A white rapper hailing from Boston named Sam Adams shocked hip-hop fans last week, when outta nowhere, his debut EP topped the iTunes hip-hop charts, beating out the likes of DJ Khaled and Lil Wayne.
His Boston's Boy EP hit no. 1 on iTunes last week, generating a buzz among the blogosphere, who according to the Boston Herald, began circulating a rumor that he was inflating his sales numbers by buying his own album.
A relatively unknown rapper hits no. 1 seems fishy right? Well, someone posted a document online, several thousand pages long, which allegedly showed that the majority of Adams' sales came outta one region.
Adams, however, denies the claims, stating that the numbers are real.
"I know there has been a considerable amount of controversy about my album release and hitting No. 1," the rapper told the Herald. "In response I'd like to say that the numbers are legit ... In this day and age where numbers are tracked, I'm shocked people would accuse me of buying my own records. Sometimes people don't want others to succeed."
Update: Sam Adams' rep emailed the alleged document to us on Saturday (March 13), a excel spreadsheet consisting of over 65,000 records of single and album purchases. It displays sales from the entire U.S., and not in just on region, as bloggers' claimed.
"Your article refers to a document that says it covers only one region. It actually covers the entire United States from A to Z, Alaska to Wyoming with 65536 purchases (albums and tracks)," Adams' rep, Daniel Cho, tells BallerStatus.com. "It covers all domestic sales across the US."
Adams himself was shocked by the sudden rise in popularity, especially since he recorded his first song seven months ago, according to a report from the Boston Phoenix.
"We were really surprised we jumped so fast," Adams explained of his quick rise. "Word-of-mouth is an amazing thing. People hear my stuff and like it and pass it on. It's pretty perfect how everything worked out."
As of Thursday (March 11), his single "Driving Me Crazy" was at no. 8, while his Boston's Boy EP landed at no. 3 on their respective hip-hop charts.
Adams also has a song titled "I Hate College," his auto-tuned remix of Asher Roth's hit called "I Love College." It has been viewed on YouTube more than 1 million times.
The Boston Herald says the buzz surrounding his sudden iTunes popularity has generated enough buzz that major labels have come a knocking, including Warner Bros., Atlantic Records and Universal Records.
he bought about 8 thousand of his single, enough to get it in the top, then once it was in the top, it sold on its own. He was in talks with labels, that is over, he paid clinton sparks 3 grand to be in his video. kid is lame….
Why is this news? The manager of The Beatles went out and bought something like 2,000 copies of their first single to boost sales and get them signed to a real contract. This is nothing new in the music biz.
This dude is actually good. Cmon now, you know how much it would cost to buy 75,000 EPs? Not by an up n coming rapper. I don’t see it. How do u think rappers blow up. I believe dude to an extent.
If y’all read the update, it looks like his sales are legit. Plus, you never know…a lot of college kids who get into underground/indie artists spend a lot of money on iTunes, so it’s possible he’s telling the truth to a point…
Look im a rapper/singer and i am really from Boston man,i am really from the streets and i am a real rapper. This kid duin this is giving boston a bad name man. period! And i am not a hater i dnt care if he makes millions do ur thing just take Boston out of ur name bro. cause u aint Boston!
So his team released a document showing that album sales came from all over…but he only plays in the new england area to college kids and had no press/internet buzz what so ever before itunes thing. SO ALL HIS SALES SHOULD HAVE COME FROM ONE REGION.
Frank Rizzo, its not a genius move. if he spent 75k buying his album he would have been better off hiring a publicist, promoter, booking agent etc and actually trying to get people to buy his stuff. A good publicist will get your name in people’s mouths and will cost a fraction of what he spent buying his album
When Beyonce’s albums come out her jayz, her mom, her dad, rihanna, her sister, kelly michelleand her cousins and producers go buy 20 albums each. Thats the same when ever jay, rihanna, kelly and michelle release an album. Thats how the indutry is. Except when its Beyonce’s team they buy and then give the CD’s away.
he can buy his own shit all day but is the music good not beat wise does he have something good to say or make you think about what he just said, rapper not pose to just make rhymes but good story teller to ps leave the street in the street not in the club,the club is where you pose to shake it off remember!
Yo JV, no internet buzz? I Hate College video had well over a milli views before the EP was released. This kid does seem like a herb, but I think his sales are pretty legit. Billboard released the Soundscan #’s and they were legit.
@JV…sorry but that doesn’t work anymore. The best publicist in the world is not getting him this kind of promotion. In most cases it’s people’s publicists who come up with this kind of shit. This is controversial so it draws attention. A post titled, “The hottest rapper ever” isn’t getting shit for hits.
San Adams is not from Boston, Cambridge is a different city, it is not patrolled by Boston police! Sam is also a sell out for not shooting the music video in Massachusetts where his fan base is!
Legit yall have no lives! like ya maadd jealous, leave the kid alone and let him do what hes good at. And just cuz hes not from BOSTON dosnt mean he cant love it. Its friggen Massachusetts we all root for the same teams there really isnt a diffrence wether your from tha ”streets” or your grew up in a nice neighborhood! legit you haters need to grow tha fuck up!
why cant he be from boston leo? dont be mad he can fill clubs in new england and you cant. i saw that boy at toads place in new haven, ct and he can put on a show. juss cuz he white doesnt mean he cant rap. sorry bro…im sure hes just better than ya and he’s not from the streets…neither is kanye west brotha
I just want to randomly say that I’m from Massachusetts and it is ridiculous how many young people LOVE and know him. I know of a kid from my school that SA gave a shout out to at one of his shows (Merrimack College), and then all of a sudden, my entire school was listen to SA nonstop. He even said in a couple of interviews that he tries to be close to his fans.
id like to adress the people that says hes lame because hes not from the streets. no, hes not from the streets. but hes rapping about whats real to him. he likes to party, have fun, get high, drink, and get laid. just like everyone else. he just raps differently from the other people, and this kind of rap is getting big. just look at SA, chris webby, and asher roth.
I just heard ab out this guy from my friend and I think its pretty crazy how he did it. Really though i hate college is a great song and it has almost 3 million youtube veiws. Just look at where his songs are getting on the charts those nimbers are the answer not accusing him of buying buying his own records. People may be jealous of his fat rising carrer but dont hate on his succsess by accusing him of this stuff. Good for him for being this great so fast.
A song is a song hes not rapping about selling crack and living in the hood he raps about frats which yea have money if you dont like the song then stop bitching and dont listen to it and if he wants to buy his own music stop hating because you cant afford it you lame poor haters thats why youll always be poor with hating attitudes dont get jealous get even
dude not even sam adams is the shit… the man produced his own shit and tore up all the tracks… to me thats all that matters… he doesnt give a fuck about itunes ratings, he just wants to make some money
A white rapper hailing from Boston named Sam Adams shocked hip-hop fans last week, when outta nowhere, his debut EP topped the iTunes hip-hop charts, beating out the likes of DJ Khaled and Lil Wayne.
