NAS RULES THE BILLBOARD...LIL WAYNE #2...G-UNIT....GONE!!!!

July 23, 2008 , 11:05 AM ET

Katie Hasty, N.Y.
One rapper replaces another atop The Billboard 200 this week, as Nas' untitled Def Jam album dethrones Lil Wayne's Cash Money/Universal set "Tha Carter III." Nas' album sold 187,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, becoming the rapper's fifth No. 1 here.

Nas' prior album, 2006's "Hip-Hop Is Dead," also debuted at No. 1 but sold 354,000 over Christmas week. Meanwhile, after three non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, "Tha Carter III" slips to No. 2 with a 15% sales decrease to 105,000.

The Decca soundtrack to "Mamma Mia!," the film adaptation of the hit theatrical musical based on ABBA's songbook, experiences an 89% sales boost after the movie hit theaters Friday (and earned the highest grossing weekend opening ever for a musical); it climbs 7-3 with 91,000. Coldplay's "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" (Capitol) slips 2-4 with 90,000 (-20%), while the Jonas Brothers-led soundtrack to Disney's "Camp Rock" descends 3-5 with 78,000 (-12%).

Though it slips 5-6 on the chart, Kid Rock's "Rock N Roll Jesus" (Atlantic) continues to resurge with the help of the Hot AC/Adult Top 40 single "All Summer Long," selling 73,000 with a 20% sales increase.

John Mellencamp's Hear Music debut "Life Death Love and Freedom" bows at No. 7 with 56,000, his fourth top 10 album. It's his 19th charting record overall, stretching back to the Aug. 18, 1979, debut of "John Cougar."


David Banner debuts right behind at No. 8 with his third straight top 10 studio album, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (SRC/Universal), shifting 52,000. His previous set, 2005's "Certified," peaked at No. 6.

"Beautiful Eyes," a new Wal-mart exclusive EP/DVD from country star Taylor Swift, begins with 45,000 at No. 9. Meanwhile, her Big Machine self-titled debut climbs 14-12 with 35,000 (+20%) in its 59th week on the chart. Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad" (SRP/Def Jam) rounds out the top tier, slipping 8-10 with 41,000 (-12%).

O.A.R.'s "All Sides" (Atlantic) earns the group its biggest charting and sales week ever, debuting at No. 13 with 33,000. Country veteran Randy Travis also snares his highest charting album ever on The Billboard 200 as "Around the Bend" (Warner Bros.) debuts at No. 14 with 31,000.

Other debuts this week include Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's soundtrack to new Batman movie "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) at No. 20 with 25,000 and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's live EP "Magic Tour Highlights" (Columbia) at No. 48 with 12,000.

At 7.48 million units, sales this week are up 2.1% from last week's sum and down 7.85% from the same week last year.

MTV AND KANYE WEST TEAM UP FOR SOLDIERS HOMECOMING!!!!

Despite the fact that young veterans will be facing many difficulties upon their arrival back into the U.S. (searching for employment, facing their friends and families with their tales of the casualties of war and dealing with their own traumatic memories), there is hope, yet, as Kanye West will be offering advice and help in his new show Choose or Lose + Kanye West Presents: Homecoming. MTV and West will be teaming up to honor the war heroes in the one-hour special airing at 10 p.m. on July 28.
MTV’s Sway Calloway and West will drop into some of the veterans’ homes unexpectedly to show viewers the hardships they endured. MTV and the Donda West Foundation will also be paying off debts for the veterans, taking care of their tuition or compensating their rent.

With regards to his reaching out to the new veterans of the Iraq war, West said “there are hundreds of veterans out there who are falling though the cracks. They make the ultimate sacrifices for us by laying down their lives, but it seems like a lot of them just get forgotten about.”

“I know my music inspires and helps a lot of people, but you can always do more.”

50 CENT WINS ROUND 1.....EX-GIRLFRIEND FAILS THE DRUG TEST!!!!!!

All 50 Cent wanted was to see his son, and now he’ll get his chance.

Amidst a feud with his ex-girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins, and after a clean court-ordered drug test on Thursday, 50 Cent has finally been granted an unrestricted vacation period with his son, Marquise, from Aug 3-12.

For Shaniqua Tompkins, mother of Marquise, the test came up positive for opiates. In her defense, Tompkins had recently been taking cough medicine.

The custodial issues between 50 and Tompkins arose in April, and exploded after their Dix Hills, New York mansion was set ablaze in May. Tompkins and Marquise, 11, escaped through a second-floor window while 50 cent was in Louisiana. Subsequently, Tompkins publicly blamed 50 for the suspicious fire, which is currently under investigation, and has secured a restraining order against him. Both parties previously quarreled over putting the 5,200 square foot home in Tompkins’ name, while 50 reportedly demanded $4,500 in rent with threats of eviction circulating.

Prior to the court hearing, 50 filed a $20 million defamation lawsuit against Tompkins for the accusations last month. Though he’s able to see his son, the legal battles between 50 and Tompkins have yet to be put to rest.