Hakeem Seriki (born November 28, 1979 in Houston, Texas) is a Grammy Award … Read Full Bio ↴Hakeem Seriki (born November 28, 1979 in Houston, Texas) is a Grammy Award nominated rapper, member of The Color Changin' Click and founder of Chamillitary Entertainment. Better known as Chamillionaire, he also uses nicknames such as The Mixtape Messiah, King Koopa, Color Changin' Lizard, Chamillinator, Chamillitary Mayne, Major Payne and The Truth From Texas. He began rapping in 1998, releasing mixtapes and a collab album with fellow Houston rapper Paul Wall. He released his debut album, The Sound of Revenge, in 2005, and his sophmore release, Ultimate Victory, in 2007. He plans to release his yet untitled third album at the end of 2009 or early 2010.

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

What Would You Do
Chamillionaire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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Mixtape Messiah

[Chamillionaire]
What would you do?
If he was hating on you and never to you
He gon' make sure that he don't bump into you

He gon' pretend he don't see and never knew you
And just avoid you
What would you do?
If everythang he was saying wasn't truthful
He gon' pretend that he ain't did nothing to you
See you can love me or hate, whatever suits you
But I'll destroy you, and you know it! Nigga

[Chamillionaire talking]
Nigga knew he had messed up when he put me on his DVD at the front
Nigga put me in the footage like I'm co-signing this nigga running the game
What type of disrespect is that?
I knew you that messed up nigga, caught you red handed with all your feminine ways
Running round, talking all that noise behind my back
and wasn't man enough to say it to my face man
Real type of nigga you is man
Should of known you was that broad ass nigga that everybody was saying you was
What type of hoe ass nigga talk down on his own click
to niggas he ain't even really that cool wit
What type of hoe ass nigga don't say it to a nigga face
And when he see ya he start smiling and shaking hands
A hoe ass nigga, a fraud ass nigga
You gonna have to take it how it hit you nigga
Cause I mean every word that I say on this CD nigga
You know what I'm saying?
Standing on my own two feet like always and I ain't really tripping offa anybody else
Anybody got a problem, speak up now or forever hold your peace
Oh and it will get worse, let me let y'all know I ain't done with this nigga

It's not over yet
Mixtape Messiah 2, Controversy Sells coming soon

Overall Meaning

In What Would You Do, Chamillionaire questions what would one do if someone was hating on them, lying about them, and pretending not to see them. He talks about how he can acknowledge both love and hate and will destroy anyone who tries to bring him down. Chamillionaire is very direct in his lyrics and speaks his truth about what he thinks of a colleague who disrespected him, caught him red-handed being fake, and talking behind his back. He is calling the person a fraud for talking down on his own click to people he isn't that close with and not facing him like a man.

The song is an example of Chamillionaire's ability to be very confident, direct, and unapologetic while still holding onto a sense of empathy towards others' behaviour. It's an example of his exceptional talent for storytelling and being able to convey a message through his music while keeping it entertaining. What Would You Do is a continuation of the story and ongoing feud that he has with whoever the other artist is. The song is a part of Chamillionaire's "Mixtape Messiah" series, which he released between 2004 and 2013.

Line by Line Meaning

What would you do?
If you were faced with a situation where someone was mistreating you, how would you react?

If he was hating on you and never to you
If someone was talking about you behind your back and never to your face, what would you do?

He gon' make sure that he don't bump into you
He will try to avoid running into you or acknowledging your presence.

He gon' pretend he don't see and never knew you
He will act as if he has never met you before and deny having any knowledge of you.

And just avoid you
He will try to stay away from you and not engage with you.

If everythang he was saying wasn't truthful
If everything that he said about you was not true, how would you respond?

He gon' pretend that he ain't did nothing to you
He will act as if he has not done anything wrong to you.

See you can love me or hate, whatever suits you
You can either like or dislike me, whichever you prefer.

But I'll destroy you, and you know it! Nigga
If you continue to disrespect me, I will retaliate and defeat you.

Nigga knew he had messed up when he put me on his DVD at the front
He realized he made a mistake when he put me on his DVD in a prominent way.

Nigga put me in the footage like I'm co-signing this nigga running the game
It looked like I was endorsing him as the one in charge.

What type of disrespect is that?
That is a form of disrespect towards me.

I knew you that messed up nigga, caught you red handed with all your feminine ways
I caught you doing something deceitful and unmanly.

Running round, talking all that noise behind my back
You were going around spreading lies and negativity about me when I was not present.

and wasn't man enough to say it to my face man
You did not have the courage to confront me about the things you were saying.

Real type of nigga you is man
You have revealed your true character to me.

Should of known you was that broad ass nigga that everybody was saying you was
I should have listened to what everyone was saying about your dishonest and cowardly behavior.

What type of hoe ass nigga talk down on his own click
What kind of weak individual speaks poorly of his own group.

to niggas he ain't even really that cool wit
Talking negatively about me to people you are not even close with.

What type of hoe ass nigga don't say it to a nigga face
What kind of weak person talks behind someone's back and doesn't confront them directly.

And when he see ya he start smiling and shaking hands
When you see me in person, you act friendly and act like nothing happened.

A hoe ass nigga, a fraud ass nigga
You are a weak and dishonest person.

You gonna have to take it how it hit you nigga
You are going to face the consequences of your actions, however they come.

Cause I mean every word that I say on this CD nigga
I am serious about every lyric in this song.

Standing on my own two feet like always and I ain't really tripping offa anybody else
I am confident in myself and am not worried about anyone else.

Anybody got a problem, speak up now or forever hold your peace
If anyone has an issue, now is the time to speak up or remain silent forever.

Oh and it will get worse, let me let y'all know I ain't done with this nigga
The situation will escalate and I am not finished dealing with this person.

It's not over yet
The conflict is still ongoing.

Mixtape Messiah 2, Controversy Sells coming soon
I will be releasing new music soon, including another Mixtape Messiah installment and an album titled Controversy Sells.

Contributed by Jonathan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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