50 Cent album sets sales record

Despite some skimming by online pirates and bootleggers, 50 Cent didn’t get shortchanged at the cash register.

After its release March 3, the superstar rapper’s new album, “The Massacre,” sold 1.14 million copies in four days – the sixth-highest sales week in Nielsen SoundScan history and the largest total ever racked up in such a short sales cycle.

50 Cent also held the previous record of 872,000 in sales over four days, set in 2003 with his debut, “Get Rich or Die Tryin.’ “

Sales for “The Massacre” gave him the first million-seller week since Usher’s “Confessions” nearly a year ago and placed the album at No. 1 on the Billboard chart.

How to explain 50 Cent’s knockout?

“Gee, I think people like him,” said Geoff Mayfield, Billboard’s director of charts.

“Even if you don’t like the two huge radio hits, you can’t deny they’re catchy,” Mayfield said. “He’s featured on a Game hit, as well. Those have everything to do with this week’s number.”

“How We Do” (with The Game), “Candy Shop” and “Disco Inferno” all are in the top five of Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart, a first in the SoundScan record-keeping era.

Headlines about a Feb. 28 shooting outside a New York City radio station where 50 Cent was making an appearance apparently didn’t hurt sales.

“Rap is the kind of genre where contrary publicity can actually help an album like this,” Mayfield said.

“The Massacre” was released five days earlier than scheduled after songs were leaked on the Internet.