T.I. Shows 'No Mercy' on Albums Chart

Though Susan Boyle continues to hold the crown with her sophomore offering The Gift, T.I. makes a splash on the Billboard 200 this week with his seventh album No Mercy, earning the highest-charting debut for any new album entering the fold.

The incarcerated rapper bows at No. 4 this week with his latest LP, moving 159,000 copies. While the album is a success by industry standards, it marks the first time that Tip hasn’t debuted at No. 1 since 2004 when Urban Legend entered the chart at No. 7. Comparatively, 2008’s Paper Trail scored a chart-topping debut with 568,000 units.

T.I. thanked his fans for their support. “First off I’d like to thank everybody again for going out and supporting the hustle yet again with No Mercy last week,” he wrote on his blog. “I can’t say enough on how much I appreciate the support and all the positive feedback. I read so many tweets, letters, reviews, and comments that spoke volumes to how much love was still out there and how much respect still exists for my art and my passion.”

Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday continues to go strong in its third week on the chart, climbing two spots to No. 6 with another 82,000 units. Rihanna’s latest set Loud makes the move up to No. 9 with an additional 71,000.