DaBaby is expected to earn his first No. 1 album as his latest project, Kirk, is projected to sell 150,000 units in its first week. This will end Post Malone’s three week run atop the Billboard 200, and it continues DaBaby’s incredible rise in 2019. The Charlotte rapper dedicated Kirk, which is his last name, to his late father who passed away earlier this year. Led by the introspective single “INTRO,” and including features from Nicki Minaj, Migos, and many more, the album is a strong follow up to his debut album, Baby on Baby, which was released earlier this year and peaked at No. 7.
Kevin Gates also released his second studio album, I’m Him, last week, and while it is not projected to sell as much as his debut album, it is still on track for a top 5 debut with 65,000 units. Perhaps what is most impressive about this number is the fact that Kevin Gates did not have any features on his album, but instead opted to release 17 solo tracks. It is also important to remember that it has been three years since that strong debut, so while some fans may have moved on, his core fan base has continued to support him.
Young M.A. was the third prominent hip-hop artist to release an album last week, as she finally gave her fans the debut album they have been waiting for. Cleverly named Herstory In The Making, the album is expected to sell 20,000 units in its first week. Young M.A. is an interesting artist, mainly in the way she waited years before dropping an official album. However, that does not change the quality of her music, and just like with Kevin Gates, her fan base supported her with solid sales numbers.