T.I. sets record for jump to top of singles chart

By Silvio Pietroluongo

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Rapper T.I. establishes the mark for biggest jump to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 as his single "Whatever You Like" soars from No. 71 to No. 1 in its third week on the list.

The new chart will be published Thursday (August 28) on Billboard.com.

A No. 1 opening on the Hot Digital Songs chart with debut-week sales of 205,000 downloads is the impetus for the record-setting Hot 100 move, which surpasses the leap from No. 64 to No. 1 that Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" took in May 2007.

"Like" is the rapper's first No. 1 as a lead artist (he was featured on Justin Timberlake's 2006 chart-topper "My Love"), and his opening-week digital sum is the best by a rap track since Nielsen SoundScan began compiling download data in 2003.

T.I.'s new Grand Hustle/Atlantic album, "Paper Trail," will be released September 30.

The performer pled guilty to federal weapons charges in conjunction with an October 2007 arrest in Atlanta. He will serve a year in jail after completing 1,000 hours of community service.

Reuters/Billboard