How This Dude Bested Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson

Rapper Lil Wayne made a big splash this week when Tha Carter III topped the charts and sold a million copies. His sales set a new precedence for 2008, which has been dominated by flashbacks to the '90s, with releases from powerhouse Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Madonna.

But, even those music industry icons couldn't stop the relative newcomer from having the best first week sales since 2005, when 50 Cent's Massacre sold more than one million copies.

As consumers increasingly turn to YouTube (GOOG - Cramer's Take - Stockpickr) and free music downloads over shelling out for an album, industry sales have slowed. So, just how did Lil Wayne break a million in his first week of sales, when so few have done it in the 17 year history of Nielsen Soundscan era?

Lil Wayne's success may come as a surprise to some, but not all. "Wayne has proven that the sales force is still out there, but the consumer is just smarter and will wait for the perfect artist that blends talent, a back story, and controversy," says Datwon Thomas, editor of hip hop magazine XXL. Problems with the law, drama surrounding his alleged drug use, and pictures kissing a man he deems "his father figure" have kept him in the headlines. "A hit song isn't enough for the consumer anymore, you have to have the total package of a rock star for them to buy into you and your music," says Thomas.

But Lil Wayne didn't experience instantaneous success. His last album, Tha Carter II, only generated about 20% of his current sales in its first week, and he was passed over by Mary J. Blige, who he was hoping to collaborate with. "Lil Wayne once said Mary J. Blige turned him down for a song and in his mind that meant he wasn't hot enough in the music game," said Thomas. "So, he set out to be just that, the best in the game."