Who’s the Boss?

The best and most successful of the hard-core female rappers is Boss, whose “Born Gangstaz” album is doing well on both The Times’ Southern California rap chart (No. 5) and the national pop chart. The notorious Sister Souljah and others in this small group have registered meager sales. At the rate it’s going, Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” may wind up as the year’s top-selling rap album. In Southern California, it continually tops the rap chart and is No. 3 on the pop album chart. His hot single, “Dre Day”--No. 3 on the pop chart--is boosting album sales.

TOP 10 ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 janet., Janet Jackson (1) 1 2 Unplugged and Seated, Rod Stewart (2) 2 3 The Chronic, Dr. Dre (4) 3 4 Breathless, Kenny G (5) 7 5 Core, Stone Temple Pilots (3) 10 6 Ten Summoner’s Tales, Sting (13) 4 7 The Bodyguard, soundtrack (7) 6 8 Duran Duran, Duran Duran (15) 9 9 Never Let Me Go, Luther Vandross (6) 8 10 Kamakiriad, Donald Fagen (18) 5

TOP 10 SINGLES

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Whoomp! (There It Is), Tag Team (1) 10 2 Knockin’ Da Boots, H-Town (3) 1 3 Dre Day, Dr. Dre (5) 2 4 Can’t Help Falling in Love, UB40 (8) 3 5 Have I Told You Lately, Rod Stewart (7) 6 6 Weak, SWV (2) 5 7 That’s the Way. . ., Janet Jackson (4) 4 8 Show Me Love, Robin S (12) 7 9 Come Undone, Duran Duran (15) 8 10 Six Feet Deep, Geto Boys (33) 9

TOP 10 RAP ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 The Chronic, Dr. Dre (1) 1 2 Bacdafucup, Onyx (2) 4 3 14 Shots to the Dome, LL Cool J(9) 6 4 12 Inches of Snow, Snow (3) 3 5 Born Gangstaz, Boss (4) 5 6 Bizarre Ride to the. . ., Pharcyde (17) 2 7 Bliss Album?, PM Dawn (5) -- 8 Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., 2Pac (13) 7 9 Predator, Ice Cube (7) 8 10 F--- New York, Rodney O/Joe Cooley (32) 9

Source: SoundScan Inc., for week of June 20