Despite Tha Carter III leaking on the Internet over a week ago, New Orleans, Louisiana rapper Lil' Wayne is expected to sell between 850,000 and 950,000 albums in his first week sales.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the album is set to surpass both of 2008's highest-selling first week albums, Mariah Carey's E=MC2 and Usher's Here I Stand which sold 463,000 and 433,000.

Executive VP of sales for Universal Motown Republic Group Pat Monaco explained the unexpected number of albums sold and why the leaking is helping rather than hurting Weezy's prospected totals.

"The sales the first few hours were exceeding the rate that the Kanye album sold a year ago," he said. "[Tha Carter III] was one of these records that, because it was so highly anticipated, with the leaks and everything, it caused more people to go out at eight in the morning to buy the CD."

With first week sales looking to possibly beat both Carey and Usher's albums combined, Monaco also explained the impact bootlegging unfinished recordings on mixtapes and Lil' Wayne's non-stop recording habit had on the album.

"[We] were like putting a traditional set-up and street date on a guy that was just nontraditional," he affirmed. "It changed dates, changed titles, changed songs, changed the people that were working on it. But sonically, the record bears out."

If the reports hold true and Lil' Wayne is able to pass Carey, Tha Carter III will not only be the biggest album of the year but will also regain the top spot for a hip-hop artist since Kanye West last September.

As previously reported by SOHH, Tha Carter III was intentionally leaked by various mixtape djs including DJ Chuck T due to negative statements made against them by Weezy.

Get em, Weezy!! Look at all those followers he has. I'll be another in a few days. I might buy 2 copies only cause its Weezy.

Damn, I was expecting it to be between 400k-500k. Those are the kind of the numbers 50 did for his first album.

the album has been anticipated for how long? **** better sell like crazy.

I got a copy. But I'm a little disappointed in the album. Not on par with Carter 2. But it was only like11 bucks. I've spent more money on a lot of other crap too.

Pretty solid album imo... has some good tracks to just cruise and smoke a blunt to haha

When Detox finally drops, **** will sell like 10 million copies in the first week.

Good for Weezy though.

Hard work pays off.
He may take home a grammy.

They say their is a slight chance he pushed 1 million in the first week but thats doubtful. Still huge numbers, I got my copy. Good **** Weezy.

Quite a bit more than I would have said, but nothing I didn't think was possible. Just doubted it, VERY much. Lol.

Good for him.

For the Haters....

C-Drone, bring back you thread to see who picked what.

For the Haters....

C-Drone, bring back you thread to see who picked what.

It's not really hating to make a prediction. I probably picked 400-500k. But that aint hating considering it took his last album almost a year to go platinum. And Weezy has never been as big of a name as Kanye and 50.

It's not really hating to make a prediction. I probably picked 400-500k. But that aint hating considering it took his last album almost a year to go platinum. And Weezy has never been as big of a name as Kanye and 50.
I aint talking about the predictions playa..I'm talking to the cats that constantly hate on Lil Wayne on an everyday basis..One again he's made them look really stupid because once again its the people that's showing there support for one the games best artist..400+K in a day speaks volumes..

Personally, I think the album is pretty good. He kinda gives you a ranges of styles and beats..It something to sit back and drank a cold one to.

It's not really hating to make a prediction. I probably picked 400-500k. But that aint hating considering it took his last album almost a year to go platinum. And Weezy has never been as big of a name as Kanye and 50.
Oh and Wayne is just as big as Kanye & 50, just in his rhyme..feel me..

I aint talking about the predictions playa..I'm talking to the cats that constantly hate on Lil Wayne on an everyday basis..One again he's made them look really stupid because once again its the people that's showing there support for one the games best artist..400+K in a day speaks volumes..

Personally, I think the album is pretty good. He kinda gives you a ranges of styles and beats..It something to sit back and drank a cold one to.

My bad. I'm let down by the album a bit. I prefer the energy he had on Tha Carter 2.

It's not really hating to make a prediction. I probably picked 400-500k. But that aint hating considering it took his last album almost a year to go platinum. And Weezy has never been as big of a name as Kanye and 50.

Hey, platinum is platinum. How many rappers do that in a year?