The playlist: a weekly ranking of the hottest Blacks in R&B, hip-hop and rap, according to radio airplay, CD sales, ringtones or single downloads

Jet, May 26, 2008

Top R&B CDs

1. SPIRIT
Leona Lewis

2. E=MC2
Mariah Carey

3. ASIAM
Alicia Keys

4. JORDIN SPARKS
Jordin Sparks

5. LYFE CHANGE
Lyfe Jennings

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Source: Amazon.com as of 5/9/08

Top Hip-Hop & Rap CDs

1. RISING DOWN
The Roots

2. GRADUATION
Kanye West

3. DAY26
Day26

4. JUST LIKE YOU
Keyshia Cole

5. TIMBALAND PRESENTS SHOCK VALUE
Timbaland

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Source: Amazon.com as of 5/9/08

Top R&B Downloads

1. LOVE IN THIS CLUB
Usher (f/Young Jeezy)

2. FOREVER
Chris Brown

3. AMERICAN BOY
Estelle (f/Kayne West)

4. CLOSER
Ne-Yo

5. WITH YOU
Chris Brown

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Source: iTunes.com as of 5/9/08

Top Radio Airplay

1. LOLLIPOP
LIL WAYNE f/Static Major
CM/Universal Motown

2. BOSS
RICK ROBS f/T-Pain SNS/Def
Jam/IDJMG

3. THE WAY THAT I LOVE YOU
ASHANTI The Inc/Universal
Motown

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

4. NO AIR
JORDIN SPARKS f/Chris Brown
19/Jive/Zomba

5. BUST IT BABY (PART 2)
PLIES f/Ne Yo

6. LOVE IN THIS CLUB
USHER f/Y Jeezy LaFace/Zomba

7. SHE GOT IT
TREY SONGZ f/T Pain/Tay Dizm
Universal Republic

8. SEXY CAN I
Ray J/Yung BergKnockout/Koch/Epic

9 LAST TIME
TREY SONGZ Songbook/Atlantic

10. TOUCH MY BODY
MARIAH CAREY Island/IDJMG

Source: Mediabase