, Ledisi and Plies; strong showings by such veteran acts as Chaka Khan, Angie Stone and Queen Latifah; and such sophomore hurdlers as Keyshia Cole, Ne-Yo, Lloyd and Fantasia.

Reuters/Billboard