In an era where mixtapes
seem to be on everything from ipod's to MTV commercials, and the
South has reached a pinnacle point, the under ground rarely sees
light of day. Mixtapes are usually spotlighting an artist that
already has a major deal and the mixtape usually only moves a
few thousand. Enter, the great state of Texas. With a legacy DJ
Screw built for slowed down music fans, few rappers were still
unable to leave their region. Among the rappers that have grabbed
an international audience is Northside Houston's own, Chamillionaire.
Dubbed 'The Mixtape Messiah', has sold over 100,000 mixtapes in
just a couple of years as well as pushed an independant album
that did well over 100,000 as well. While most rappers in this
day have to resort to spitting simple cliche's over bouncy beats
with no substance, Chamillionaire steps away from that with lyrical
warfare.
For those who dont know who you are...give
a brief history.
I started off doin mixtapes in Houston,
TX on a label called Swishahouse Records and as soon as the popularity
was out weighing the amount of money I was making, me and Paul
Wall broke away from Swishahouse and started makin our own mixtapes.
We started makin a lot of noise under the name color changin'
click. And after we put a lot of units out in the streets we put
out an album with a label called Paid In Full. The album was called
"Get Ya Mind Correct" and it moved over 100 thousand
units independently and was nominated for independent album of
the year at the Source Awards. Then later after that me and Paul
left the click and he went back to be an artist on Swishahouse
(who signed to Asylum/Warner) and I kept on moving and got a deal
for my Chamillitary Records company wit Universal Records. I have
sold a lot of units in the South, Independent and underground
and I feel like I am definitely one of the names that people should
watch for in 2005.
What differences do you feel from when
you were an up and coming underground artist to now being an up
and coming major artist?
I still have the same hunger to succeed.
It's just now, Im going up against the world instead of just a
region. It's a bigger playing field and a lot more weight on my
shoulders. People start gettin comfortable and start feeling like
they have already made it when they get the big record deal that
they have been waiting for but thats only the first stage to success.
Now you gotta put out more then just a classic mixtape freestyle
and start makin some nationwide hits or you won't be major for
long. When you're underground you can afford to make a mistake
or have that one record that you judged wrong. When you're major
you might not have a second chance if you mess it up. So you gotta
be focused.
How do you feel about the place the South
holds in the rap game right now? Where do you
see it going?
It's definitely gettin larger and larger
by the day. Im just glad the South is finally gettin paid the
attention that it needed. For so long it was just about the east
and the west, and during those times we had big artists representin
for the south like : Outkast, Scarface & the Geto Boys, UGK,
8 Ball & MJG, and a lot of tal-ent was gettin overlooked.
Now those are some of the most respected names in the game. You
got rap crossing over to other genres of music and you got rappers
crossing over into movies and fashion and thats a beautiful thing
to me.
On Mixtape Messiah, there was a song dedicated
to Screw. How do you feel Screw helped mold the South in its early
days and what part do you feel he played as to where its headed
now?
DJ Screw definitely played a big part in
the type of sound that is heard through out the South. People
like Lil Flip and all the Screwed Up Click members and affiliates
have all stated that what he created is the reason for their success.
DJ Screw is the reason there is even a Swishahouse and that is
the reason why there is even a Slim Thug or a Chamillionaire.
So we all definitely need to give respect where it's due. RIP
.
I noticed in your music you make a lot
of references about living for respect and holdin it down for
your family. When it's all said and done, where would you like
to see your family as a result of your hustle?
Everything happens for a reason and when
I was younger we didn't have much money and I would be mad about
it, but now, I can honestly say that I'm glad I grew up that way,
because that encourages me to grind harder than ever to see to
it that me and my family members don't ever have to worry about
being broke again. When you have never seen what being poor is
about, you take what you have for granted, and the way I grew
up helps me to appreciate everything I get. I dont chase all this
money and do everything I do just so I can brag about having it.
I do it so me and all my people can be comfortable. That's why
I feel it necessary to check anyone gettin in the way of my paper
chase, because there are people that I care about who are depending
on me to make it. As an entertainer you get a lot of criticism,
haters, and just deal with a lot of stuff that you really shouldnt
have to, but its all worth it for the family.
As a CEO...do you now listen to music
in a different way?
Well I have always been thinkin like a
CEO so really nothing has changed about the way I listen to music.
I think every artist should think like a CEO. If the CEO of the
label that you are on is thinkin a certain way the artist should
want to be able to think on his level. When it comes to music,
I have to say that I'm not just a CEO, I'm also an artist so it
makes it impossible for me to think just like a person who was
only a CEO. If Chamillionaire isn't successful as an artist its
gonna make it that much harder for Chamillionaire to make it as
a CEO seeing that I am my own investment.
Who's on the roster? Me, myself, and my
younger brother Rasaq. I don't have my brother as an artist because
he's my brother. Even though that does help in the trust department.
It's because I feel he is talented and has all the ingredients
that he need in order to eventually be a star one day. Alot of
people do a lot more talking than they do listening and I feel
like anyone in my circle gonna have to know how to do that instead
of thinkin that they have all the answers because they saw a VH1
special about how to be a boss. You also gotta be able to make
your own educated judgement about a lot of things because you
will be dealing with a lot of people telling you how to live your
life and what you should do. He has an advantage because he grew
up the same way I did and when its time to make a decision about
how something should be done I dont really have to do anything
but sit back and watch him
make the same decision I probably would have made. Talent is half
the battle with an artist. His
mind has to be right or it won't last.
Can we expect any undergrounds anytime
soon?
Yeah Mixtape Messiah 2 will drop early
2005 and Im doing a gang of mixtapes with the
biggest DJ's in the nation. You know, me and my DJ, OG Ron C gonna
do our thang but I'm also tryin to spread it around the nation
wit DJ Whoo kid, DJ Drama, DJ Smallz, Green Lantern and a bunch
of other big DJs that can help me show the world why I'm the MIxtape
Messiah.
www.chamillionaire.com
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