The Boy Who Played the Harp breaks UK album record

Dave became the first British rap artist to top the official UK chart with three albums.

Her latest album, The Boy Who Played The Harp, topped Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl and managed to fend off competition from Lily Allen’s much-talked-about West End Girl.

It has become the fastest-selling rap album on vinyl this century, selling 15,500 copies since its release last Friday, according to the official UK Charts Company.

Both of their previous albums returned to the top 40, making them the first British rap group to have three entries on the chart simultaneously.

The Boy Who Played the Harp has strong religious themes, and its title is a reference to the biblical king David.

When Dave announced the album’s release, he added that David’s “story and search for purpose” had guided him and that he had “grown so much” in the four years since his previous album.

The album’s fourth track, Chapter 16, references the Book of Samuel and the moment David becomes king.

Journalist Mimi Itseli, who writes as Mimi the Music Blogger, told BBC Newsbeat that it was “a tribute to why his mother named him David”.

But he also believes it resonates today.

“To me right now he’s the king of the stage,” he says.

Mimi hopes Dave’s openness about his beliefs will encourage fans to explore their own.

“Someone might look at the Bible and think they don’t have to be a certain way,” he says.

“When it comes to religion, the real part is being right with God rather than being self-righteous.”

Tola, 22, tells Newsbeat he’s been a fan of Dave’s “forever” and admits the album’s perspective on faith is “really important”.

“It speaks to where rap has to tell stories,” he says.

Tola says he saw comments about the album on TikTok before even listening to it.

But he thinks Dave is resisting the temptation created by social media to generate quick, memorable attention when writing.

The lengths of the tracks in the album vary between 3 minutes and 7 minutes 51 seconds.

“There’s a part of our brain that loves that quick hit of dopamine, but this album really tries to get us to listen,” says Tola.

“It’s not about the melody or the music, but rather what it tells us: ‘Sit down, take those seven minutes.’

“Take a break, listen to this advice.”

British rapper Stormzy also had three number-one albums, but 2019’s Heavy is the Head debuted at number two before climbing the chart.

Mimi says Dave’s three albums follow his development as an artist.

“Psychodrama was an album designed to show who he was,” he says.

“We’re All Alone In This Together was an album made for him to show what happened to the artist.

“This album shows the album for itself. He was just eavesdropping on her deep thoughts, even her conversations with him and God.”

He describes each track on the album as “different versions of himself”.

“His story is incredible because so many people can relate to being a child in London, or even being the child of an immigrant, or even being a black child.

“People who have waited four years for this should take the time to listen.”

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