Nicki Minaj Claims Billboard Chart Title

Nicki Minaj is in good company. With her debut album Pink Friday bowing at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 this week, the Young Money rapper has officially broken the record for second highest first-week sales by a female MC in Billboard’s history, moving 375,190 units.

Lauryn Hill holds the title for highest opening week sales by a female hip-hop act with her solo debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which sold 423,000 copies in September 1998. But Nicki points out that Ms. Hill wasn’t categorized under the “Hip-Hop/Rap” genre.

“Pink Friday has the 2nd highest debut week in the HISTORY of FEMALE RAP w/375,190 units sold. Thank u sooo much 4 supporting this project!” tweeted Nicki, later adding, “Interesting. Lauryn sold 422,000 in the 1st wk w/Miseducation! That album wasn’t categorized as HipHop/Rap under ‘genre.’ So Pink Friday under the ‘HipHop/Rap’ genre has the highest selling first week from a female in HISTORY.”

Before Nicki, Missy Elliott sold the most first-week copies under the “Hip-Hop/Rap” genre with her 2002 album Under Construction (259,000). “I am in the company of 2 amazing groundbreaking women & for that, I am beyond grateful. S/O to Lauryn and Missy. #PinkFriday,” wrote the Harajuku Barbie.