Two weeks ago we reported that Jay-Z was set to have his 13th number one album and it would be certified platinum before its release. Even with this news Jay-Z was not guaranteed to have a number one album, because the charts only go by commercial sales.
Since this news we have heard the album, and been given different projections as to how much it would sell. Now we have the official numbers, and Jay-Z shattered the original projections. The album sold over 520 thousand copies in the first week, while it was projected to sell between 350-400 thousand copies reports Hotnewhiphop.
These sales are the most in a first week since Justin Timberlakes The 20/20 Experience sold just under one million copies in the first week.
The 500 thousand plus albums sold puts Magna Carta Holy Grail comfortably in first place on the charts. Number two on the charts is Ciara's self titled album that sold north of 57 thousand albums, which is very respectable reports AllHiphop.
MCHG was certified platinum before its release, and with 500 thousand plus albums being sold in the first week of its commercial release, Jay-Z is halfway to having his latest album certified two times platinum.
Listen to the lead single from the album "Holy Grail" featuring Justin Timberlake below.