By Geoff Mayfield

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Kanye West has increased his lead over 50 Cent in the much scrutinized battle between the rap stars, according to preliminary sales data issued Friday.

West's "Graduation" had sold about 600,000 copies and 50 Cent's "Curtis" 430,000 copies, according to data reported to tracking firm SoundScan by eight leading accounts through close of business Thursday.

West's margin of 170,000 units marked an improvement on his first-day lead of 127,000 units. Both albums went on sale Tuesday amid much media hype about the supposed duel between the two acts.

Meanwhile, country star Kenny Chesney's "Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates" had sold 232,000 copies through Thursday, up from his Tuesday opening of 107,000.

The numbers reflect sales only at the participating panel of Trans World Entertainment, Best Buy, Borders, Circuit City, iTunes, Target, Anderson Merchandisers and Handleman Co. The latter two companies place music in WalMart and other mass merchants.

The final charts, with sales from the entire panel extrapolated to reflect the overall U.S. market, will be published Wednesday.

Reuters/Billboard
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