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
She Gonna Already Know
Chamillionaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Haha, hey
(Dada, dada, dada)
Do the opposite of lift your top up
Turn your knock up
Let's wake the whole block up
(Dada, dada, dada)
(cha, cha, cheah)
[Chorus - Chamillionaire - w/ ad libs]
I'm comin down clean, in my slab lookin throwed
They already know it's me, they see them slabs in a row
I'ma paper chaser, so them grands gotta grow
Better recognize a player when I step through the door
I swang and I swing, it swang and it slow
I'ma hit that Harlem Nights and you already know
Throw a stack up in the air and watch the grands hit the floor
I ain't gotta say I'm player, I ain't gotta say I'm player
She gonna already know
[Verse 1 - Chamillionaire]
Its that nigga that used to tip with a counterfeit twenty
Now my chips stay legit and I don't counterfeit any (woo)
All of 'em fit in the whip and I can count and fit many
Bad hoes in my lobe, my newest whip can fit plenty (whoa!)
Thirty stacks in my pocket, like I just had a show (show)
The snow bunnies is poppin up, like it planned to snow (snow)
The Ferry (Ferrari) door is gon' open just like the Phantom door
Money talks, but I only speak to a 100 grand or more (whoa)
The car stop and the hard top is what y'all jockin (jockin)
They all flockin, the jaws droppin and drawers droppin (droppin)
Your boy ballin like Flavor Flav, you small clockin (haha)
Small timers with Alztheimer's, you're forgotten
I was born a mack, keep it blacker than Bernie Mac (Mac)
Control schedules, take a clock and I turn it back (back)
Why you talk, I'm in Utah like Hornacek (Hornacek)
Doin real estate, tryna get another corner shack (whoa)
The hoes watchin the car, like the view is panoramic (yeah)
The fos crooked, they sure shook, cause the back is slanted (yeah)
It's mathematics, I give the moolah to that mechanic
He does magic (wa la) to the car, like that's enchanted
I call 'em Ernest the Murder Magician of the vision (vision)
Your chrome missin, now you spinnin, like it's addition (addition)
A stool pigeon, a fool pigeon, is just a pigeon
We school niggaz, all you niggaz, come get tuition
Chamillitary, some fans said they was done with that (done with that)
But now they runnin back towards me like a running back
They fumbled that, yeah, yeah, them niggaz fumbled that
I keep the Magnum attached to me like a condom yak
Some will jam when you shoot 'em and I call that Summer Jam (jam)
Some will jam but I BAM, hit 'em with that summer jam
They called me, said I heard you was out in Birmingham (yeah)
I said I am, but not Alabama, that's in London man
[Chorus - Chamillionaire - w/ ad libs]
[Outro - Chamillionaire - singing]
Dada, dada, dada
Dada, dada, dada
She gonna already know
Dada, dada, dada
I ain't gotta say I'm player, she gonna already know
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
The lyrics of Chamillionaire’s “She Gonna Already Know” are a mix of bragging about his success and versatility as an artist. With lines like “I’m a paper chaser, so them grands gotta grow” and “I swang and I swing, it swang and it slow,” he’s making it clear that he’s all about the money and living life to the fullest. The chorus directly addresses his confidence and how others perceive him; he doesn’t need to announce his player-status because “She gonna already know.” He takes digs at those who can’t keep up with him, calling them small-timers and “fool pigeons.” Towards the end of the song, he expresses his satisfaction with where he’s at in life, referring to himself as a “born-a-mack” and “control schedules.”
The overall message of the song seems to be that where he comes from may have been tough, but thanks to his success he can live without limits, and people won’t question how much of a player he is because his reputation precedes him. Chamillionaire has stated in interviews that the song is about his personal experience growing up in Houston, where impressing your peers meant everything. The line “I’m comin down clean, in my slab lookin throwed” is a reference to slab culture; Houstonians love their customized cars with shiny rims and candy paint. The song’s sound is a mix of Southern drawl and slow, exotic beats, which adds to the Houston influence.
Line by Line Meaning
Haha, hey
Chamillionaire greets the audience with a cheerful tone
(Dada, dada, dada)
Chamillionaire adds some ad libs to his greeting
Do the opposite of lift your top up
Chamillionaire advises the audience to not lift their car hood up as he proceeds to perform in his car
Turn your knock up
Chamillionaire wants the audience to turn up the volume of his music
Let's wake the whole block up
Chamillionaire wants his music to be heard by everyone on the block
(cha, cha, cheah)
Chamillionaire adds more ad libs to his performance
Chamillitary mayne
Chamillionaire refers to himself as the leader of his rap group, Chamillitary
I'm comin down clean, in my slab lookin throwed
Chamillionaire is driving his car, which is clean and looks impressive
They already know it's me, they see them slabs in a row
People recognize Chamillionaire's car, and identify him as the owner
I'ma paper chaser, so them grands gotta grow
Chamillionaire is focused on making money, and his earnings need to increase
Better recognize a player when I step through the door
Chamillionaire wants people to acknowledge his status as a successful and influential musician when he enters a room
I swang and I swing, it swang and it slow
Chamillionaire is swerving his car, and the movement is smooth yet slow
I'ma hit that Harlem Nights and you already know
Chamillionaire is going to a nightclub called Harlem Nights, and expects people to recognize him there
Throw a stack up in the air and watch the grands hit the floor
Chamillionaire throws a stack of money in the air, and enjoys seeing it hit the floor
I ain't gotta say I'm player, I ain't gotta say I'm player
Chamillionaire is confident in his status as a successful musician, and doesn't need to boast about it
She gonna already know
Women will already recognize Chamillionaire's success and confidence
Its that nigga that used to tip with a counterfeit twenty
Chamillionaire used to use fake money, but now has real money
Now my chips stay legit and I don't counterfeit any (woo)
Chamillionaire's money is now real and legitimate
All of 'em fit in the whip and I can count and fit many
Chamillionaire's cars can hold a lot of money, and he is able to keep it organized
Bad hoes in my lobe, my newest whip can fit plenty (whoa!)
Chamillionaire has attractive women in his life, and his recent car can hold a lot of them
Thirty stacks in my pocket, like I just had a show (show)
Chamillionaire has a lot of money in his pocket, similar to the amount he would earn after performing a show
The snow bunnies is poppin up, like it planned to snow (snow)
Attractive women are appearing wherever Chamillionaire goes, as if it was planned
The Ferry (Ferrari) door is gon' open just like the Phantom door
Chamillionaire compares the doors of his Ferrari to those of a Phantom car, which are both impressive
Money talks, but I only speak to a 100 grand or more (whoa)
Chamillionaire only deals with large sums of money
The car stop and the hard top is what y'all jockin (jockin)
People admire Chamillionaire's car, and specifically the hard top when it's stopped
They all flockin, the jaws droppin and drawers droppin (droppin)
People are flocking to Chamillionaire, and are so impressed that their jaws and clothing are dropping
Your boy ballin like Flavor Flav, you small clockin (haha)
Chamillionaire is making a lot of money, similar to Flavor Flav
Small timers with Alztheimer's, you're forgotten
People who aren't making much money and have poor memory have been forgotten by Chamillionaire
I was born a mack, keep it blacker than Bernie Mac (Mac)
Chamillionaire is naturally skilled and confident with women, and keeps it cool like Bernie Mac
Control schedules, take a clock and I turn it back (back)
Chamillionaire is able to manipulate time and schedules to his advantage
Why you talk, I'm in Utah like Hornacek (Hornacek)
While others are talking, Chamillionaire is already in another state like Jeff Hornacek, a former NBA player and coach
Doin real estate, tryna get another corner shack (whoa)
Chamillionaire is looking to invest in more real estate properties
The hoes watchin the car, like the view is panoramic (yeah)
Women are admiring Chamillionaire's car as if they are viewing a panoramic scene
The fos crooked, they sure shook, cause the back is slanted (yeah)
The car's back is slanted, making it look impressive and intimidating to others
It's mathematics, I give the moolah to that mechanic
Chamillionaire ensures that his mechanic is paid well, as it is necessary for the car's performance
He does magic (wa la) to the car, like that's enchanted
Chamillionaire is amazed by the mechanic's skills, as if he is performing magic on the car
I call 'em Ernest the Murder Magician of the vision (vision)
Chamillionaire nicknames his mechanic as Ernest, who is skilled enough to enhance the car's appearance and performance
Your chrome missin, now you spinnin, like it's addition (addition)
If someone's chrome is missing from their car, they won't be as successful as Chamillionaire and will be left spinning with their addictions
A stool pigeon, a fool pigeon, is just a pigeon
People who snitch or act foolishly are worthless, like a common pigeon
We school niggaz, all you niggaz, come get tuition
Chamillionaire and his group will educate people who want to learn how to be successful and make money
Chamillitary, some fans said they was done with that (done with that)
Some fans of Chamillitary have expressed that they are no longer interested in the group
But now they runnin back towards me like a running back
Despite losing some fans, Chamillionaire is gaining them back quickly
They fumbled that, yeah, yeah, them niggaz fumbled that
The fans who left Chamillitary made a mistake, and are now regretting it
I keep the Magnum attached to me like a condom yak
Chamillionaire keeps a gun with him, like he keeps a condom, for protection
Some will jam when you shoot 'em and I call that Summer Jam (jam)
Some guns will malfunction when used, which Chamillionaire refers to as a Summer Jam
Some will jam but I BAM, hit 'em with that summer jam
Chamillionaire has a gun that works properly, which he calls a Summer Jam, and can get rid of any threat
They called me, said I heard you was out in Birmingham (yeah)
Someone called Chamillionaire and asked if he was in Birmingham
I said I am, but not Alabama, that's in London man
Chamillionaire clarifies that he is in Birmingham, England, not Birmingham, Alabama
Dada, dada, dada
Chamillionaire adds more ad libs to his outro
I ain't gotta say I'm player, she gonna already know
Women will already know that Chamillionaire is confident and successful, so he doesn't need to boast about it
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Chamillionaire ends the song with more ad libs
Contributed by Brooklyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.