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 Houstonβs 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
Hip Hop Police
Chamillionaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep runnin', homie
Go, go, go, go, go, go
They on the trail
Go, go, go, go, go, go
Keep runnin', homie
Go, go, go, go, go, go
They on the trail
With so much drama in the industry
Hip hop police are listenin'
Be careful or you'll be history
Looks like another unsolved mystery
It's murder, murder, murder
Ah, it's murder, murder, murder
Yeah, it's murder, murder, murder
Somebody tell 'em it's murder
Murder was the case and they blamed me
Officer, I didn't do it, you can't blame me for this
Could you please loosen up the handcuffs on my wrists?
You can call me what you wanna, man, but I ain't a snitch
No cooperation is exactly what you will get
'Til I talk to my lawyer, you get no reply
You've obviously been watchin' too much CSI
I'm not a crash dummy, so don't even try
To talk your dirty trash to me, no BFI
If you are not guilty of anythin', then why did you run?
'Cause you the police, and, plus, I saw you cockin' your gun
And the chamber wasn't empty it was obviously one
If you think I'm believin' that one then you're obviously dumb (huh?)
I know that you heard the sirens, you dived in
To the vehicle you was drivin' and ridin' in
Instead you shouldn't be whinin', but abidin' by the law
Now it's obvious that you're lyin'
With so much drama in the industry
Hip hop police are listenin'
Be careful or you'll be history
Looks like another unsolved mystery
It's murder, murder, murder
Ah, it's murder, murder, murder
Yeah, it's murder, murder, murder
Somebody tell 'em it's murder
Murder was the case and they blamed me
Stop lyin' to me, boy, it'd be best you confess
I can smell the BS on the scent of your breath
Saw the mental while I was inspectin' your deck
Saw that you was ridin' dirty when I looked at the rest
Who is this guy Busta? Who is this guy Snoop?
Who is his other friend who's wearin' the sky blue?
Look at this pic here, he standin' beside you
Tell me his name now, I heard he was Piru
Confiscated the CD's at one of your homes
For evidence ever since we heard some of your songs
What about this Pimp guy? He was on one of your songs
I coulda sworn that he said he had a pocket full of stones
Am I wrong? Hell yeah, I don't know who that is
I don't know no Pimp C, all I know is I'm rich
And I'm a bond like James, bet I be out here quick
Man, you ain't gettin' out of here, you must think that you're slick
In the car we confiscated the chronic and the clips
Diary that you had and all your blueprints
On the Death Row booklet, we found your two prints
Your thumb and your index the judge will love this
With so much drama in the industry
Hip hop police are listenin'
Be careful or you'll be history
Looks like another unsolved mystery
It's murder, murder, murder (it's a bloody murder)
Ah, it's murder, murder, murder (it's a bloody murder)
Yeah, it's murder, murder, murder (it's a bloody murder)
Somebody tell 'em it's murder
Murder was the case and they blamed me
Now you can see you're screwed as the evidence pours in
The witness to the crime was at three in the mornin'
Gave us a description so we picked up your boy and
You'll get a lighter sentence if you put the crime on him
A big celebrity, a case we long for
You a pirate, why you got that eye patch on for?
Funny puttin' people in a hearse what I heard for
Where were you the night of April twenty-first, son?
Home I think that you got your facts wrong, gat's on you
Chamillionaire robbed, shot couple cats on Melview
What? We gonna have to jail you too
In the line-up, don't speak until we tell you to
This the person who jimmed your lock, sir?
It was dark, kinda looked like him, I'm not sure
Failin' to nail 'cause assailant's another
Believe I see an unmarked tailin' a brother
Hit the Bodega, not no more game
This chick used to be all nice, actin' all strange
Like she was gonna get it, pathetic
Assailant caught, now they all apologetic
With so much drama in the industry
Hip hop police are listenin'
Be careful or you'll be history
Looks like another unsolved mystery
It's murder, murder, murder
Ah, it's murder, murder, murder
Yeah, it's murder, murder, murder
Somebody tell 'em it's murder
Murder was the case and they blamed me
The song βHip Hop Policeβ by Chamillionaire addresses the issue of police profiling and harassment in the music industry. The lyrics depict an encounter between a rapper and the βHip Hop Police" who are on the trail of criminal activity in the industry. The song implies that the police target rappers and hip hop musicians indiscriminately, treating them as potential criminals due to their aesthetic and lifestyle. Chamillionaire tells a story of being accused of murder by the police, who refuse to believe his innocence and demand that he implicate others in the supposed crime. The lyrics also take a dig at police repression in general, asserting that police are overrepresented in media, with the song suggesting they perceive all black men to be criminals.
Chamillionaire uses a conversational style to convey his message, presenting himself as a victim of profiling while simultaneously highlighting the issue of police brutality. The song's lyrics are catchy and memorable, while the beat and melody remain upbeat, contrasting with the serious themes of the song. The lyrics also contain several references, including shout-outs to famous rappers like Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, and Pimp C.
Line by Line Meaning
Go, go, go, go, go, go
The person is urging someone to run
Keep runnin', homie
The person encourages his friend to continue running because they are being chased
They on the trail
The police are in pursuit
With so much drama in the industry
The music industry is full of controversies and problems
Hip hop police are listenin'
The authorities are monitoring the rap industry
Be careful or you'll be history
One mistake can ruin your career
Looks like another unsolved mystery
Another crime has been reported but not solved
It's murder, murder, murder
Someone has been killed
Ah, it's murder, murder, murder
The artist is in disbelief at the crime committed
Yeah, it's murder, murder, murder
The artist is certain that a murder happened
Somebody tell 'em it's murder
Chamillionaire wants someone to inform the authorities that a murder has taken place
Murder was the case and they blamed me
The artist is being accused of murder
Officer, I didn't do it, you can't blame me for this
The singer is proclaiming their innocence
Could you please loosen up the handcuffs on my wrists?
The singer wants the police officer to loosen their handcuffs
You can call me what you wanna, man, but I ain't a snitch
The singer doesn't want to reveal any information to the police
No cooperation is exactly what you will get
The artist won't cooperate with the police
'Til I talk to my lawyer, you get no reply
The artist wants to consult with a lawyer before saying anything else
You've obviously been watchin' too much CSI
The singer is accusing the police officer of watching too much crime TV shows
I'm not a crash dummy, so don't even try
The singer won't fall for the police officer's tricks
To talk your dirty trash to me, no BFI
The artist won't tolerate the police officer's insults
If you are not guilty of anythin', then why did you run?
The police officer is questioning why the artist ran away
'Cause you the police, and, plus, I saw you cockin' your gun
The artist ran because they saw the police officer aiming their weapon
And the chamber wasn't empty it was obviously one
The gun obviously had a bullet in it
If you think I'm believin' that one then you're obviously dumb (huh?)
The artist disbelieves the police officer's story
I know that you heard the sirens, you dived in
The police officer rushed to pursue the singer when they heard the sirens
To the vehicle you was drivin' and ridin' in
The police officer chased the car that the singer was driving/riding in
Instead you shouldn't be whinin', but abidin' by the law
The singer should follow the law instead of complaining
Now it's obvious that you're lyin'
The police officer believes that the artist is lying
Stop lyin' to me, boy, it'd be best you confess
The police officer wants the artist to confess
I can smell the BS on the scent of your breath
The police officer thinks the singer is lying
Saw the mental while I was inspectin' your deck
The police officer found something suspicious while checking the singer's possessions
Saw that you was ridin' dirty when I looked at the rest
The police officer found something incriminating on the artist's person/vehicle
Who is this guy Busta? Who is this guy Snoop?
The police officer is asking about other rappers
Who is his other friend who's wearin' the sky blue?
The police officer is asking about someone with blue clothing
Look at this pic here, he standin' beside you
The police officer is showing a picture of someone standing next to the singer
Tell me his name now, I heard he was Piru
The police officer is asking for the name of someone they suspect is associated with gang activity
Confiscated the CD's at one of your homes
The police officer took some CDs from the singer's residence as evidence
For evidence ever since we heard some of your songs
The police have been monitoring the singer's music for evidence
What about this Pimp guy? He was on one of your songs
The police officer is asking about someone referenced in a song by the singer
I coulda sworn that he said he had a pocket full of stones
The police officer thinks that someone in the song was talking about drugs
Am I wrong? Hell yeah, I don't know who that is
The artist denies knowing someone mentioned in the song
I don't know no Pimp C, all I know is I'm rich
The singer disassociates themselves with the person mentioned in the song but emphasizes their wealth
And I'm a bond like James, bet I be out here quick
The singer is confident they can get out of trouble quickly
Man, you ain't gettin' out of here, you must think that you're slick
The police officer doesn't believe the artist can get out of trouble
In the car we confiscated the chronic and the clips
The police found marijuana and ammunition in the car
Diary that you had and all your blueprints
The police found a diary and plans in the artist's possession
On the Death Row booklet, we found your two prints
The police found the singer's fingerprints on a Death Row Records booklet
Your thumb and your index the judge will love this
The artist's fingerprints will be used as evidence in court
Now you can see you're screwed as the evidence pours in
The singer is in trouble as the evidence against them accumulates
The witness to the crime was at three in the mornin'
Someone witnessed the crime at 3am
Gave us a description so we picked up your boy and
The witness gave the police a description of the suspect and the police arrested someone fitting the description
You'll get a lighter sentence if you put the crime on him
The police are pressuring the artist to shift the blame to someone else
A big celebrity, a case we long for
The police have been waiting for a high-profile case like this
You a pirate, why you got that eye patch on for?
The police officer is calling the singer a pirate and asking why they're wearing an eye patch
Funny puttin' people in a hearse what I heard for
The singer finds it strange that the police officer's job involves dealing with dead bodies
Where were you the night of April twenty-first, son?
The police are questioning the artist's whereabouts during a specific date
Home I think that you got your facts wrong, gat's on you
The artist believes the police officer has the wrong information and implies that the police are responsible for any mistakes
Chamillionaire robbed, shot couple cats on Melview
The police are accusing the artist of committing a robbery and a shooting on a street called Melview
What? We gonna have to jail you too
The police are now arresting the singer for the alleged crimes
In the line-up, don't speak until we tell you to
The police are instructing the artist not to speak during a lineup
This the person who jimmed your lock, sir?
The police are asking someone to identify the person who broke into their house
It was dark, kinda looked like him, I'm not sure
The person is unsure if the suspect in the lineup is the same as the one who broke into their house
Failin' to nail 'cause assailant's another
The police failed to apprehend the actual perpetrator
Believe I see an unmarked tailin' a brother
The artist believes they're being followed by an unmarked police car
Hit the Bodega, not no more game
The artist won't be able to continue their criminal activities at the Bodega anymore
This chick used to be all nice, actin' all strange
The singer is describing how someone has changed their behavior
Like she was gonna get it, pathetic
The singer finds the person's behavior unappealing
Assailant caught, now they all apologetic
The artist's enemies are now apologizing to them after the real criminal was caught
Lyrics Β© Ultra Tunes, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ricky Walters, Jonathan Rotem, Hakeem Seriki
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@VinceVaca
This is so under rated, if only rap was still like this today.
@steverogers6572
It's not underrated, just because you just figured it out. This was hype almost a decade ago and followed the trend of music telling truths instead of bs.
@kirstensam4789
ikr
@Smirkless
This is a pretty well known song just because the views say 20 million does mean well over 100 million people haven't heard it
@sowhat...
@blas mon wtf are you talking about?
@Anticulation
This was a gigantic track back in the day. It was played on Australia radio on the daily. Nothing about this track is "underated".
@onetimes1
He was spitting facts. He made a few hits made some money and bounced for good. Smart man.
@bluelit4830
People thought he was just another southern dumbass but heβs the smartest thing to come out of the south after Outkast! Heβs still putting out meaningful songs
@69yearsago93
@Bluelit and the dude still making bank. Saw him courtside big chillin.
@alexwangechi7175
@King.D He's filthy rich!!!! Like super duper wealthy.