Rapper Eminem reigns once again on The Billboard 200 as "The Eminem Show" (Web/Aftermath/Interscope) posts its sixth non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the chart. The album made the move in spite of a 4

Rapper Eminem reigns once again on The Billboard 200 as "The Eminem Show" (Web/Aftermath/Interscope) posts its sixth non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the chart. The album made the move in spite of a 4% sales dip to 170,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan, which was a smaller decline than the 12% drop to 162,000 units that precipitated the fall of Nelly's "Nellyville" (Fo' Reel/Universal) to No. 2.

Eminem's album sales are getting a boost from his latest hit single, "Cleanin' Out My Closet," which jumps 9-7 on Billboard's Hot 100, where it is the tally's fastest-growing track at radio, and 26-17 on Billboard's Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks tally. Meanwhile, Nelly's "Dilemma" featuring Kelly Rowland remains at No. 1 for a fourth week on the Hot 100 and a third week on Hot R&B; Singles & Tracks roundup. To date, Eminem's and Nelly's albums are the two top sellers of the year, with Eminem's set having moved 5.2 million copies, and Nelly's just under 2.9 million.

Avril Lavigne's "Let Go" (Arista) reaches its highest rank on The Billboard 200, moving 5-3 on an 11% sales surge to 129,000 units. Lavigne's first single "Complicated" breaks the Nelly logjam on the Hot 100 to edges up 3-2, squeezing between "Dilemma" and Nelly's previous No. 1, "Hot in Herre," now at No. 3.

Virginia-based hip-hop duo Clipse, made up of brothers Gene and Terrence Thornton -- a.k.a. Malice and Pusha T -- makes an auspicious debut on The Billboard 200 at No. 4. The siblings' "Lord Willin'" shifted a mighty 122,000 units, strong enough to capture the top slot on Billboard's Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums count. Clipse had the benefit of working with the Neptunes, production duo of the moment and the men behind N.E.R.D., and releasing the album as the first on the Neptunes' Arista imprint Star Trak. First single "Grindin'" is No. 18 on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks tally.

Bruce Springsteen rounds out the top-5 of The Billboard 200 as "The Rising" (Columbia) drops 3-5 in its fourth week following a 30% sales drop to 117,000 units. James Taylor's "October Road" (Columbia) similarly slipped with a 29% sales dip to 110,000 units and winds up two slots lower at No. 6. But "Come Away with Me" by jazz vocalist Norah Jones (Blue Note/Capitol) sneaks into top-10 in its 26th week on the chart, with a 13-10 move on an 11% sales hike to 71,000 units.

Angie Martinez has the best debut of her career with "Animal House" (Elektra) galloping its way to a No. 11 bow on The Billboard 200 with 62,000 units. Her last set, 2001's "Up Close and Personal," entered the album chart at No. 31. "Animal House" is also No. 6 on the Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart, while her "If I Could Go!" featuring Lil' Mo and Sacario rests at No. 33 on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

Jamaican toaster Beenie Man bounces to No. 18 on The Billboard 200, giving the R&B;/hip-hop field three top-20 debuts this week. His "Tropical Storm" (Shocking Vibes/Virgin) sold 51,000 units to thunder past the No. 68 entry of his 2000 release "Art and Life." In addition, "Tropical Storm" muscles its way to No. 7 on the Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums tally, while his "Feel It Boy" featuring Janet Jackson, as well some studio work from the Neptunes, settles in at No. 31 on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

Country chanteuse Lee Ann Womack has a respectable No. 16 entry on The Billboard 200 with her MCA Nashville set "Something Worth Leaving Behind," just ahead of the No. 17 opening of her 2000 album "I Hope You Dance." Womack has to settle for No. 2 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, where Toby Keith's DreamWorks set "Unleashed" is still going strong at No. 1 for a fifth week. "Unleashed" is also No. 9 on The Billboard 200.

There's little doubt that both Womack and Keith will have to make room for the Dixie Chicks next week, as estimates see their Open Wide/Monument/Sony album "Home" moving upwards to 700,000 units. Their cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" coasts to No. 32 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, while lead single "Long Time Gone" maintains its presence in the top-10 of the tally at No. 6.

Other notable newcomers on The Billboard 200 this week include Latin rock act Mana, whose "Revolucion de Amor" (Warner Latina) arrives at No. 22; Diamond Rio, whose "Completely" (Arista Nashville) glides to No. 23; Razor & Tie's "Kidz Bop 2," the second edition in the label's "Kidz Bop Kids" series, at No. 37; and late vocalist Eva Cassidy's "Imagine" at No. 62.

While his fellow 'N Sync mate Lance Bass prepares to soar into space, Justin Timberlake becomes the first member of the boy band to step out on his own and he scores the Hot 100's top debut for his efforts. Produced by the ubiquitous Neptunes, Timberlake's single "Like I Love You" arrives at No. 67. The track was released to radio just last week to herald the Nov. 12 release of his solo Jive debut album, "Justified." Look for Timberlake to perform the new track tonight (Aug. 29) during the MTV Music Video Awards.

Other noteworthy entries on the Hot 100 include Shakira's "Objection (Tango)" at No. 68, Goo Goo Dolls' "Big Machine" at No. 70, Musiq's "Dontchange" at No. 75, and Martina McBride's "Where Would You Be" at No. 76. The Hot 100's fastest-growing track at retail is BBMak's "Out of My Head (Into Your Head)," which rises 62-56.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "By the Way" notches an 11th week atop Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart and a fifth at No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks tally. The track is up one on the Hot 100 to No. 35 while the band's Warner Bros. album of the same name slides 16-21 on The Billboard 200.