After his parents, a Muslim father from Oyo State, Nigeria and a Christian mother from the United States, separated in his early teenage years, Chamillionaire settled into a notoriously dangerous inner-city neighborhood in North Houston called Acres Homes, which he elaborated upon during an interview with Houston's 104.9 KPTY on October 3. Rap and other forms of secular music, which his parents had highly opposed in their household, became very appealing to the young Hakeem Seriki. Inspired by local rap acts such as The Geto Boys, 8 Ball & MJG, and UGK, as well as other national acts such as N.W.A. and Public Enemy, Chamillionaire began to compose his own ponies.
At a young age, Chamillionaire along with fellow rap music artist and childhood friend Paul Wall, had decided to make music their careers. One day while promoting themselves at a Texas event, Paul Wall and Chamillionaire ran into Michael 5000 Watts, a popular mixtape DJ from the Northside. After proposing to do promotions for Watts' company, the Swishahouse, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall came to Watts' studio and convinced Watts to allow them freestyle on an intro to Watts' radio show on Houston’s 97.9 The Box. Watts, who himself was convinced to rap on the record, enjoyed the freestyle so much that he put the verses on one of his mixtapes. The freestyle became so popular in the streets that Chamillionaire and Paul Wall became regular staples on Houston's mixtape circuit, appeared on several of Watts' mixtapes, and became permanent members of Swishahouse.
Although Paul Wall and Chamillionaire were making much noise in the streets by rapping on Watts' mixtapes, they, along with several other members of the Swishahouse, became frustrated with the lack of money they were receiving from the mixtapes. After fellow member Slim Thug left the label, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall followed and started their own mixtape group known as The Color Changin' Click. Each successive mixtape released by The Color Changin' Click led to more business opportunities; the most notable of which being a contract to do a full album for Paid in Full Records. A one album contract was then negotiated between the Color Changin' Click and Paid in Full's label head, DJ Madd Hatta from 97.9 The Box, and the CCC's first album, Get Ya Mind Correct, would go on to sell over 100,000 copies.
The sale of all these albums without the backing of a major deal caught the attention of several major labels wanting to sign Chamillionaire and Paul. Chamillionaire and his labelmates decided to remain independent, however, until the right deal came along. While working on his second album with the Color Changin' Click, Chamillionaire began to have creative differences with Paul Wall, so much so that it was decided that the two emcees should each release solo albums that would be packaged together. When Chamillionaire became dissatisfied with how things were being resolved, he left Paid in Full and his almost complete album after fulfilling his contractual obligations to focus on promoting his mixtape label Chamillitary instead. As a kid, Chamillionaire was a big fan of MANKind, also known as Big June.
Chamillionaire's Myspace
This kid from Houston, Texas has some nerve. That's what came to mind as you watched an MTV special in early 2005 showcasing H-Town's commercial and artistic re-emergence on the rap scene. Following his brazen freestyle, the focused and much-heralded MC known as Chamillionaire faced a national audience and launched a swagger-filled proclamation on camera: "I'm the truth from Texas..." While such boasting may seem par-for-the-course in the prideful 25-year-plus history of hip-hop, the latter ambitious statement aptly describes Chamillionaire. It's the reason why he earned the lofty alias "The Mixtape Messiah," a title Cham was crowned after independently selling over 100,000 copies of the Get Ya Mind Correct album, and by selling thousands of his numerous mix tapes. It's why the former member of Houston's legendary mix-tape power Swisha House garnered coverage in such major hip-hop publications as Source and XXL without the backing of a major deal. When the Houston lyricist set off a major label bidding war to distribute his Chamillitary Records, it became abundantly clear throughout the 'hood and the music industry Chamillionaire is indeed the truth.
With his major-label debut The Sound Of Revenge set for release on Universal Records, Chamillionaire is poised to take his place among Houston's current hip-hop elite, including the new generation of rhyme-spitters such as Lil' Flip, Slim Thug, Mike Jones and Paul Wall, as well respected vets UGK and Scarface. "You call out a lot of rappers and ask them why they are the best and they are going to tell you everything but the music," Cham laughs. "They will tell you that they are the best because they have some nice rims, a chain, and a mansion." He then adds in a straight-no-chaser tone, "You've heard all the hype about Chamillionaire; that he's sick with the lyrics, sings hooks, and represents the streets and the clubs. But I just want to come as close as possible to living up to my reputation."
Chamillionaire recruits an impressive list of talent on his debut effort, including Lil' Flip, Bun B, Scarface, and Krayzie Bone, as well as in-demand producers Scott Storch (50 Cent), Mannie Fresh (Lil' Wayne, Baby, Juvenile) and Cool & Dre (The Game). But, it's his work with Atlanta studio kings The Beat Bullies (1Big Boi/OutKast) that sets the tone for much of The Sound Of Revenge's diverse platform. "They understand me," Cham says of the in-house producers. "There are a lot of producers that have dope beats, but they don't know me as an artist. [The Beat Bullies] being from Atlanta, can take it to the strip clubs, the streets and to the radio."
The name Chamillionaire represents the unique style that defines the talented urban artist, and his ability to change and adapt on the fly, forcing people to respect the true breadth of his talent. And just as this MC moniker exemplifies, Chamillionaire is anything but predictable and most certainly versatile. "Picture Perfect" featuring Bun B comes off as a lyrical nod to the classic 'hood swagger of UGK, while the Beat Bullies'-anchored "Radio Interruption" showcases Cham's prowess for walking the blurred line between street praise and mass appeal. The storytelling brilliance of "No Snitching" (Cool & Dre), finds Cham detailing the unwritten laws of 'hood politics. On the Scott Storch produced "Turn It Up," Cham tag-teams with freestyle king Lil' Flip as they spit over an infectious track that is Houston's answer to a summer club banger. And the soulful "Here Comes The Rain" finds Chamillionaire exploring the daily struggles of life with heartfelt lyricism and ghetto angst.
"It's a very personal song and the title says it all," Cham says of the revealing track. "In a person's life the rain symbolizes the struggles we all go through. Whether you are dealing with losing a loved one or your rent is due on the 1st, but it's the 3rd and you don't have it. I'm just talking about surviving the tough times."
Chamillionaire has definitely seen his share of struggles on his road to redemption. Born to a Muslim father and Christian mother, secular music was banned in his household. Chamillionaire was barely a teenager when he moved to a low-income neighborhood in the notorious North Side of Houston, following the separation of his parents. By the early '90s, however, rap rebels such as NWA, Public Enemy, as well as hometown heroes The Geto Boys, 8-Ball & MJG and UGK would inspire a young Hakeem to write his own rhymes.
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Chamillionaire's Myspace
Breathe
Chamillionaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Verse 1 - Chamillionaire]
Tell me how you wanna floss (floss)
Universal, I'm the boss
Trust me that Chamillionaire is not the one to come across
Flooded thoughts (woo!)
They tryin to tell ya it's a drought
We the south (south) and y'all is just the heirs to air
'Cause when ya open up your hand, nothin but air is there (air is there)
Tryin to tear tags like the old Air Jordan pockets (why?)
'Cause soon as I saw it, I just knew I had to pop it
With a Rocket (woo!), 'cause Houston gotta cheer my name
And if they don't (what?), I'm a make 'em fear my pain
I'll explain (explain), 'cause I just put the madness on the pad
And everybody that think I'm talkin 'bout 'em gettin mad
Get your ad (ad), run along, take your little swag (take your little swag)
I'm quick to tell a chick, she ain't the (Best I Ever Had)
Picture that, invisible visual, so Kodak
Y'all need to come out the closet like old throwbacks
You're so whack (whack) and I am so exact
My dough thick, I'm so sick like it's no ex-lax
If I wanted to it's true that I could probably peel panels (true)
But snitches got the Federales tryin to feel flannels (woo!)
Yeah Radio One but I'm a start a ill channel
Channel set, diamonds make a fan call me "Clear Channel" (haha)
You get that love and they can't crack your nuts
I'm GTing in the streets, they like "that's what's up!" (what's up?)
Peep sideways towards the God, it's really blasphemy (yeah)
They on my website daily to stay attached to me (yeah)
They tellin lies, they livin somewhere in back of me
Actin like a groupie, super fruity, no daiquiri (no daiquiri)
Haha, you know a boss could spend
For every dollar that I spent, I swear I lost a friend
Caucasian Maserati and a awesome Benz
One white the other white, they the dopest twins (oh geez!)
Just follow me, no Twitter, I'm so realer (realer)
Bang, bang the rap game, I'm so Killer (Killer)
Mike/mic in my hand, I'm feelin like Godzilla
I'd still feel cooler than y'all with no scrilla (scrilla)
No gilla, gettin lost I'm never that, get a map
The jungle is crazy, so get a strap
It's a fact, the Benjamins' everywhere that I'm at
If he every disappear, I promise I'll get 'em back
Chamillionaire's "Breathe" serves as an excellent example of the rapper's braggadocious style. The song starts with Chamillionaire counting in, asking the listener to take a deep breath before diving into his lyrics. From the very beginning, he positions himself as superior to other rappers, establishing his dominance over the rap game. He uses a variety of metaphors and similes to convey his skills, likening himself to Godzilla and boasting about his cars, money, and power.
Throughout the rest of the song, Chamillionaire describes how he is always on the cusp of success, always one step ahead of his enemies. The lyrics are dense with wordplay and clever metaphors, making it easy to get lost in the wordplay. Chamillionaire doesn't shy away from calling out his haters and detractors, painting himself as a ruthless force to be reckoned with.
Ultimately, "Breathe" serves as an excellent example of Chamillionaire's style of rap. It's filled with wordplay and clever metaphors, and it establishes his dominance over the rap game. It's an excellent showcase of his skills and a great example of his unique style.
Line by Line Meaning
One, two, three (yeah), breathe (yeah)
Count one, two, three and take a deep breath
Tell me how you wanna floss (floss)
Tell me how you want to flaunt your wealth
Universal, I'm the boss
I am the boss of the entire rap scene
Trust me that Chamillionaire is not the one to come across
Do not mess with me, I am not one to be messed with
Flooded thoughts (woo!)
I have so many thoughts that they are overflowing like a flood
They tryin to tell ya it's a drought
They are trying to tell you that there is a scarcity of resources
Until I pull something out, to show you what a leak about (show you what a leak about)
Until I show you something that proves there is no scarcity
We the south (south) and y'all is just the heirs to air
We are the southern rappers and you are just inheriting nothing
'Cause when ya open up your hand, nothin but air is there (air is there)
When you open your hand, there is nothing there
Tryin to tear tags like the old Air Jordan pockets (why?)
Trying to rip off tags like the tags on old Air Jordan sneakers
'Cause soon as I saw it, I just knew I had to pop it
Because as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to buy it
With a Rocket (woo!), 'cause Houston gotta cheer my name
With a Rocket, because Houston has to cheer for me
And if they don't (what?), I'm a make 'em fear my pain
And if they don't cheer for me, I will make them regret it
I'll explain (explain), 'cause I just put the madness on the pad
Let me explain, because I just wrote down my thoughts on paper
And everybody that think I'm talkin 'bout 'em gettin mad
And everyone who thinks I am talking about them will get angry
Get your ad (ad), run along, take your little swag (take your little swag)
Get your advertisement, leave, and take your little bit of style with you
I'm quick to tell a chick, she ain't the (Best I Ever Had)
I have no problem telling a girl that she is not the best I have had
Picture that, invisible visual, so Kodak
Imagine that, an image you can't see, but it's worth capturing
Y'all need to come out the closet like old throwbacks
You guys need to admit your true selves just like old retro clothes
You're so whack (whack) and I am so exact
You are terrible and I am precise
My dough thick, I'm so sick like it's no ex-lax
My money is abundant and I am so cool it's like I don't need a laxative
If I wanted to it's true that I could probably peel panels (true)
If I wanted to, I could probably steal cars
But snitches got the Federales tryin to feel flannels (woo!)
But informants have the federal government investigating us
Yeah Radio One but I'm a start a ill channel
I am on Radio One, but I will start my own sick channel
Channel set, diamonds make a fan call me 'Clear Channel' (haha)
My channel is set, and my diamonds are so clear that my fans call me Clear Channel
You get that love and they can't crack your nuts
You receive love that cannot be taken away
I'm GTing in the streets, they like 'that's what's up!' (what's up?)
I am driving a GT in the streets and people admire it
Peep sideways towards the God, it's really blasphemy (yeah)
Glancing to the side towards God is considered blasphemy
They on my website daily to stay attached to me (yeah)
They visit my website every day to stay connected to me
They tellin lies, they livin somewhere in back of me
They are lying and living somewhere behind me
Actin like a groupie, super fruity, no daiquiri (no daiquiri)
Acting like a groupie, very weird, not a daiquiri
Haha, you know a boss could spend
You know a boss could spend money
For every dollar that I spent, I swear I lost a friend
For every dollar I spent, I lost a friend
Caucasian Maserati and a awesome Benz
A white Maserati and a great Mercedes-Benz
One white the other white, they the dopest twins (oh geez!)
Both are white and they are the best siblings
Just follow me, no Twitter, I'm so realer (realer)
Just follow me, not on Twitter, I am more authentic
Bang, bang the rap game, I'm so Killer (Killer)
I am so Killer, I destroy the rap game
Mike/mic in my hand, I'm feelin like Godzilla
With a microphone in my hand, I feel like a monster like Godzilla
I'd still feel cooler than y'all with no scrilla (scrilla)
I would still feel cooler than all of you without any money
No gilla, gettin lost I'm never that, get a map
No gorilla, I never get lost, get a map
The jungle is crazy, so get a strap
The jungle is wild, so bring a gun
It's a fact, the Benjamins' everywhere that I'm at
It's a fact, money is everywhere that I go
If he every disappear, I promise I'll get 'em back
If he disappears, I promise to get him back
Contributed by Liliana Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
satownsl210
i always loved this beat ever since fab came out with his song, but now since cham made it his own its even better!
Gz LoC
Fire this coming from ny ðŸ˜