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 Houstonās 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
The Real Thang
Chamillionaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gotta be honest
Bragging was really not the mission
Only way that they'll listen excuse me if you hear a contradiction
Yea I had a chicken
She had gave me a proposition
She was in love till I told her French ain't my type of kissin'
Them execs was dissin when I walked into that Def Jam audition
Record label switchin
Grindin cause I didn't have a pot to piss in
Feelin like I was fishin'
It was eatin my food inside the kitchen
Before the second album
Sophomore jinx was just superstition
Who would've known that they would've been right
But I ain't trippin
Tryin to be an artist
While they repaint the composition
I need recognition
Recognize ain't no competition
[Chorus]
They said we wouldn't make it
But now they copying the style that they said would never blow
Lord wasn't no complainin
And now it seems like everywhere I go
Steady crawlin
On them 4s
(still crawlin)
On them 4s
(still ballin)
On them 4s
Still crawlin on 4s mayne
On them 4s
(still crawlin)
On them 4s
(still ballin)
On them 4s
You can copy but you'll never ever be the real thing
[Verse 2]
Trying to hit em wit some knowledge
They gon' respond and say its garbage
If I say my cars is
Candy they tell ya he the hardest
Look at how you boys is
Talking bout cars in they garages
They just mirages if you believe em
You retarded
Ima grind regardless
Step in ya castle steal ya crown
Gotta give a pound
KJ and Nancy they still around
And I'm still the deepest
Spend my thesis you still will drown
And that XXL dude that said I would fail
YOU STILL A CLOWN
Can't get a digit or live it how could you even grade me
I'm the one who pay me
Personally give me money daily
Completely crazy
Talk to the streets the streets obey me
Go ahead and hate me
I don't give a 'F' like Weezy baby
The caddillac looking cocky they set a standard to stop me
Swagga jackers that copy I think ya swagger is sloppy
I was just a child in the streets till I let Universal adopt me
But now I feel like I'm the man
If they ever plannin' to drop me
A kitchen drawer wit the flow
Cause I'm sharp as a utensil
Bring any writer I promise I'll break him like a pencil
Any instrumental
Rappers can't keep up wit my mental
Cause they mental's simple
While my mental is monumental
Been had potential
Follow me cause of what I went through
While haters jock me
Copy my image like a stencil
Don't try to jack me
Give a message to those that sent you
I bet the pistol show up in ya face like it's a pimple
[Chorus]
They said we wouldn't make it
But now they copying the style that they said would never blow
Lord wasn't no complainin
And now it seems like everywhere I go
Steady crawlin
On them 4s
(still crawlin)
On them 4s
(still ballin)
On them 4s
Still crawlin on 4s mayne
On them 4s
(still crawlin)
On them 4s
(still ballin)
On them 4s
You can copy but you'll never ever be the real thing
[Verse 3]
Should've betted in my chain
That I'm better than the game
I don't mean the rapper I mean every rapper that's in the game
This the little internet nerd that you say that I gotta prove it to
Alicia keys
Keyshia cole
Oh! My dough is beautiful
I throw three thousand in the air just to snap a Polaroid
Chamillinate anybody movin ya so destroyed
Ka-boom!
Say I'm dissin if you don't know the half
I'm digital download with the dough
You do the math
My money move I get statements so I can view my dollars
A one then a zero
Zero be leapin' all the commas
I can poke I promise
Baby look dope as Pocahontas
In the Bahamas
Countin money in my pajamas
In Chamillionaire's song The Real Thang, the rapper talks about his struggle to be recognized as an artist and his eventual success. In verse one, he talks about having a difficult time getting the attention of executives in the music industry despite having talent. He also speaks about a relationship he had with a woman who was in love with him until he told her that French kissing was not his type. In the chorus, Chamillionaire highlights the fact that even though many people doubted him, he still managed to succeed and be recognized as a real artist.
In verse two, he speaks about people who try to discredit his talent and tells them that he does not care what they think. Chamillionaire also addresses people who pretend to be wealthy but are not, calling them "mirages." He goes on to talk about his own wealth and the fact that he is comfortable living outside of the norm. In verse three, Chamillionaire boasts about his talent and the amount of money he has. He also mentions that his success comes from his digital downloads and his ability to monetize online.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotta be honest
I need to be straightforward
Bragging was really not the mission
My aim was never to boast
Only way that they'll listen excuse me if you hear a contradiction
Iāll contradict myself to gain their attention
Yea I had a chicken
Once I had a girl
She had gave me a proposition
She offered me a deal
She was in love till I told her French ain't my type of kissin'
She stopped being fond of me when I revealed that French kissing wasn't my preference
Them execs was dissin when I walked into that Def Jam audition
The executives were belittling me during the Def Jam audition
Should've threw my watch in they face and then said its time to listen
I should have told them to pay attention to my talent rather than my watch
Record label switchin
I was changing record labels
Grindin cause I didn't have a pot to piss in
I had to work really hard because I was broke
Feelin like I was fishin'
I felt like I was trying to catch something intangible
It was eatin my food inside the kitchen
It was hindering my success when others were successful
Before the second album
Before my sophomore album
Sophomore jinx was just superstition
The belief in a sophomore slump was only a myth
Who would've known that they would've been right
It was unexpectedly true
But I ain't trippin
I'm not worried
Tryin to be an artist
My aim was to be a creative musician
While they repaint the composition
While others redo the song
I need recognition
I crave acknowledgement
Recognize ain't no competition
Understand that no one can compete with me
They said we wouldn't make it
They predicted our failure
But now they copying the style that they said would never blow
Now, they copy our style which they previously criticized
Lord wasn't no complainin
I didn't complain about the challenge
And now it seems like everywhere I go
Now, it appears that at every place I visit
Steady crawlin
I'm still struggling
(still crawlin)
Iām still trying
(still ballin)
Iām still succeeding
Still crawlin on 4s mayne
Iām still low to the ground
You can copy but you'll never ever be the real thing
You can imitate but you can't be genuine
Trying to hit em wit some knowledge
I want to impart some wisdom upon my audience
They gon' respond and say its garbage
They will probably react by saying it's trash
If I say my cars is Candy they tell ya he the hardest
If I boast about my candy-colored cars, they will say Iām the best
Look at how you boys is
Observe how the others are
Talking bout cars in they garages
Boasting about having cars in their garages
They just mirages if you believe em
Those cars are illusions if you trust them
You retarded
Youāre foolish
Ima grind regardless
I will work hard regardless
Step in ya castle steal ya crown
Enter your home and take away your throne
Gotta give a pound
I have to give a handshake
KJ and Nancy they still around
KJ and Nancy are still present
And I'm still the deepest
And Iām still the most profound
Spend my thesis you still will drown
Spending my thesis will still make you struggle to compete with me
And that XXL dude that said I would fail
The XXL writer who said I would fail
YOU STILL A CLOWN
Youāre still a joke
Can't get a digit or live it how could you even grade me
You canāt live my life or get my contact number, so how can you judge me?
I'm the one who pay me
Iām the one who pays myself
Personally give me money daily
I earn money on a daily basis
Completely crazy
I'm completely insane
Talk to the streets the streets obey me
I communicate with the streets and they listen to me
Go ahead and hate me
You can hate me
I don't give a 'F' like Weezy baby
I don't care at all like Lil Wayne
The caddillac looking cocky they set a standard to stop me
The Cadillac looks confident, as it sets a stopping point for me
Swagga jackers that copy I think ya swagger is sloppy
Those who copy my style have poor swagger
I was just a child in the streets till I let Universal adopt me
I was once a kid on the streets till Universal Records signed me
But now I feel like I'm the man
But now, I feel like the boss
If they ever plannin' to drop me
If they ever decide to release me
A kitchen drawer wit the flow
My creative output is endless
Cause I'm sharp as a utensil
Because my skills are as sharp as a tool
Bring any writer I promise I'll break him like a pencil
I promise I can outwrite any lyricist
Any instrumental
Any beat
Rappers can't keep up wit my mental
Other rappers can't match my mindset
Cause they mental's simple
Because their way of thinking is simplistic
While my mental is monumental
While my way of thinking is monumental
Been had potential
I've always possessed the talent
Follow me cause of what I went through
People follow me because of my struggles
While haters jock me
While my haters follow me
Copy my image like a stencil
They copy my style like a template
Don't try to jack me
Don't try to steal from me
Give a message to those that sent you
Tell your source what I said
I bet the pistol show up in ya face like it's a pimple
Iāll shoot you with a gun in the face like a pimple popping out
Lyrics Ā© O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chris Douglas
Man Chamillionaire is one of the greatest of all time. He is so much better than Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, or Soulja Boy. He is just plain amazing.
Simply Darius
Chamillionaire is one the last real rappers. This drop is amazing !
James s r Bond Sr.
Still one of my favorite songs of any artist
Darth Troller
He's so underrated, this is one of his best songs, my favourite part is when he said that he's better than the game, not the rapper
L C K
@Darth Troller Yeah, I like Mike Shinodas part in the original version too...
Darth Troller
@L C K yeah, the Busta Rhymes and Linkin Park version, I think Cham spit harder than Busta but the og hook might be better
L C K
Do you know the original? I think it's better!
Floridaboy95S
Real as it gets!!!!!
Brother Note
This. Goes. Hard. Mad I only just now heard this.
talesofd323
I had my doubts about this being good but it's fucking awesome. The original is still better though.