Chamillionaire
Chamillionaire, from Houston, Texas, was born Hakeem Seriki on Nov 28,
1979, to a Muslim father and a Christian mother. All during his youth,
he wanted to be a rapper, but had to hide the ambition from his strict
parents, who encouraged him to follow a positive and productive
lifestyle. After graduating from University, the young man decided to
concentrate on his music, both as a composer and MC. Along with
friend, Paul Wall, he hooked up with mixtape DJ, Michael Watts, creating
a freestyle intro for a Houston radio show, including DJ Watts doing rap
for the first time. Watts was impressed and added the record to a
mixtape which soon gained street recognition. Hakeem and Paul
collaborated on numerous later mixtapes, but the profits were low, so
the boys left Watt's mixtape power group Swisha House to found
their own mixtape group, "the Color Changing Click" or "CCC." Their
reputation grew fast on the streets, and a popular radio DJ brought them
an offer for their first album, "Get Ya Mind Correct," an album that
went on to push more than 100,000 copies, and was nominated by The
Source magazine as Indie Album of the Year. As a result of the
unexpected success, Hakeem received the title, "The Mixtape Messiah."
It wasn't long before Chamillionaire, aka "King Koopa" was collaborating
with Lil Flip, fellow Houston rap star. Wall and Chamillionaire went
their separate ways as differences arose. Already known as one of the
most lyrically talented southern emcees, Chamillionaire was determined
to prove that a quality composer could arise from the South to compete
with the East and West coast rap camps. In 2005, Chamillionaire music
became a national reality when the young man finally signed a deal with
Universal Records, releasing his first commercial solo album, "The Sound
of Revenge," in late 2005, with the hit lead single, "Turn It Up," the
album featuring among others Lil Flip, Scarface, Krayzie Bone, and Bun
B. ("Turn It Up" had also been the title of a 2000 action movie, with Ja
Rule and Pras, and including hip hop video model sensation,
Melyssa Ford.
  
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