RAPPER ROSS MAKES #1
HIS PORT OF CALL

He’s doing the sales hustle.

Def Jam/IDJ South Florida rapper Rick Ross’ Port of Miami looks set to sail to #1 on next week’s HITS Album chart, with a total that could approach 200k, but is right now a tad below that, according to one-day sales reports from our network of retailers around the country. The hip-hop star’s “Hustlin’” was a big hit and now he’s got a second track, “Push It,” out.

Hollywood rockers Breaking Benjamin, thanks to a #3 iTunes rank in back of only pre-orders for the Bob Dylan and Killers albums, are a lock for the #2 spot with their new album, Phobia, fueled in part by Modern/Active rock hit “The Diary of Jane.”

Bad Boy/Atlantic R&B star Cassie’s “Me & U” has been hovering in the Top 5 of the CHR/Pop chart for weeks now, helping fuel sales for her self-titled debut, which looks like it will top 100k and possibly go as high as 110k. That could just eclipse Now 22 for the #3 slot.

Other chart newcomers include American/WB’s Slayer (55-60k), Jive/ZLG’s Step Up soundtrack, with Ciara and Chamillionaire and a wide movie opening this Friday (40k). Sanctuary sells some records with hellogoodbye’s Zombies! Aliens! Vampires!, which is also in the Top 10 at iTunes, on track for some 35-40k.

Metal Blade rockers Unearth’s III... In the Eyes of appears headed for between 25-30k and Curb country artist Steve Holy for a little less than that.

RCA's Christina Aguilera marks the beginning of the Q4 surge with next week's release of Back to Basics. Also on tap: Capitol's Cherish, Shady/Interscope's Obie Trice and Capitol's Panic Channel.

As for the overall market, it was essentially flat vs. last week, but down almost 14% vs. same week last year and now down between 5-6% to date. You may return to your regularly scheduled web-surfing.