Despite early projections that predicted Game's The R.E.D. Album would sell between 90,000 and 95,000 units its first week, the long-delayed set proved to be more popular than expected, selling 97,500 copies, according to the Nielsen SoundScan report released today (August 31). The stats were enough to earn the rapper's fourth solo LP, a spot at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart.

R.E.D. bumps Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne to No. 2, which held the top spot on the charts for the last two weeks straight until now. The disc sold 94,200 units in this sales cycle, making its total 707,100 since its Aug. 8th digital release.

Eleven weeks after entering the chart, Eminem and Royce Da 5'9"'s Bad Meets Evil's EP,  Hell: The Sequel, goes down two spots to No. 15 with 18,000 copies sold. Overall, the set is just units away from gold status with current tally of 481,000.

Meanwhile, with an impressive 40 weeks on the charts, Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday goes up one position to No. 36 this week, selling 9,300 copies. To-date over 1,552,600 have bought the Young Money princess's debut LP.

Check XXLMag.com next Wednesday, September 7, to find out  if Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV lives up to the 700,000 to 850,000 projections.—Gina Montana

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