Bow Wow In The Studio Working on his debut for Cash Money Records

The pressure is on Atlanta-rapper Bow Wow who is now 24-years old and freshly signed to Cash Money Records. His intentions are to bring his new music back to the forefront of the rap game, and put both his latest news headlines & kiddie image behind him. His next album 'Underrated' is scheduled for a November 2011 release, and in various interviews he said features that he has set could include: Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Snoop Dogg, The Game, Birdman, Sean Kingston, & Boyz II Men. To get a buzz going he plans on dropping his 'Greenlight 4' Mixtape this month, and below is studio footage of him working on new music from the mixtape. Enjoy...

Jay Rock's new album Studio Listening Session (and legends Dr. Dre & Snoop approve)

I've been supporting the 25-year old rapper from LA, Jay Rock, for a long time. He's dropped a load of mixtapes & he's been through a whirlwind of recording situations - From attempting to write for Aftermath, to touring with 50 Cent, to having a failed record deal with Warner Bros Records, to being named MTV's Breath-through MC of 2010, to being featured on the XXL Freshman cover, and then finally successfully signing a record deal at Tech N9ne's independent juggaknot Strange Music in late 2010 - he's been through alot. He's collaborated with artists like: Lil Wayne, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Will-I-Am, Akon, The Game, Twista, E-40, Bun B, Xzibit, Kurupt, Glasses Malone, Lloyd, Omarion, Main-o, Crooked I, Nippsey Hussle, Kendrick Lamar, his boss Tech N9ne, and more. Below is a 2-minute clip of footage from a studio listening session of his new debut album "Follow Me Home". Rap legends Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg are in attendance and give him their stamp of approval! If you are feeling his album too...it'll be released in stores today (7/26/2011) so go support him & buy it. Enjoy...

Weekly Urban CD Sales (April 6th)

"It's Pittsburgh Pimpin!" as Wiz Khalifa meets massive expectations and his little buddy Mac Miller sells over 10,000 digital EP units. Snoop scores another Top 10, and E-40 dips in with three new chart spots.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania emcee Wiz Khalifa's major label debut on Atlantic/Rostrum Records, 'Rolling Papers' sold approximately 198,000 first-week units as projected. Wiz's CD entered the charts at #2 and features include: Too Short & Curren$y, and production from the likes of StarGate, Bei Maejor, Benny Blanco, & Jim Jonsin.

Chris Brown continued to enjoy his 'F.A.M.E.' The Jive Records release passed the 350,000 benchmark, on an album that features Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Tyga, & Justin Beiber. Some of producers he worked with were: Tha Bizness, Timbaland, The Underdogs, DJ Frank E, & Free School.

West coast icon Snoop Dogg scored a Top 10 debut with his 11th official solo album, 'Doggumentary'. The California emcee included production from Kanye West, Scott Storch, Lex Luger, Mr. Porter, Battlecat, Jake One, DJ Khalil, Scoop DeVille, & The Cataracs - on an album that features: Kanye West, John Legend, R. Kelly, Wiz Khalifa, T-Pain, Young Jeezy, The Gorillaz, Devin The Dude, Too Short, E-40, Daz Dillinger, Goldie Loc, & Kokane.

Elsewhere - climbing three spots to #13, Rihanna's 'Loud' already platinum selling CD sold another 24,000 units. Lupe Fiasco fell six spots to #16. The Chicago emcee may have had his share of disagreements with Atlantic Records over the content/direction of his 3rd album, 'Lasers', however it pushes past 300,000 units, the 1st 2011 Rap album to do so. Lupe's album features labelmate Trey Songz, John Legend, Skylar Grey, & longtime 1st & 15th singer Sarah Green.

Top Seller Stats [Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B]
#2 - Wiz Khalifa: 'Rolling Papers'
= 198,000 units sold this week
#4 - Chris Brown: 'F.A.M.E.'
= 91,000 units sold this week (362,000 total sold)
#8 - Snoop Dogg: 'Doggumentary'
= 51,000 units sold this week
#14 - Rihanna: 'Loud'
= 24,000 units sold this week (1,139,000 total sold)
#16 - Lupe Fiasco: 'Lasers'
= 23,000 units sold this week (303,000 total sold)

Vallejo, California emcee E-40 took multiple spots on the charts. For the 2nd straight year, E-40 has released 2 albums on the same day - complete with a combo pack as well, all of which charted. 'Revenue Retrievin': Graveyard Shift' which features Bun B, T-Pain, Slim Thug, Tech N9ne, Click band-mate B-Legit, & 40's son Droop-E sold slightly better than it's counterpart - 'Revenue Retrievin': Overtime Shift' which features Devin The Dude, the entire Click, & Dr. Cornel West.

Another Rostrum Records artist, Pittsburgh emcee impressed the charts with a #54 debut. Mac Miller's 'On And On And Beyond EP' was a digital-only release with little marketing, but the indie projet cleared 10,000 first-week units.

Wu-Tang rep Raekwon fell 50 spots to #133 with his 5th album 'Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang'. Released on his own IceH20 imprint, and distributed through EMI, the album features: Nas, Method Man, Ghostface, Inspectah Deck, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Jim Jones, Black Thought, & Lloyd Banks. Production is handled by Alchemist, Scram Jones, Mathematics, DJ Khalil, Evidence, Oh No, and legendary House deejay Kenny Dope.

Queens, NY lyricist Pharoahe Monch's 1st album since 2007, 'W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)' fell 95 spots to #149. This is Monch's 1st album under the legendary Duck Down Records imprint, and features production from longtime collaborator Diamond D, D12's Mr. Porter, M-Phazes, Marco Polo, & Exile. The indie release sold another 4,000 units.

Sales Stats [Other Charting Hip Hop/R&B]
#40 - E-40: 'Revenue Retrievin': Graveyard Shift'
= 14,000 units sold this week
#42 - E-40: 'Revenue Retrievin': Overtime Shift'
= 13,000 units sold this week
#54 - Mac Miller: 'On And On And Beyond EP'
= 11,000 units sold this week
#133 - Raekwon: 'Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang'
= 4,600 units sold this week (51,000 total sold)
#149 - Pharoahe Monch: 'W.A.R. [We Are Renegades]'
= 4,000 units sold this week (14,000 total sold)