In early 2001, Williams signed the duo to Arista Records through his recently established Star Trak imprint. With the backing of the record label and the Neptunes, Clipse proceeded to record material for their debut album. The lead single "Grindin'" was released on May 14, 2002, and was an instant hit. It peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song would go on to become Clipse's most famous song, and many publications ranked the single highly on their year-end lists. The second single, "When the Last Time", was dropped on July 30. It would become the group's highest-charting song, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, and staying on the chart for 21 weeks. Clipse then released its commercial debut Lord Willin' on August 20, 2002. The album opened at Number 1 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and Number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 122,000 in its first week. On October 1, 2002—a month after its release—Lord Willin' was certified Gold.
Clipse's Lord Willin' Album Anniversary
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