Evans’ title proves no idle boast

R&B; singer Faith Evans is “The First Lady” on the national album chart this week. That’s the title of her first album in four years, and it sold 157,000 copies during its first week in stores, more than any other woman on the list. But she had to settle for second place overall, coming in just short of the 165,000 copies rapper 50 Cent’s “Massacre” sold last week to hold on to the No. 1 slot for the sixth straight week.

Evans got off to a promising start in her own right in the ‘90s, but was quickly eclipsed by her associations with producer Sean Combs, who discovered her, and her marriage to rapper Notorious B.I.G.

Another singer who’s had to work in the shadow of a famous family member, Lisa Marie Presley, entered the chart at No. 9 with her second album, “Now What,” which sold 56,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Those were the only two new additions to the Top 10. Christian singer Donnie McClurkin’s “Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs” debuted at No. 12 on sales of 52,000 copies, and Brandy’s hits collection “The Best of Brandy” is the only other entry new to the Top 30, entering at No. 27 on sales of 26,000 copies.

50 Cent’s sales total for “Massacre” will surpass the 3 million mark next week, but it looks as though he’ll yield the top spot to Mariah Carey.