T.I. Sets Billboard Record, New Single Leaps To #1

Date: 08/27/08 | By Njai Joszor
Filed under: Hip Hop News, T.I.

T.I. Hip Hop Star T.I. established a new record on Billboard's Hot 100 chart this week as his single "Whatever U Want" jumped 70 spots to #1.

According to Billboard News, "Whatever U Want" becomes the chart's biggest jump in history moving from #71 to #1 beating out Rihanna's 53-1 jump with "Take A Bow."

A No. 1 opening on Hot Digital Songs with sales of 205,000 downloads is the impetus for the record-setting Hot 100 move, which surpasses the 64-1 hike taken by Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" in the May 12, 2007, issue.

"Want" is the rapper's first No. 1 as a lead artist (he was featured on Justin Timberlake's 2006 chart-topper, "My Love") and his opening-week digital sum is the best by a rap track since Nielsen SoundScan began compiling download data in 2003.

The song is also faring well at radio, jumping 33-20 on Hot 100 Airplay and 13-8 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.

T.I.'s new Grand Hustle/Atlantic album, "Paper Trail," is due Sept. 30. The rapper, who pled guilty to federal weapons charges in conjunction with an October 2007 arrest in Atlanta, will eventually serve a year in jail following the completion of 1,000 hours of community service.