Who Is The Biggest Selling Rapper of All Time?

Posted on: December 22, 2007 12 comments so far (is that a lot?)

Tupac

Out of curiosity I did some research into who is the biggest selling rapper of all time (since I have really nothing better to do). And here’s what I came up with, I also noted how many albums they have released to put things into perspective. Some of these numbers will surprise you, some of these won’t. Now let’s find out who really is the Sound Scan Killa.

15. Ludacris = 11.5 Million Albums Sold, 6 albums released
The real King of the South. People forget Luda had the charts at his whim.

14. Will Smith = 12 Million Albums Sold, 10 albums released
With hits like “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”, “Miami”, “Just The Two Of Us”, “Men In Black”, “Just Cruisin’”, Big Willie Style sold 10 million albums by itself! Diamond status, and that was his sixth album! Who says you can’t make a comeback.

13. Snoop Dogg = 12.5 Million Albums Sold, 9 albums released
Doggystyle is the pinnacle of Snoop’s career, having sold over 6 million copies.

12. Bone Thugs ‘N Harmony = 12.5 Million Albums Sold, 9 albums released
2 good songs and 1 great song.

11. LL Cool J = 12.5 Million Albums Sold, 12 albums released
His last good album was what Mr. Smith.

10. 50 Cent = 14 Million Albums Sold, 3 albums released
Get Rich or Die Tryin. Need I say more.

9. DMX = 14 Million Albums Sold, 7 albums released
Keep in mind he’s only had about three albums that mattered.

8. MC Hammer = 16 Million Albums Sold, 10 albums released
Only five of this dudes albums sold and his third album “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” featuring the hit “U Can’t Touch This” went Diamond, that’s 10 million albums! How do this guy go broke?

7. Notorious B.I.G. = 17 Million Albums Sold, 3 albums released
Really only 2 albums, since the third one was Diddy’s attempt to put something out.

6. Nelly = 20.5 Million Albums Sold, 4 albums released
No comment.

5. Beastie Boys = 22 Million Albums Sold, 7 albums released
The blueprint of cool white rap. Will the world see another white rap group takeover? Probably.

4. Outkast = 22 Million Albums Sold, 6 albums released
The best Southern group ever is up there too.

3. Jay-Z = 25 Million Albums Sold, 10 solo albums, 4 collabo albums, 5 compliation albums

These numbers only prove Hov is the hardest working man in the rap game.

2. Eminem = 27 Million Albums Sold, 4 albums released

Releasing just four albums and rumored to be working on his Fifth album entitled King Mathers, Em proves the purchasing power of white folk.

1. 2 Pac = 36.5 Million Albums Sold, 11 albums released

Having released 5 albums while alive, and many more while dead, Pac is the Elvis of Hip Hop.

*All numbers taking from RIAA and are only US sales.

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12 Responses to “Who Is The Biggest Selling Rapper of All Time?”

  1. tristan Says:
    February 6th, 2009 at 8:17 pm

    where is ja rule

  2. Ryan Says:
    April 9th, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    So really, if you take an Album per sale ratio, you release that Notorious is the highest selling album for solo, and Outkast is the highest selling group.

    As per your source, RIAA. Perhaps if Biggie was commerically raped like poor Pac was, he would have the same numbers?

    17/3 = 5.6M
    36.5/11 = 3.3M

    Yet, what do numbers really matter.

  3. jimmie Says:
    May 16th, 2009 at 1:19 am

    actually if you went by the ratio eminem would beat biggie
    27/4 = 6.75M eminem
    17/3 = 5.6M biggie

  4. west coast Says:
    May 16th, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    f*ck biggie, pac is the greatest and always wil be the only ones close are eminem and immortal technique

  5. yeahyeah Says:
    May 20th, 2009 at 10:40 am

    actually now as of 2009 eminem rapes everyone and has over 75 million records sold.

  6. donald Says:
    June 23rd, 2009 at 11:20 am

    Only reason M or whatever he is, a clown sells so many albums, HE IS BUBBLE GUM RAP. has puppets, dresses like pee wee herman, come on, he ant real rap, hes in the wrong listing. Pac is the G R E A T E S T of all time hands down.

  7. brian Says:
    September 17th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    this is a bunch of bull 50 is the all time highest selling rapper when he only had 2 cd’s out i dont know who is doing the research but they r wrong to the fullest degree they dont know wht the heck they r talking about just pulling these numbers out of there butt and i’m not even saying this cuz he is my favorite cuz he isnt weezy is everybody knows tht get rich or die trying was the all time highest selling cd and tht the mascre was the 3rd which when u add them up equals 12,000,000 million for get rich or die trying alone enough said theses dudes just dont wht they be talkin about

  8. Grant Says:
    October 21st, 2009 at 10:06 pm

    Are these number US only? Pac is certified at 75+ Million Worldwide.. Guiness Book of World Records recgonizes him as the highest selling Hip-Hop Artist Of All Time.. But recently with his release of Relapse it is believed Eminem has reached the same 75+ Million Worldwide sold.. Jay-Z is third with somewhere between 50-60 million sold.. 50 Cent is not even close and never will be..

  9. mjj Says:
    November 2nd, 2009 at 8:36 pm

    HE HAVE SOLD 38 MILL GRANT…ON 3 ALBUMS TOTAL.JAY HAVE 19 ALUBMS TO HIS 3

  10. Yummerz Says:
    November 9th, 2009 at 9:21 pm

    Eminem = 80.000.000
    http://ema.mtv.co.uk/artists/eminem

    Tupac = 75.000.000
    http://www.forbes.com/2007/10/26/top-dead-celebrity-biz-media-deadcelebs07-cz_lg_1029celeb_slide_9.html

    Jay Z = 50.000.000
    http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article4217430.ece

    Those are the top 3 best selling hip-hop artist of all time.

  11. andre Says:
    November 14th, 2009 at 11:18 am

    ur wrong. 50 cent has sold 25million albums with the combines sales of the massacre album and get rich or die trying. the curits project sold 4 million. so that brings him up to 29 million. eminem sold 80million albums in total. jay z sold 35-40 million in total.

  12. the new god Says:
    November 14th, 2009 at 8:42 pm

    2pac i believe is the most successful hip hop artist with 150million sold world wide.biggie might be more lyrikle or more of an mc but understand,2pac is way more influentle and inspirational.2pac i feel put more of his heart into his lyrics than his brain,witch is basicly just talking about how ever he felt.witch is real and beeing true to yourself.i like both biggie and 2pac.they were both great artist,and even greater people.

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