MUSIC
From Issue #19
Chingy
Deep Southern Charm
by Emmett Bailey
With his triple platinum debut album, Jackpot, rapper Chingy has accomplished more at the age of
24, than the average rap artist. “I know I can observe and learn more now instead of waiting until
later,” Chingy explains. “You got to think about where you want to go with your career and think
about what you want to do with it.”
The rapper, known for his Southern drawl, was born Howard Bailey, Jr., and grew up in a rough
neighbourhood on the north side of St. Louis. The fiercely
independent Chingy says, “Coming from nothing to
something, I wasn’t able to afford a lot of the things I’m
getting now, so I appreciate the stuff I am able to get now
and I’m thankful for it, so I’m going to talk about it.”
His collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri,
carved a spot in hip-hop history and with Disturbing Tha
Peace (DTP) co-founder and rapper Ludacris, Chingy
stormed the music world with smash hits like “Right Thurr,”
“Holidae In,” and “One Call Away.”
Creative freedom also allows him to give new artists like
the Git It Boyz an opportunity to be launched by Chingy’s
new label, Slot-O-Lot Records. “I know one day I want to be a CEO and entrepreneur,” Chingy
predicts. “So I would rather do it now than later so I can develop the business mentality and push
for it because there are a lot of people I want to help. I have to get ready for that now.”
Photo courtesy of EMI Music.
