LLOYD BANKS IS MONEY, G

We wouldn’t take that action if we were you, because according to projections based on early reports from national accounts, the G Unit soldier (that’s Fitty's G Unit—recognize!) will see his solo debut, The Hunger for More (G Unit/Interscope) thoroughly pummel expectations by selling well over 400k in its first week of release.

The question now becomes whether that number might rise to 450k before the July 4 weekend shouting’s over. Three-day weekends (which this one will turn into for many) typically favor rack titles, meaning the big sellers for your Wal-Marts and Kmarts, etc., such as Country and Pop titles, since Bubba an’ the folks is out buying barbecue supplies and whatnot and might pick up a nice family-values record while they’re at it. And then again, a lot of other folks are traveling or what have you instead of visiting record stores.

But with a hot title like Hunger, it’s entirely possible the momentum could continue building through the end of the sales cycle. Either way, though, it’s going to be a runaway #1. And you can take that to the Banks.

Also hitting the streets yesterday were Brandy’s Afrodisiac (Atlantic) and Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter (Cash Money/Universal), both looking like they’ll hit the high end of their targets at 150k apiece. The Cure’s The Cure (Geffen), meanwhile, is also looking great, shaping up to hit 70k for the week—proving, along with Morrissey’s recent comeback, that there’s an enduring market for legacy mope-rock.

And then there’s Hollywood’s Breaking Benjamin, which is—how shall we put this—breaking. The rockers’ sophomore disc, We Are Not Alone, is already turning into a big story, proving itself very reactive in the marketplace. It should move over 40k before the week’s over, and could approach 50k, beating projections in a big way.