Kanye West’s “Hurricane” fittingly storms in at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The release, the superstar rapper’s new single, leads the charge of more than a dozen from West’s Donda album onto the chart dated Sept. 11 as the project also makes a chart-topping bow on the corresponding albums charts.
“Hurricane,” which features uncredited vocals from Lil Baby and The Weeknd, becomes West’s eighth No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and first in more than six years. He last reigned alongside Rihanna and Paul McCartney on “FourFiveSeconds,” which posted seven weeks in charge in 2015.
Here’s an updated review at the hitmaker’s chart-topping collection:
“Slow Jamz,” Twista featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, two weeks at No. 1 beginning Feb. 21, 2004
“Gold Digger,” featuring Jamie Foxx, four, Sept. 24, 2005
“Knock You Down,” Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo, two, June 13, 2009
“Marvin & Chardonnay,” Big Sean featuring Kanye West & Roscoe Dash, one, Oct. 8, 2011
“N—as in Paris,” with Jay-Z, seven, Nov. 12, 2011
“Mercy,” with Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz, five, July 7, 2012
“FourFiveSeconds,” with Rihanna and Paul McCartney, seven, Feb. 21, 2015
“Hurricane,” one (to date), Sept. 11, 2021
“Hurricane” traces its monster start to 29 million U.S. streams in the week ending Sept. 2, according to MRC Data. The sum yields a No. 1 start on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart, and was the second-most-streamed track of any genre — behind only The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber’s pop hit “Stay” — for the week.
Elsewhere, “Hurricane” barrels into the No. 1 spot on Hot Rap Songs as well, and at No. 6 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.
“Hurricane” heads a West shakeup that reverberates throughout the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, with the rapper landing a record-tying seven top 10 simultaneous hits on the chart. After “Hurricane” comes “Jail” (No. 3), “Off the Grid” (No. 4), “Ok Ok” (No. 5), “Junya” (No. 6), “Moon” (No. 7), and “Praise God” (No. 10). The seven concurrent crew matches the same output that Drake managed on the chart dated July 14, 2018 thanks to his Scorpion album’s impact.
The heavy arrival also spells a noteworthy achievement for West in another capacity, as a producer. In addition to his role behind the boards on the four aforementioned top five hits this week — “Hurricane,” “Jail,” “Off the Grid” and “Ok Ok” — the superstar also is credited as a producer on the week’s No. 2 title, Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow’s “Industry Baby,” giving West a total sweep of the top five in that capacity.
Outside the top 10, a dozen more Donda entries dot the chart for 19 total charted tunes on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Here’s a recap of those outside the top tier:
“Jesus Lord” (No. 13)
“Jonah” (No. 14)
“Believe What I Say” (No. 15)
“God Breathed” (No. 17)
“Remote Control” (No. 20)
“Heaven or Hell” (No. 21)
“Pure Souls” (No. 25)
“Keep My Spirit Alive” (No. 28)
“Jail Pt 2” (No. 31)
“New Again” (No. 32)
“Lord I Need You” (No. 33)
“Tell the Vision” (No. 40)
In addition to all the songs’ achievements, Donda itself likewise makes a forceful statement. The album debuts at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart to become West’s 10th No. 1 effort there, encapsulating all of his studio releases save 2016’s The Life of Pablo, which peaked at No. 2. Donda starts with 309,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Sept. 2, notable too in the fact that the album’s off-cycle Sunday morning surprise release on Aug. 29 denied it the normal seven-day tracking total that most albums enjoy from a traditional Friday release. Still, despite the abbreviated window, Donda registered the biggest first-week units total of 2021.
