TOBYMAC'S EYE IS ON THE PRIZE

It’s still a ways from Christmas, but Forefront/EMI Christian rapper TobyMac celebrates early with the chart-topping debut of his fifth studio album, Eye on It. The 2009 Grammy winner for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album, who was formerly a member of Christian vocal trio DC Talk, sees the release move 70k in its first week.

That’s good enough to top Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Eminem homies Slaughterhouse, whose Welcome to Our House bows at #2 with 51k.

The other Top 10 newcomer is Collective Sounds singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette’s Havoc and Bright Lights, which enters at #5 with 33k in sales.

Capitol/EMI’s Now 43 (#3) and Atlantic’s Trey Songz (#4) round out the Top 5, followed by A&M/Octone’s Maroon 5 (#6), Def Jam/IDJ’s 2 Chainz (#7), 19/Arista Nashville’s Carrie Underwood (#20-8, +85%, thanks to an iTunes $6.99 sale), Fueled by Ramen’s fun. (#9) and XL/Columbia’s Adele (#10), back in the Top 10 in its 80th week on the chart.

Other Top 50 debuts are registered by Plus 1’s Tamia (#23), Circa Survive’s self-released Violent Waves (#30), eOne’s Dwele (#35) and Dangerbird’s Minus the Bear (#42).

Columbia’s John Mayer (#28), Nonesuch’s The Black Keys (#29), Atlantic’s Jason Mraz (#38), RCA’s R. Kelly (#48), Integrity’s Israel & New Breed (#49) and Capitol/EMI’s Now 42 (#50) all re-enter.

Aside from Underwood, the week’s top double-digit gainers include RCA’s Usher (#44-22, +29%) and Dualtone’s The Lumineers (#15-11, +19%), both of which were boosted by iTunes discounts.

This week’s releases include Atlantic’s Matchbox 20, Interscope’s Imagine Dragons, Matador’s Cat Power, Domino’s Animal Collective, Island/IDJ’s Melissa Etheridge, Reach Records Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae and Glassnote’s Two Door Cinema Club.

Next week (9/11), look for RCA’s Dave Matthews Band and Columbia’s Bob Dylan to hit retail, along with American/Republic’s Avett Brothers and Seven Arts’ DMX.