With Kendrick Lamar Out of the Way, Can Joey Badass Go No. 1?

Can Joey Badass' 'All-Amerikkkan Badass' hit No. 1 next week?

Joey Badass on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Getty

Image via Getty

Joey Badass on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

I'll keep it a buck with you: I, like many Kendrick Lamar-loving fans out there, felt some type of way when the "April 7" from "The Heart Part 4" was revealed to be an album release date announcement and not an album release. I'll also admit that that's my own fault; Kendrick didn't say what would be happening on April 7... but we all know what we expected.

Now, I don't have the inside track on this, but I imagine that this news made one person in particular happy: Joey Badass. Why? Because his new album, All-Amerikkkan Badass, was dropping on April 7. It's out now, and if you're a Badass fan, you'll love it.

Think about it: while you can be an artist and love the music of fellow artists, the fact that someone like Kendrick can dominate the conversation with subliminals and just speaking random dates into the air can be tough when you have already plotted, planned, and promoted your own release dates. Joey dodged a bullet on that one, and with the world getting one more week before it's All Kendrick Everything, there's an interesting debate regarding Joey's current release happening: could Joey Badass hit that No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 album chart?

Yeah, that's right, Joey has a very real chance of doing it with All-Amerikkkan Badass . There are some obstacles standing in his way, though. First up...

The Chainsmokers also dropped an album this week

That's right, the EDM duo who went viral with their platinum-selling 2014 single "Selfie" has released their first official album, Memories...Do Not Open. They've gone on record saying that "Selfie" changed their lives, and they've seen their subsequent singles murder the charts: 2015's "Roses" went three-times platinum, while 2016's "Closer" went seven-times(!) platinum. That's stiff competition for Joey on the album tip, although...

Massive single sales don't mean people will cop your album

For example, the seven-times platinum single "Closer" was released on The Chainsmoker's Collage EP in November of 2016, but the EP debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and moved just 39,000 "album-equivalent" units its first week—with only 9,000 of those sales being considered "pure album sales." We know what you're saying: "But old man, that's an EP versus an album." Yes, you're correct, but the larger point is that monstrous single sales doesn't always equate to monstrous album sales. Although...

Streaming does play a huge factor

This could be where The Chainsmokers edge Joey out. Memories...Do Not Open comes pre-loaded with a number of successful singles: their song "Paris" already has a platinum certification, and the Coldplay-featured "Something Just Like This" has already gone gold. Add that to the single "Closer" (which is still hitting the Billboard charts) and even casual Chainsmokers fans could find themselves streaming the f*ck out of that album off principle. All those streams of individual hits factor into the album's chart position. That could end up nudging Joey out of the top spot, even if Joey does pull in more actual album sales. What Joey needs to bank on is his...

Loyal fanbase actually supporting him

The biggest thing Joey has going for him right now is a strong fanbase who rep for him when he drops. His 2015 debut album, B4.Da.$$, raked in 58,000 in first-week sales, which meant his debut studio album did better than the first-week debut album sales from acts like Wale, Waka Flocka Flame, and Future. Keep in mind, he's no doubt had a larger profile since then; he had a role in Mr. Robot in 2016! With his profile rising since then, it's entirely possible that he'd be able to meet or exceed the impressive 58,000 sold from his debut—we've seen some 70k-selling albums hit No. 1. Although...

That leak didn't do him any favors

While he didn't spell it out specifically, Joey did acknowledge the fact that All-Amerikkkan Badass did hit the digital streets about a week beforehand. 

I know, I know.. am I mad?? Nope cuz it was inevitable. However, this is my last physical and I hope you still support me Friday. Enjoy ❤🇺🇸

He's right; albums being leaked is inevitable, and when physical CDs are in play, it's never a matter of "if," but "when." Joey has the right attitude, though: the hope is that his fans stick by him and truly support what sounds like his most mature release as of yet. With Kendrick officially out of the way, Joey has an even better chance of claiming the top spot, but there is one very huge obstacle sitting in his way...

The Drake factor

Ain't it always the way? Billboard reported that Drake's More Life topped its album chart for the second consecutive week. It did 505,000 album equivalent units during its first week, and added another 225,000 during week two. That was a 55 percent drop, but keep it real: Have you heard people not playing More Life in the last week? The album will inevitably dip some more in units earned, but will it be enough let Joey sneak to the top? It's very unlikely—but possible. 

Ultimately, while Kendrick might have had the juice to knock Drake from the top spot, does Badass' rise mean that he could slide in with a surprise win this week? It's hard to say right now; we'll know when Billboard gives the world the math, but this could be a momentous week in the storied career of one Joey Badass. For a 22-year-old on an indie label, even a No. 2 album is damn impressive.

Latest in Music