A Tribe Called Quest takes control of the Scoreboard in Week 13 of Fall ’16
Billboard Artist Top 10
For the magazine dated December 3, 2016
See the full chart at http://www.billboard.com/charts/artist-100
| Billboard Artist Top 10 | Name | Billboard 200 Album Rank | Billboard Hot 100 Singles | Highest Charting Single |
| 1 | A Tribe Called Quest | 1 | 1 | 77: We The People |
| 2 | Drake | 5 | 6 | 14: Fake Love |
| 3 | Twenty One Pilots | 15 | 2 | 5: Heathens |
| 4 | Pentatonix | 2 | 1 | 56: Hallelujah |
| 5 | Rae Sremmurd | 4 | 2 | 1: Black Beatles |
| 6 | Chainsmokers | 8 | 4 | 2: Closer |
| 7 | Weeknd | 45 | 1 | 3: Starboy |
| 8 | Leonard Cohen | 7 | 1 | 59: Hallelujah |
| 9 | Ariana Grande | 14 | 1 | 4: Side To Side |
| 10 | Bruno Mars | 168 | 1 | 6: 24K Magic |
New number one albums just keep rolling this fall on the Billboard 200 and this week A Tribe Called Quest are kings of both the album chart and the Artist 100 thanks to new album We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service, their first release in 18 years. Other notables include Rae Sremmurd, who earn their second week at #1 on the Hot 100 with viral sensation “Black Beatles” (ft. Gucci Mane), Leonard Cohen, who passed away earlier this month and makes it to #8 on the Artist 100 this week, and Pentatonix, the a capella freight train who this holiday have a hit with their cover of Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
Pentatonix recently had a #MannequinChallenge at their concert, though without “Black Beatles”
A Tribe Called Quest Pays Tribute To Phife Dawg
The Queens group A Tribe Called Quest first made it big in the early 1990’s with a smooth hip-hop sound that relaxed and embraced listeners in pensive walls of sound. Their last album came out in 1998 and members of the group went separate ways, although they would get back together for select shows throughout the next 18 years. Last year, the group issued a remix edition of their first album and the 25th Anniversary celebration of that album inspired them to reunite for a new release. A shock came towards the end of the recording when 45-year-old Phife Dawg died from complications due to diabetes. The “comeback” album as a result became a tribute and likely the only album for the older version of @atcq. On it, a younger generation of A-list rappers such as André 3000, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar come through and share the mic with their elders. There are a lot of smooth beats, some political commentary (see “We The People…“), and a closing tribute to Phife Dawg with another of his nicknames in the title (“The Donald,” not Trump). It is a bittersweet return to the top for @atcq but if it introduces the group to a young generation of hip-hop fans, Phife Dawg would be proud.
Phife Dawg got a street named in his honor this week in St. Albans Queens, the birthplace of @atcq
Singles Watch: More Viral Hip-Hop
The victory of “Black Beatles” has been this month’s story on the Hot 100, but there are a number of other viral hip-hop hits climbing the chart. First up at #8 on the Hot 100 is “Juju On That Beat” by Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall, two Detroit teenagers who brought back the “Knuck If You Buck” beat and paired it with irresistible dance moves perfect for social media. They are followed at #9 with party jam “Broccoli” by D.R.A.M. and Lil Yachty, a Virginia-Georgia line collaboration celebrating the rappers’ favorite vegetable to smoke. Finally, Oregon rapper Aminé takes #12 with “Caroline,” a lustful tribute to the woman of his dreams, who exists somewhere between Michael Jackson‘s Billie Jean and the other Caroline from OutKast‘s “Roses.”
These young rappers were all unknown or underground but thanks to the power of YouTube they have all charted higher on the Hot 100 this year than any Kanye West song. Catchy hooks and dance moves have accelerated many rappers up the charts over the years, but with these three singles in the top 12 and “Black Beatles” at #1 viral hip-hop domination is growing, just see Zay & Zayion do their dance on Ellen’s Halloween special below:
