In a struggling economy, Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy found a way to beat the odds, logging an impressive first-week sales tally of 233,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The figure makes Jeezy's fourth full-length LP, 'Thug Motivation: Hustlerz Ambition,' the No. 3 record on Billboard's 200 chart, behind the year's biggest success story, Adele's '21,' which sold 399,000 copies last week, adding to an astounding total of 5.68 million. Both Jeezy and Adele were beaten out by the indomitable Michael Buble's timely 'Christmas,' which sold 467,000, making it the year's second-highest selling album at 2.43 million, with one week left in the year.

Jeezy surpassed expectations with 'TM103,' which was released on Tuesday (Dec. 20), and projected to move approximately 200,000 sales in its first week, despite lengthy delays. It was Jeezy's third highest-selling LP, following his last release, 'The Recession,' which debuted at No. 1 with 260,000 sold back in 2008.

The second highest debut of the week was Common's 'The Dreamer, The Believer,' which also over-performed, entering the chart at No. 18, with 69,000 sold.

Jeezy also narrowly edged out a surging Justin Bieber's No. 4 'Under the Mistletoe,' which sold 225,000, while Drake's 'Take Care' moved 131,000, jumping from No. 7 to No. 5, and Rihanna's 'Talk That Talk' hopped from No. 14 to No. 7 with 99,000.

Jeezy's 'Thug Motivation: Hustlerz Ambition' features Ne-Yo,T.I., Snoop Dogg and the Jay-Z and Andre 3000-featured single 'I Do,' and is in stores now.

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