Even a Soundscan/Billboard obsessed hip hop fan would HAVE to give NaS his respect... There's only one cat with more #1 albums than him, he's had 7straight platinum albums... The sales are there, the quality of music is deffinetly something he's always been known for... He dropped (arguably) the BESTHip Hop Album in the history of the genre...
If someone doesn't have NaS in their top 3 (or 5) they're either a HATER or an IDIOT...
Just to put it in perspective, NaS had the #1 album for a month in 1996... Pac was alive, BIG was alive, and the Fugees were tearin up the charts... Last yearafter Lil Wayne tore up the charts with Carter 3, the NEXT hip hop album to be in the #1 spot was Untitled... That's 12 years inbetween, and depending onwho you ask they are both considered CLASSIC albums...
NaS is the the BEST selling Hip Hop artist that still owns his soul... What the Camel is to commercial rap with sales, is what NaS is to "hip hoppurists"...
NaS Avg. 1st Week Sales = 258,995 Units
No matter how you cut it, almost 260K units moved ANY week weather thats in 1996 or in 2009, that is VERY good #... There's NO denying that.
NaS Avg. Billboard Chart Pos = #5
Debuting in the Billboard Top 5 MORE than speaks for itself... No matter when your album drops, regardless of industry climate, genre, or record label, this issomething that EVERY artist strives for, a Top 5 debut... Thats something he has done consistantly throughout his career.
