Cordae and Anderson .Paak have reached a new career milestone together as their collaborative album Heavy Is the Crown debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart.
The achievement marks the first time either artist has reached the top of the Top Rap Albums ranking, giving the longtime collaborators another major accomplishment nearly seven years after they first began making music together.
Released on October 23, Heavy Is the Crown earned approximately 30,000 equivalent album units during its opening tracking week, which ran from October 23 through October 29.
Of that total, roughly 19,000 units came from traditional album sales, while another 11,000 units were generated through streaming activity. The strong sales performance helped push the project to the top of the rap chart.
The No. 1 debut represents a career-best showing for both artists on the Top Rap Albums chart.
Cordae’s previous highest position came with his 2022 album From a Birds Eye View, which reached No. 4. Anderson .Paak previously climbed as high as No. 3 through NxWorries’ Yes Lawd! in 2016.
The album also performed strongly across Billboard’s broader rankings.
Heavy Is the Crown debuted at No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 11, giving Cordae and .Paak a strong opening across multiple categories.
Cordae celebrated the milestone on social media, reflecting on the years he has spent building his career and emphasizing that success has taken time. He also thanked his supporters while making it clear that he believes there is still more work ahead.
The chart success comes after years of chemistry between the two artists.
Cordae and Anderson .Paak first connected on “RNP,” one of the standout tracks from Cordae’s Grammy-nominated 2019 debut album The Lost Boy. The song helped establish the playful back-and-forth style that would eventually become a signature part of their collaborations.
They reunited again for “Two Tens” in 2023 before following it with “Summer Drop” the next year. After several successful collaborations, the pair eventually expanded their partnership into a complete joint album.
Heavy Is the Crown contains 11 tracks and features production from several respected names in hip-hop, including J. Cole and 9th Wonder, with additional contributions from Swizz Beatz and Conductor Williams.
The album artwork also reflects the playful relationship between Cordae and .Paak, drawing inspiration from the comedy Step Brothers and highlighting the personality and humor that have become part of their creative partnership.
One track in particular has emerged as an early standout.
“Airbender” generated approximately 2.4 million official U.S. on-demand streams during the album’s opening week and debuted at No. 21 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart.
The song’s debut gives Anderson .Paak his first career appearance on Hot Rap Songs, while Cordae earns his fourth entry on the chart.
For .Paak, the new achievement adds another chapter to a career that has already included major crossover success. He previously reached No. 1 on Billboard’s broader R&B/Hip-Hop album ranking as one-half of Silk Sonic alongside Bruno Mars, but Heavy Is the Crown gives him his first No. 1 specifically on the Top Rap Albums chart.
Cordae’s milestone is equally significant. Since emerging with The Lost Boy, he has built a reputation around lyrical rap and high-profile collaborations, and the performance of Heavy Is the Crown now gives him his first chart-topping rap album.
What began with one collaboration in 2019 has grown into one of the more recognizable artist partnerships in contemporary hip-hop.
With Heavy Is the Crown now sitting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart, Cordae and Anderson .Paak can officially add a shared chart-topping album to their growing list of accomplishments.