The numbers are out for last week’s albums sales, and they don’t look good for Atlanta’s bad boy rapper Waka Flocka Flame.
The Riverdale, Georgia transplant from Queens, NY, dropped his debut album, titled Flockaveli, on October 5, 2010.
But Waka’s first studio effort couldn’t push more than 37,200 copies in the first week, even on the strength of his raucous Summer ’09 anthem, “O Let’s Do It”, and his current hit “No Hands”.
Recently, I spoke with Waka’s mom, industry veteran Debra Antney, who named her son Juaquin Malphurs 24 years ago. She told me that Waka and rapper Gucci Mane are very good friends, despite all the rumors to the contrary.
Antney, who still manages Gucci, said Gucci Mane gave Waka that gold and diamond encrusted camera pendant that we saw him wearing at the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards. She said there is no beef between the two rappers, who hang out regularly in the clubs together.
Antney also talked about the industry turning their backs on rapper T.I., who, along with his wife Tiny, was arrested on drug charges last month in LA.
“Now [that] T.I. done went to jail, he ain’t the man no more!,” said Antney, who was calling from her cell phone.
“Everybody out there been doing drugs! But once upon a time, everybody was riding his ass! He was everything! And now the man takes a fall, and look how fast everybody start flippin’. Look how fast people start flippin’. He was EVERYTHING!, she said emphatically.
T.I. faces a federal judge on Friday (Oct. 15) to answer to charges that he violated his probation. It is expected that the judge will sentence him to at least 30 days in prison. In the meanwhile, T.I. started shooting several music videos last night in Atlanta with featured artists such as Sean Combs, The Dream, chris brown and others.
“There’s a lot of stuff that people are not paying attention to,” Antney added. “They’re really not watching. They so caught up in the illusions of things. Instead of condemning people, get off your ass and try to help people! You only as big as your last record. When it’s all over with, it’s all gone!
Image: RashaEntertainment.com
