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.
-------------------------------------------------------
(C) Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia
Chamillionaire's Myspace
Neck Of My Woods
Chamillionaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ha-ha, hop in nigga (Southern Smoke)
Why you looking all scared mayne?
Loosen up nigga, ride with me
[Hook - 2x]
Through the hood, hustling and living right
Grinding for a grand, pockets getting bigger
Ain't nothing like a Dirty South, H-Town nigga
[Chamillionaire]
Cadillac with the 4's, the paint that's matching the toes
The basketball players baby mamas, and actresses hoes
No you can't be tripping, you got's the master control
Make her park while you exit, from out the passenger do'
You roll with the easy pass, as you pass through the toll
See the police ya ride slow, you don't the faster you go
See the fiends on the corner, itching and after the blow
You incognito, while passing that lil' package of dro
I know I'm not a hustler, also I'm not a customer
I'm also not a snitch, I'm the type you could put ya trust in sir
The trees made that weed, what is you cussing fa'
It's mother nature's fault officer, you should have a grudge with her
Never works, but still you try the excuses
The prints could make you believe, that all of your grinding was useless
So what if you catch a case, still hustle the juices
Fill up his jar with that bar, man this Southern is ruthless
Ooh it's another one of them thangs, what you call that (slab)
Do the math, recline in your seat and fall back
You gotta try to blend in, and get your car facts
Belt buckles swangs and bang, that's how we crawl Lac
I'ma get my car waxed, pulling into this liquor sto'
Get in, get the Black Magic and a sip of O.
J. ay, one thang before you hit the do'
Burning off on his ass, you don't know nothing bout Texas hoe
In Chamillionaire's song "Neck of My Woods," he takes the listener through his neighborhood, or "neck of the woods," and describes the experiences he has within it. He starts off by describing the car he's driving, a Cadillac with matching paint on the wheels ("4's"), and the kinds of people he sees on the streets - basketball players' baby mamas and actresses who he refers to as "hoes." Despite the temptations of the streets, he is careful not to get caught up in any illegal activities, as he tells the listener "I know I'm not a hustler, also I'm not a customer, I'm also not a snitch, I'm the type you could put ya trust in sir."
Line by Line Meaning
Ha-ha, hop in nigga (Southern Smoke)
Chamillionaire invites someone to join Southern Smoke, the musical collective he's part of
Why you looking all scared mayne?
Chamillionaire asks the person he's inviting to hop on to relax and not be afraid
Loosen up nigga, ride with me
Chamillionaire encourages the person he's inviting to enjoy the ride with him
I'ma roll you, through my neck of the woods
Chamillionaire promises to take the person he's inviting around his neighborhood, a place he's very familiar with
Through the hood, hustling and living right
Chamillionaire intends to take the person he's inviting to visit different parts of the neighborhood, where people are working hard and earning money honestly
Grinding for a grand, pockets getting bigger
Chamillionaire highlights the hustle that people undergo in this neighborhood, in which they work very hard to earn money and improve their lives
Ain't nothing like a Dirty South, H-Town nigga
Chamillionaire boasts about the spirit of the people in his neighborhood, who he describes as hardworking and resilient individuals from Houston, commonly known as H-Town
Cadillac with the 4's, the paint that's matching the toes
Chamillionaire describes the car he's driving, which is a Cadillac with 4 wheels and the paint color that matches his shoes
The basketball players baby mamas, and actresses hoes
Chamillionaire makes mention of the presence of women who go after famous men like basketball players or actors, and how they are viewed in his neighborhood
No you can't be tripping, you got's the master control
Chamillionaire assures his passengers not to worry because he's completely in control of the vehicle, despite various obstacles and distractions
Make her park while you exit, from out the passenger do'
Chamillionaire instructs the person riding with him to have the girl sit behind the wheel and park the car, while he exits from the passenger's side
You roll with the easy pass, as you pass through the toll
Chamillionaire has an Easy Pass (an electronic toll payment system) and likes to use it to quickly pay tolls while driving around
See the police ya ride slow, you don't the faster you go
Chamillionaire advises his passengers to drive slow whenever they spot police officers around to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to themselves
See the fiends on the corner, itching and after the blow
Chamillionaire conversely warns the passengers about the people they might see on street corners who are drug addicts looking for their next fix
You incognito, while passing that lil' package of dro
Chamillionaire suggests that the passengers try to be discreet while passing around a small bag of weed
I know I'm not a hustler, also I'm not a customer
Chamillionaire is affirming that he's neither a drug dealer nor a drug user
I'm also not a snitch, I'm the type you could put ya trust in sir
Chamillionaire assures his passengers to trust him as he will not divulge any confidential information about their trips or alleged activities to the police
The trees made that weed, what is you cussing fa'
Chamillionaire dismisses any cursing and blames nature as the origin of the weed they are smoking
It's mother nature's fault officer, you should have a grudge with her
Chamillionaire jokingly tells the police officers who are trying to arrest him for smoking weed to blame Mother Nature instead of arresting him
Never works, but still you try the excuses
Chamillionaire notes that people tend to make excuses that rarely work in order to justify their situations
The prints could make you believe, that all of your grinding was useless
Chamillionaire warns that one can easily believe that all their work and hard-earned money collected could be taken away if they leave their fingerprints on an object or anywhere that they should not
So what if you catch a case, still hustle the juices
Chamillionaire encourages the people in his neighborhood to keep hustling and making money despite the risk of getting caught by the police
Fill up his jar with that bar, man this Southern is ruthless
Chamillionaire emphasizes that people in his community will resort to violence and aggression if need be to protect themselves, even if it means attacking someone with a jar of candy bars
Ooh it's another one of them thangs, what you call that (slab)
Chamillionaire sees another fancy car, which he calls a slab, driving by
Do the math, recline in your seat and fall back
Chamillionaire tells his passengers to relax and enjoy the ride, as they calculate the numbers and fortune this neighborhood has to offer
You gotta try to blend in, and get your car facts
Chamillionaire advises his passengers to fit in with the locals and make sure they have the right information about cars or else they could draw unwanted attention to themselves
Belt buckles swangs and bang, that's how we crawl Lac
Chamillionaire describes the fashion style and how people strut as they drive their cars in his neighborhood
I'ma get my car waxed, pulling into this liquor sto'
Chamillionaire intends to wash and wax his car ahead of visiting the liquor store, a cultural hub in his neighborhood
Get in, get the Black Magic and a sip of O.J.
Chamillionaire invites his passengers (or himself) to get in the store, buy Black Magic (car wax), and also have a sip of orange juice
ay, one thang before you hit the do'
Chamillionaire reminds them of one thing before they leave the liquor store
Burning off on his ass, you don't know nothing bout Texas hoe
Chamillionaire wants to leave the liquor store quickly and drive away from the area, emphasizing that people who are unfamiliar with Houston and Texas as a whole are going to have a tough time keeping up
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind