Rapper Lil Wayne’s new CD, titled “Tha Carter III,” has sold over 1 million copies in its first week in the US. This way, Lil Wayne becomes the first artist since 50 Cent in 2000 to sell more than 1 million copies of an album in a single week. “Tha Carter” sold 1.1 million copies and “Tha Carter II” sold 1.4 million copies.

The last blockbuster hit was 50 Cent’s “The Massacre” in March 2005, with 1.1 million copies sold in its first week. No album in 2006 sold as many as 800,000 copies in a single frame, Reuters noted.

Kayne West’s “Graduation” sold 957,000 copies in 2007.

“Tha Carter III” surpassed the albums of Mariah Carey and Usher, which sold about 450,000 copies in the first week.

Lil Wayne whose real name is Dwayne Carter Jr. has built a reputation as one of the most prolific performers in hip-hop. “He stayed connected and nurtured his audience,” Sylvia Rhone, president of Universal Motown Records, was quoted as saying by the New York Times. “He was always working. And I think the rabid following he’s cultivated is reflected in those sales numbers.”

The rapper has held the top spot on the US single chart for the past few weeks with the hit song “Lollipop.” “Lollipop” also became the best-selling ring tone of 2008, according to Nielsen RingScan.