Rapper King Von (image via Audible Treats).
Hip-hop musician King Von passed away in November 2020, just as he was becoming one of the most exciting new names in the field and a potential proper hitmaker. Fans continue to mourn his death, but thankfully, he left behind a treasure trove of work that his estate continues to share. With a single out now, the rapper hits new highs and proves he’s still incredibly popular, even though he’s no longer with us.
This week has turned out to be perhaps his best yet on a number of competitive tallies thanks to the release of his new single “Don’t Play That” with fellow hip-hop powerhouse 21 Savage lending his talent and popularity to the cut. Here’s a look at how well that tune performs on a number of Billboard charts, and what it does for Von’s chart record.
General Charts
Perhaps most important of all the Billboard charts that King Von appears on this week is the Hot 100. The rapper lands his sixth placement, and it narrowly breaks into one of the most competitive arenas on the list. “Don’t Play That” starts off at No. 40, posthumously granting the musician his first, and perhaps only, top 40 hit on the roster.
Over on the Billboard Global 200, which ranks the most popular tracks all around the world, “Don’t Play That” kicks off its time at No. 59. Von has appeared on that all-genre tally before, but never so high. At the same time, he misses out on scoring his first top 10 hit on the Streaming Songs list, as his just-released single starts at No. 11.
R&B & Hip-Hop Charts
Von has now sent half a dozen tracks to the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, which ranks the most-consumed tunes that can be classified as hip-hop, R&B or rap. “Don’t Play That” is now his loftiest win, as it launches at No. 11 on the current tally. The ranking incorporates streams, sales and radio play, and the rapper’s new smash clearly performed best on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, as it also manages to appear on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs roster as well. On that streaming-only list, the new single enters at No. 5, becoming not just his loftiest placement, but his first top five and just his second top 10.
Rap Charts
Over on the even-more-specific Hot Rap Songs chart, which looks only at the most-consumed rap tracks in the U.S., “Don’t Play That” kicks off its time on the tally at No. 7. Von lands his first top 10 posthumously, and he’s now up to four appearances in total. That same cut becomes his fourth top 10 on the Rap Streaming Songs tally, where it enters at No. 4. That also stands as his best placement yet on the ranking.
