Jay

His latest album is the fourth rap title in a row to top 'Billboard.'

Jay-Z's 13th No. 1 puts him second behind the Beatles, who have 19, according to 'Billboard'. (Photo: Jim Ross/Invision/AP)

Jay-Z's chart-topping Magna Carta Holy Grail isn't just a personal triumph for the hip-hop baron. It's another victory lap for rap.

The genre is on a hot streak this summer.

Magna Carta sold 528,000 copies its first week, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan. For the first time, four different rap albums have consecutively held the No. 1 spot.

Kanye West's Yeezus was the first, followed by Wale's The Gifted and J. Cole's Born Sinner.

MORE: Jay-Z sets Spotify record

Before Jay-Z's arrival, rap made history by holding the chart's top three positions for three consecutive weeks.

"Rap is on a rampage," says Keith Caulfield, Billboard's associate director of charts/retail, noting that rap could extend its reign if Jay-Z clings to the summit for a second week. "If you're a fan of hip-hop, it's been a great month."

"Magna Carta Holy Grail" cover(Photo: AP)

But the bumper crop of hot releases doesn't mean rap, which trailed rock, R&B and country in 2012 album sales, is gaining ground over other genres.

"Sometimes we just see a weird pileup of albums at the end of the second quarter or the end of summer," Caulfield says.

One reason rap may be thriving: creative rollouts. West's anti-promotion strategy built buzz. Jay-Z's Samsung deal to market Magna and give away 1 million downloads via a phone app, expected to backfire by some, apparently had no negative impact, says David Bakula, senior vice president of analytics at Nielsen Entertainment.

Magna's tally, the year's second-highest sales week behind Justin Timberlake's 968,000 for The 20/20 Experience, was higher than predicted and especially impressive considering the freebies.

"The advertising and promotion broadened the scope of who the consumer is," Bakula says. "You have people who weren't rabid Jay-Z fans being exposed and getting wrapped up in the story and content. In one widely watched NBA game (with a commercial that announced the album and giveaway), you're reaching a massive audience."

Samsung's aggressive outreach with ads and behind-the-scenes videos "got fans so much more engaged," he says. "And engagement is what consumers are flocking toward now. It made you feel like you were in the backroom with these guys."

Magna, Jay-Z's 13th No. 1, extends the rapper's lead among solo artists for the most chart-topping albums. Among all artists, he ranks second behind The Beatles, who have 19, according to Billboard. Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen are third with 10 each.

Magna also set a record for the biggest first week ever on digital music service Spotify, with more than 14 million album streams.