Hakeem Seriki (born November 28, 1979 in Houston, Texas) is a Grammy Award … Read Full Bio ↴Hakeem Seriki (born November 28, 1979 in Houston, Texas) is a Grammy Award nominated rapper, member of The Color Changin' Click and founder of Chamillitary Entertainment. Better known as Chamillionaire, he also uses nicknames such as The Mixtape Messiah, King Koopa, Color Changin' Lizard, Chamillinator, Chamillitary Mayne, Major Payne and The Truth From Texas. He began rapping in 1998, releasing mixtapes and a collab album with fellow Houston rapper Paul Wall. He released his debut album, The Sound of Revenge, in 2005, and his sophmore release, Ultimate Victory, in 2007. He plans to release his yet untitled third album at the end of 2009 or early 2010.

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

Clap
Chamillionaire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Chorus: x4]
(Hey, ya! hey, ya!), oh, oh, oh (clap)

Only imagine, how close all the diamonds in the jewel sit
Invisible set and canary yellow, as a tulip
See I can spit some calm words to you, through my two lips
I can have them hollow tips, popping up out them two clips
You pick, don't run up on me with your tool slick

I'll be damned if I get jacked with a strap, under my blue nit
Don't do nothing foolish, cause I'll completely lose it
Give a nigga a new breathing hole, with a pool stick
I got hoes square rooted, doubles and cubic
They come in groups of two or mo', and they be wanting do it
Got females that do lick, and some that strictly do dick
But if you freaky prove it, I'll go get the cool whip
If you love your shirt so much, that you don't wan' remove it
Then you can get up out my party, you can get excluded
Don't know what click that you with, but I'm king of the new click
Color changin' Click clack rap, I plan to rule it clap

[Chorus: x4]

If you owe me any more than zero cents, time to collect fool
I step through, and re possess the nigga my respect's due
Hope the numbers you wrote in the middle, of that check's true
Unless you fast, and don't think a bullet can catch you
Buy a drink I bet you, that she gone get the next two
or she'll be standing next to, the pay phone and get
Left too bad, your homie had already left too
Can't take you home look at your feet, and now she right and left too
Who's next to, let Koopa undress you and sex you
Can't get you pregnant, condom packs go in and get two
We can chop it up like O.G. Ron see, and Mike Watts do
Or treat you like some Southern music, and make sure you get screwed

[Chorus: x4]

Internet, chamillionaire.com on my channel
Run up on the vehicle, I bet that boy get handled
I don't like your tone of voice, you better calm your grammar
And slap you with the baking soda, my arm and hammer
Chain hanging to my nuts, is kinda like you tasting
Ice, if your tongue is in the right location
I don't fight temptation, I invite temptation
Cause I got a lap that, I would like your face in
Hey ya, hey ya, oh, whoa Kemosabi
This liquor in my body, and I'm ready to party
Hey ya, hey ya, oh, whoa Kemosabi
Hypnotic is for kids, we sipping Gin and Bicardi
Hey ya, hey ya, the minute she saw me
She whispered, all the things she want to do
So you know what we do, just what a playa do
And let her leave with me, then send her home to you probably

[Chorus: x4]

Overall Meaning

The song "Clap" by Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, and Paul Wall & Chamillionaire revolves around high-octane, macho braggadocio. Lines bragging about precious jewels, women, guns, and money collude with a simple yet incredibly catchy chorus: "Hey ya! Hey ya! Oh, oh, oh (clap)." The opening lines paint a vivid picture of the luxurious diamond and jewelry collection, involving different colors and cuts. The rappers' confidence comes across in their fierce refusal to be victimized by anyone who might try to take advantage of them. Chamillionaire warns that he will respond aggressively to anyone who attempts to rob him, while Paul Wall boasts of collecting debts with ease. The song then moves towards the rappers' adoration for women and their willingness to indulge in sensual pleasures, along with their penchant for consuming excessive amounts of alcohol.

Overall, "Clap" is essentially a loud and proud anthem of hedonism and material success that requires no deeper thinking or meaning.

Line by Line Meaning

(Hey, ya! hey, ya!), oh, oh, oh (clap)
Repeated chorus that encourages people to clap along with the beat of the song.

Only imagine, how close all the diamonds in the jewel sit
The diamonds in the jewelry are very closely set and create a beautiful design.

Invisible set and canary yellow, as a tulip
The diamonds are set in a way that makes them look like they are floating and the yellow color is similar to that of a tulip flower.

See I can spit some calm words to you, through my two lips
The rapper is very skilled at rapping rhymes smoothly and calmly through his lips (mouth).

I can have them hollow tips, popping up out them two clips
The rapper can easily shoot bullets from his guns that are loaded with hollow tips.

You pick, don't run up on me with your tool slick
Don't try to attack the rapper with a weapon, he is ready to defend himself.

I'll be damned if I get jacked with a strap, under my blue nit
The rapper is angry and won't tolerate being robbed of his belongings while wearing blue clothes.

Don't do nothing foolish, cause I'll completely lose it
Don't do anything stupid around the rapper or he will become very angry and lose his composure.

Give a nigga a new breathing hole, with a pool stick
If someone causes trouble, the rapper will harm them severely by poking a hole in their throat with a pool stick.

I got hoes square rooted, doubles and cubic
The rapper has many women who are perfectly shaped, with some being more attractive than others.

They come in groups of two or mo', and they be wanting do it
These women come in groups and want to be sexually involved with the rapper.

Got females that do lick, and some that strictly do dick
The rapper has women who are willing to perform oral sex and some who only want to have sexual intercourse.

But if you freaky prove it, I'll go get the cool whip
If a woman is willing to be extra kinky, the rapper will go get whipped cream to use during sexual activity.

If you love your shirt so much, that you don't wan' remove it
If someone is too attached to their clothing, they are not welcome at the rapper's party.

Then you can get up out my party, you can get excluded
If someone does not comply with the rapper's rules, they are not welcome at his party.

Don't know what click that you with, but I'm king of the new click
The rapper is in charge of a new group and is unaware of other people's affiliations.

Color changin' Click clack rap, I plan to rule it clap
The rapper is part of a group that can change colors and he plans to be in charge of this type of rap music.

If you owe me any more than zero cents, time to collect fool
If someone owes the rapper any money at all, they need to pay him immediately.

I step through, and re possess the nigga my respect's due
If someone does not show the rapper the proper respect, he will take it back from them.

Hope the numbers you wrote in the middle, of that check's true
The rapper hopes that the amount of money written on a check is accurate.

Unless you fast, and don't think a bullet can catch you
If someone tries to run away from the rapper, he is fast enough to shoot them anyway.

Buy a drink I bet you, that she gone get the next two
If the rapper buys a woman a drink, she will likely go home with him and they will have sex twice.

or she'll be standing next to, the pay phone and get
The woman might be waiting for someone else and not interested in going home with the rapper.

Left too bad, your homie had already left too
The rapper might miss out on an opportunity because someone else was already interested in the same woman.

Can't take you home look at your feet, and now she right and left too
The rapper might lose interest in a woman if she has unattractive feet, causing her to lose interest in him as well.

Who's next to, let Koopa undress you and sex you
The rapper will have sex with a woman after his friend has already done so.

Can't get you pregnant, condom packs go in and get two
The rapper uses condoms to avoid getting women pregnant and he always carries more than one pack of them.

We can chop it up like O.G. Ron see, and Mike Watts do
The rapper and his friends can have a conversation similar to two DJs who often talk together (O.G. Ron C and Mike Watts).

Or treat you like some Southern music, and make sure you get screwed
The rapper will have sex with a woman and make sure she enjoys it as much as good Southern music.

Internet, chamillionaire.com on my channel
The rapper's website can be found on the internet at chamillionaire.com.

Run up on the vehicle, I bet that boy get handled
If someone tries to attack the rapper's car, they will be dealt with in a violent manner.

I don't like your tone of voice, you better calm your grammar
The rapper is not happy with how someone is speaking and they need to speak more respectfully.

And slap you with the baking soda, my arm and hammer
The rapper will harm someone using baking soda and a hammer if they continue to act disrespectful.

Chain hanging to my nuts, is kinda like you tasting
The rapper's large chain is similar to someone tasting his genitals.

Ice, if your tongue is in the right location
The rapper's chain looks like ice if someone is looking at it from the right angle.

I don't fight temptation, I invite temptation
The rapper welcomes temptation and does not try to resist it.

Cause I got a lap that, I would like your face in
The rapper has a comfortable lap that someone would enjoy sitting on.

Hey ya, hey ya, oh, whoa Kemosabi
Repeated chorus that encourages people to clap along with the beat of the song.

This liquor in my body, and I'm ready to party
The rapper has been drinking and is now ready to have fun at a party.

Hypnotic is for kids, we sipping Gin and Bicardi
The rapper and his friends are not interested in drinking Hypnotic, a sweet liqueur, and instead prefer gin and rum.

The minute she saw me, she whispered, all the things she want to do
A woman was immediately attracted to the rapper and told him everything she wants to do with him.

So you know what we do, just what a playa do
The rapper knows how to charm women and satisfy them in bed as any good player would.

And let her leave with me, then send her home to you probably
The rapper will have sex with a woman and then send her home to her partner afterwards.

(Hey, ya! hey, ya!), oh, oh, oh (clap)
Repeated chorus that encourages people to clap along with the beat of the song.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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