Eminem Sells 800,000 Copies of MMLP 2 First Week, Older Albums Move Close to 40,000

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Eminem's MMLP 2 set the record for highest selling hip-hop record of 2013, moving close to 800,000 units in its first week.

His older records also saw a significant increase in sales. The original Marshall Mathers LP debuted at #30 on the Billboard 200 selling 10,000 units, 2002's The Eminem Show sold 7,000 units, 2010's Recovery moved 7,000, 2005's Curtain Call sold 5,000, 1999's Slim Shady LP sold 4,000, 2009's Relapse sold 3,000 and 2004's Encore moved 3,000 copies.

In total combined sales, Eminem sold around 840,000 units altogether, making his record label very happy as the new album's nostalgia appeal worked. MMLP2 motivated fans to go back to his older projects while listening to the sequel, which could be his highest selling and most critically acclaimed project to date.

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Drake trailed behind the "Bezerk," rapper selling 37,000 units of Nothing Was the Same and the third highest hip-hop seller of last week was Lecrae, who launched Church Clothes 2, that moved 15,000 units.

The reviews for Marshall Mathers LP 2 have been mixed, with some praising it for Eminem's return to more raw lyricism and others knocking it for its lack of substance. But his relevancy in today's climate is unquestionable, as sales of the project have proven that he is still the cash cow he was in 2000. Thanks to online downloading and pirating, hip-hop may never see opening weeks like those from back then which makes his numbers even more impressive.

The first week sales also eclipsed those of his last two efforts Relapse and Recovery.

The album features appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Skylar Grey, Sia and Nate Reuss and has spawed four hit singles: "Rap God,''Bezerk,'' "Monster," and "Survival."