Anderson .Paak And Cordae Claim First Billboard Rap Albums No. 1

Anderson .Paak and Cordae have turned their first full album together into a career first for both artists.

Heavy Is The Crown debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart. The project earned 30,000 equivalent album units in the United States during the tracking week ending October 29.

The result gives .Paak and Cordae their first chart-topper on Top Rap Albums. Heavy Is The Crown also entered Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at No. 2 and opened at No. 11 on the Billboard 200.

The Top Rap Albums chart blends traditional album sales with streaming-equivalent and track-equivalent units. That mix gave the duo a broad measure of how the project moved during its first full week in the market.

Those numbers sharpen the picture that emerged when the album first arrived. AllHipHop previously reported that the project reached No. 10 on the HITS Top 50 with an estimated 30,290 units. Billboard’s final chart uses Luminate data and places the album at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 with 30,000 units.

The 11-track album was released October 23 through APE####, Mass Appeal Records and EMPIRE. “Airbender” led the set in streaming activity with 2.4 million official on-demand streams in the United States during the opening frame.

Heavy Is The Crown arrived while Cordae faced a contract lawsuit from his former label, which sought to challenge his right to release new music. The album still reached listeners on schedule and now gives both collaborators a new chart milestone.

.Paak has spent years moving between rap, soul and R&B, both as a solo artist and as one half of Silk Sonic. Cordae built his reputation on tightly written solo albums and collaborations before joining .Paak for a full project.

Their shared record pushed each of them beyond earlier Top Rap Albums peaks.

The pairing also widened the album’s reach. .Paak brought a live-band feel and an easy vocal range. Cordae supplied compact verses and a direct rap center. The chart results show that the combination reached buyers and streamers at the same time.

The No. 1 debut also gives the album a clear identity beyond its first-week sales estimate. Heavy Is The Crown now stands as the top rap album on the chart dated November 7, with two artists collecting their first crown on the same release.