Sean Paul Makes Chart History With Highest Ever Reggae Debut

NEW YORK, NY (Atlantic Records) - Sean Paul's newest album, "THE TRINITY" (VP/Atlantic), topped the Reggae charts today, selling over 107,000 in its first week, the highest ever reggae debut and single week sales for a reggae artist in SoundScan history. It's been a good month for music from Jamaica: just a week ago, Damian Marley sold 86,000 in his first week, then the biggest debut for a reggae release since Nielsen SoundScan started collating data in 1991. However, his reign as champ of Jamaican music was short-lived, with Sean Paul - the man who put Jamaica's dancehall on the map - back on the scene in a big way with this week's No 7 on the Billboard 200, No 4 on R&B chart, and, of course, No 1 on the Reggae chart. The record-breaking sales gives Sean Paul his highest chart position to date.

"THE TRINITY" is the follow-up to the King of Dancehall's breakthrough debut album, 2002's "DUTTY ROCK," which sold 65,000 in its first week and went on to become an international phenomenon, selling over 6 million worldwide. That album spawned four mega-hit singles as well as collaborations with artists such as Beyonce, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, and even Sting at the 2004 GRAMMYs. On "THE TRINITY," Sean returns to his signature blend of reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop, to great success and acclaim.

First single "WE BE BURNIN'" is this week's Greatest Gainer on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts, entering the Top 20 this week, and steadily rising up the Pop charts as well, with the video currently in rotation on MTV and BET. Fans can catch Sean Paul perform the hit on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Wednesday, October 5, 2005, with additional performances coming and a tour jumping off in November.

Named "THE TRINITY" because it is Sean Paul's third album (second with Atlantic), three years in the making, and made entirely in the Third World, the new album is already on pace to best "DUTTY ROCK," which transformed the music scene and brought authentic Jamaican dancehall reggae from an underground phenomenon to the mainstream of popular music around the globe and earned Sean Paul a GRAMMY, MTV Europe's Best New Artist Award, Source, MOBO, Juno, Much Music, and International Reggae and World Music awards.
Stay tuned for more heat from Sean Paul as "THE TRINITY" burns up the charts!