Hip hop keeps evolving and listener tastes are changing rapidly. That has been made even more apparent by Lil Nas X’s latest feat on the Billboard charts. When Drake’s Certified Lover Boy dropped nearly three weeks ago, the single “Way 2 Sexy” occupied the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. But, the rank didn’t last long with the Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s single “Stay” taking the coveted position, pushing “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, to the No. 2 position after only two weeks in the No. 1 spot.
What seemed to be out of nowhere, Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby,” featuring Jack Harlow, steadily climbed the charts after debuting in the top 10. Peaking at No. 2, the single had fell to No. 6 over a span of nine weeks. With the help of a controversial accompanying music video, a few highly publicized appearances at some ViacomCBS-sponsored award shows, and a little bit of social media trolling, Lil Nas X can celebrate his latest single from his album Montero reclaiming the No. 2 spot again, knocking October’s own (Drake) out of the spot.
In addition, he has two other singles in the top 10, including “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” at No. 9, and “Thats What I Want” at No. 10. Montero, which is reported to have moved 126,000 equivalent album units, is still second behind Certified Lover Boy on the Billboard 200 Albums chart.
Kanye West, who debuted his 10th studio album Donda a few days ahead of Drake’s album, has seen a swift drop on the charts. His single “Hurricane” currently holds the No. 31 spot, after peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts four weeks after its debut. Other tracks from Donda currently on the Hot 100 chart are “Moon” at No. 76 and “Off the Grid” at No. 93. Donda is still in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, landing at No. 4 behind Certified Lover Boy, Montero, and NCT 127’s Sticker: The 3rd Album.
Although not in the top 10, self-made Sacramento rapper Mozzy made an impressive entry onto the Billboard 200 chart with his album Untreated Trauma, released Sept. 17, debuting at No. 19 in its first week on the chart. The 10-track album that has been most popular with hip hop heads, moreso than radio listeners, contains features from EST Gee & Babyface Ray, E Mozzy, Kalan.FrFr, YFN Lucci, and Celly Ru.
When it comes to the question of who is running hip hop, charting hip hop artists can’t deny the unbelievable force known as YoungBoy Never Broke Again who, despite his current stint in jail and legal issues, has been able to take the hip hop world by storm. The Louisiana-bred MC currently has two albums on the Billboard 200 chart, Top at No. 82 and AI YoungBoy 2 at No. 144, sharing the same turf with artists like Michael Jackson, Nirvana, Tupac, and Taylor Swift.
His latest album, Sincerely, Kentrell released on Sept. 24 to great fanfare. None of the 21 songs on the album have features and mainly reflects on YoungBoy’s constant run ins with the law, strained relationships with his lovers, and battles with inner turmoil. It’s relatable and that’s all the more reason for his peers to be on their P’s and Q’s — otherwise, YoungBoy just might snatch the crown.
