1) Fabolous Loso's Way (Desert Storm/Def Jam)

2) Mos Def The Ecstatic (Downtown)

3) Dudley Perkins Holy Smokes (1 AM APPROACH)

4) Psycho Realm A War Story: Book 1 (Sick Symphonies)

5) Chali 2na Fish Outta Water (Decon)

Brooklyn, New York rapper Fabolous is back with a bang. His fifth and latest album, Loso's Way on Desert Storm/Def Jam, is this week's number one new hip-hop album at the Hollywood Amoeba Music store this week. Like Jay-Z [who, incidentally, appears here on the track "Money Goes, Honey Stay" (When the Money Goes Remix)] and his American Gangster record, the new Fab album also comes complete with a gangster movie inspired theme. Loso's Way is based on Carlito's Way. And the "Deluxe Edition" of Loso's Way comes complete with a DVD of the half-hour plus movie of the same name that is reportedly a semi-autobiographical film. The film also draws many parallels with the original movie character Al Pacino plays in Carlito's Way.

1) Cage Depart From Me (Def Jux)

2) Alchemist Chemical Warfare (KOCH)

3) J-Dilla Dillanthology 2: Dilla's Remixes for Various Artists Remixes (Rapster)

4) Chali 2na Fish Outta Water (Decon)

5) Notes To Self A Shot In The Dark (BBE)

Single of the week: 

Kid Cudi "Make Her Say" (Universal/Motown)

Thanks to Luis (as seen in YouTube clip above), the hip-hop buyer at Amoeba Music, San Francisco, for this week's top five best selling new hip-hop CDs, plus the single of the week. Cage, this week's number one, even surpasses his last innovative outing Hell's Winter from four years ago. This new Def Jux album is bound to break the gifted New York progressive rap artist onto the mainstream. Just check out the video below for the new Cage album track "I Never Knew You." The song and accompanying video (directed by Shia Labeouf) have the same power and engaging urgency that Nirvana's breakout single/video "Smells Like Teen Spirit" did back in the early nineties. Coincidentally, Cage's notoriously troubled past, including mental health problems and drug abuse, draw some parallels to Kurt Cobain. Although thankfully it seems that Cage has gotten his shit together as far as the hard drugs are concerned, so hopefully he can stay mentally healthy & focused on his art and continue to make great albums like Depart From Me.