 The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart , selling 242 @,@ 000 copies in its first week – earning the highest first @-@ week hip hop album sales of 2012 from a male artist , along with the best @-@ selling debut from a male artist of the year . It became Lamar 's first album to enter the UK Albums Chart , peaking at number 16 , and entering the UK R & B Albums Chart at number two . The album was also named to many end @-@ of @-@ the @-@ year lists , often topping them . It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) in August 2013 . By March 2015 , the album had sold 1 @,@ 400 @,@ 000 copies domestically , according to Nielsen SoundScan . 
