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
Successful
Chamillionaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Verse 1 - Chamillionaire]
Yeah
In school I was skinny, my homie told me "I'll show you things"
Then he taught me how to take a soda out a coke machine
Hurry up before it ring, wrote a letter to the bing
Life can get you screwed and ya it's true, my homie's on a lean
Went to Pen and Pixel, asked to help 'em with the Photoshop
Knew the pictures wasn't real, Pen and Pixel known to crop
Now they takin pictures of the drop when I unfold the top
Uh, my father put me in a Levi
Couldn't afford to step in a Huarache or a Fila
Psychic walked up to me, asked me if I wanna see my
Future, I told her "no because my future is to be fly"
Uh, I got my sky miles up
Successful just ain't in sight, I guess I found my luck
Said every chick I'm around in that H-Town messed up
Especially to have the privilege of an all night tuck (yeah)
[Chorus - Chamillionaire]
I got the money, money and the cars
Cars and the clothes, the hoes, I suppose
I knew I would be, I knew I would be successful
I knew I would be, I knew I would be successful (yeah)
I knew I would be, I knew I would be successful
[Verse 2 - Chamillionaire]
Said I was dressin tacky (yeah), while they was dressin in khakis
Walked in the gymnasium, back when
they didn't attack me (yeah)
Pictures that they attach me that say "that I miss you badly"
Wonderin how it feel to realize that you could of had me (could of had me)
Even in Spanish little Kelly was lookin cute
The usages of her tongue could never be good as you
It was Quito (yeah), Ecuador (yeah), Lima (yeah), Peru
Who knew that I would of flew? to every city that she spew
Interview and I ain't even have no time for dinner
But no one cares that you're skinny when they feel that you a winner
Women want to be with you, even if you a beginner
Want you to stay the night even if you ain't really finna
You enter, the room and she's watchin out the corner
Her eye on you, realize that she got barely nothin on her
She gets off of the bed and then says "follow if you wanna" (yep)
She hops in the jacuzzi and says join her (yep)
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Chamillionaire's song "Successful" tell the story of his rise to fame and fortune. In the first verse, he talks about his humble beginnings, from learning how to steal sodas from vending machines to struggling to afford designer clothes. He also touches on the fact that life can be unpredictable and lead people down unexpected paths, as his friend ended up addicted to lean. Despite his struggles, Chamillionaire refused to let them hold him back and remained focused on his dream to be successful. He eventually achieved that success, as detailed in the chorus, which emphasizes his money, cars, clothes, and women, all of which he earned through hard work and dedication.
In the second verse, Chamillionaire continues to reminisce about his past and the challenges he faced along the way. He acknowledges that others used to make fun of his fashion sense, but he didn't let their criticism affect his confidence. He also details his travels across South America, including his encounters with women who were drawn to his success, even if he was just starting out. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the luxurious lifestyle he has achieved, including jacuzzi baths with beautiful women.
Overall, "Successful" is a song about overcoming adversity and achieving one's goals through perseverance and hard work. Chamillionaire's lyrics provide insight into his personal journey and the sacrifices he made to reach the top.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah
Intro
In school I was skinny, my homie told me "I'll show you things"
My friend taught me how to hustle and make money
Then he taught me how to take a soda out a coke machine
He showed me how to steal to make money
Hurry up before it ring, wrote a letter to the bing
Writing a letter to someone who is incarcerated
Life can get you screwed and ya it's true, my homie's on a lean
Life can be tough, my friend is addicted to Lean
Hit the money spot, couldn't pull no money out
Found a lucrative opportunity but couldn't access the funds yet
Went to Pen and Pixel, asked to help 'em with the Photoshop
Went to a graphic design company to offer his services
Knew the pictures wasn't real, Pen and Pixel known to crop
Aware that the pictures were edited to look better
Now they takin pictures of the drop when I unfold the top
Now they're taking pictures of his car with the top down
Uh, my father put me in a Levi
His father bought him Levi's jeans instead of more expensive brands
Couldn't afford to step in a Huarache or a Fila
He couldn't afford the trendy shoes of his peers
Psychic walked up to me, asked me if I wanna see my
A psychic approached him and offered to read his future
Future, I told her "no because my future is to be fly"
He declined because he already knew he would be successful
Uh, I got my sky miles up
He has accumulated a lot of travel rewards points
Successful just ain't in sight, I guess I found my luck
He realized that luck plays a role in success
Said every chick I'm around in that H-Town messed up
He's surrounded by women who are obsessed with their appearance
Especially to have the privilege of an all night tuck (yeah)
Women go to great lengths to maintain their looks, including surgery
I got the money, money and the cars
He has wealth
Cars and the clothes, the hoes, I suppose
He has expensive possessions and women are attracted to him
I knew I would be, I knew I would be successful
He always had confidence in his ability to succeed
Said I was dressin tacky (yeah), while they was dressin in khakis
He was not following the fashion trends of his peers
Walked in the gymnasium, back when they didn't attack me (yeah)
He was not bullied in the past
Pictures that they attach me that say "that I miss you badly"
He receives messages from people who miss him
Wonderin how it feel to realize that you could of had me (could of had me)
People may regret not being with him in the past
Even in Spanish little Kelly was lookin cute
He finds women of different backgrounds attractive
The usages of her tongue could never be good as you
No one is as skilled with their tongue as his current love interest
It was Quito (yeah), Ecuador (yeah), Lima (yeah), Peru
He has traveled to various South American countries
Who knew that I would of flew? to every city that she spew
He didn't expect to travel so much to be with this woman
Interview and I ain't even have no time for dinner
He is so busy with work that he can't even eat
But no one cares that you're skinny when they feel that you a winner
People are attracted to winners, regardless of their appearance
Women want to be with you, even if you a beginner
Women are attracted to successful men, even if they're new to it
Want you to stay the night even if you ain't really finna
Women want him to stay with them, even if he doesn't intend to
You enter, the room and she's watchin out the corner
He walks into a room and a woman is watching him from afar
Her eye on you, realize that she got barely nothin on her
She's barely wearing any clothes
She gets off of the bed and then says "follow if you wanna" (yep)
She gets off the bed and invites him to follow her
She hops in the jacuzzi and says join her (yep)
She invites him to join her in the jacuzzi
Contributed by Mason S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.