Two Platinum MCs The Same Year?

I don't know what to make of album sales anymore.

As most of you know, no one from the XXL staff even came close to predicting Jim Jones' first week sales accurately. Apparently the This Is Jones documentary, the Broadway play and every other trick Capo had up his promotional sleeve, wasn't enough. I think Cam'ron's re-emergence hurt Jim's buzz, but who knows, maybe there's something else.

It's like the year has officially begun now because rap records are coming out at a more rapid pace. Jada drops next week and he may just outsell Jones. Our executive editor VS were talking about it yesterday and we're both betting on Jada. Mind you, he hasn't been getting nearly as much attention as Jimmy, but he has more of a fan base. People check for Kiss, Capo's CD purchasers are usually random radio listeners who liked one of the songs featured on the album.

There's also an interesting head-to-head match up taking place on April 21: Asher Rauwth Vs. Rick Rauwse. It's no Soundscan Showdown of Kanye West and 50 Cent proportions, but the buzz around the office is that the new kid could possibly top Ross. Rauwthe! I'm hearing Asleep In The Bread Aisle leaked last night. The people want it. Shoot, I wanna hear it myself. Asher just better hope Em doesn't pull a Cam'ron and drops his new single before Bread Aisle hits stores. And since Relapse is due out May 19, I'd say that's pretty likely. Just last night, Miss Info tweeted that some new Em joint was to surface any minute. Now, Em and Ash aren't involved in any conflict, so I don't think Slim Shady will negatively affect him. In fact, we may just have two white MCs going platinum within a few months of one another. Would it be the first time? If I'm not mistaken, it came pretty close back in 1989-90. Beastie Boys went plat with Paul's Boutique (1989), followed by 3rd Bass' The Cactus Album (1989) earning a gold plaque, leading the way for Vanilla Ice To the Extreme (1990) to sell a gazillion copies.

But that was a different time in the game. Not that white MCs weren't getting busy before (they were especially in the underground),  but his massive success caused somewhat of a Caucasian Invasion at the turn of the millenium. All of a sudden, everybody had to have a token white MC. Timbaland signed Bubba Sparxxx and Diddy signed that  guy Kane (where is he?) just to name a few. Should The thing is, Vanilla Ice was a joke and the Beasties always bordered on rock. Should Em and Ash go platinum within months of one another, it would mark the first time two credible white rap superstars co-exist. Would labels try recreating the Caucasian invasion? God knows they need some sales right now, so why not? Outasight already has a deal, but maybe they'll start a bidding war on Will Roush now.

What do you guys think? What happens to the game if both Em and Ash go plat. Music biz as usual, or should we expect some type of shift?-Jackpot