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Hakeem Temidayo Seriki (born November 28, 1979), better known by his stage name Chamillionaire (), is an American rapper. He was the founder and an original member of
The Color Changin' Click The Color Changin' Click was an American hip hop group formed in 2001 by Chamillionaire and Paul Wall. The group disbanded in 2005. Chamillionaire and Paul were part of a group prior to Color Changing Click called The Sleepwalkers. It's unclear ...
from 2001 until the group split in 2005. He began his solo career with local releases in 2002, including the collaborative album ''
Get Ya Mind Correct ''Get Ya Mind Correct'' is the debut studio album by rappers Paul Wall & Chamillionaire of The Color Changin' Click, released when they were both on the Paid In Full Label. It was notable in the Houston underground rap scene. The album peake ...
'' with fellow Houston rapper and childhood friend
Paul Wall Paul Michael Slayton (born March 11, 1981), better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper and DJ. He has spent much of his career affiliated with Swishahouse Records, and has released several albums under the label and collabor ...
. He signed to
Universal Records Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
in 2005 and released ''
The Sound of Revenge ''The Sound of Revenge'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Chamillionaire. It was released on November 22, 2005. The album features guest appearances from Lil' Flip, Lil Wayne, Rasaq (his younger brother), Natalie Alvarado, Krayzi ...
'' under Universal. It included hit singles " Turn It Up" featuring Lil' Flip and the number-one, Grammy-winning hit "
Ridin' "Ridin'" is a song by American rapper Chamillionaire featuring fellow American rapper Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, released on February 27, 2006, as the second single from his debut studio album '' The Sound of Revenge'' (2005). Pro ...
" featuring
Krayzie Bone Anthony Henderson (born June 17, 1973), better known as Krayzie Bone, is an American rapper, singer, producer, and entrepreneur. He is a member of the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Personal life Henderson comes from a fourth generation famil ...
of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. ''
Ultimate Victory ''Ultimate Victory'' is the second studio album by American rapper Chamillionaire. It was released on September 14, 2007. The album debuted at number 8 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 79,000 copies in the first week. It is notable fo ...
'' followed in 2007, which was notable for not containing any
profanity Profanity, also known as cursing, cussing, swearing, bad language, foul language, obscenities, expletives or vulgarism, is a socially offensive use of language. Accordingly, profanity is language use that is sometimes deemed impolite, rud ...
. Chamillionaire is also known for his most anticipated ''
Mixtape Messiah Mixtape Messiah is a series of mixtapes by Houston rapper Chamillionaire. ''The Mixtape Messiah'' was his first in the series, which was released on February 15, 2004. Featuring 61 tracks over three CDs, this triple mixtape is the longest and mos ...
'' series, which ran from 2004 until 2009. In 2011, Chamillionaire left Universal Records, which led to his would-be third album, ''Venom'', going unreleased. He released his first independent
extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
''
Ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
'' in March 2012 and was noted as his first major release since he left the label. Another EP, '' Elevate'', was released in February 2013. He states that it is going to be one of several to be released before his third studio album, and shortly after his third EP ''
Reignfall ''Reignfall'' is the third extended play by American rapper Chamillionaire released in promotion of his third studio album, ''Poison''. The EP was released on July 23, 2013, by his record label Chamillitary Entertainment and Republic Records. Ba ...
'' was released in July 2013. He is working on his third studio album, ''Poison''. Chamillionaire is the
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of
Chamillitary Entertainment Chamillitary is an entertainment company and hip hop record label owned and run by rapper Chamillionaire. It was previously distributed by Universal. It has since been an independent record label company. History Chamillitary Entertainment was ...
, which he founded in 2004. He joined Los Angeles-based venture capital firm
Upfront Ventures Upfront Ventures, formerly known as GRP Partners, is a Santa Monica-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies. It is one of the largest venture capital firms in Los Angeles, with $2 billion in total raised funds. ...
in 2015 and has been focusing on his entrepreneurial career over his musical career since.


Early life

Chamillionaire was born to a
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
father and an African-American
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
mother in
Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
, and moved to
Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
at the age of four. Chamillionaire's parents separated in his early teenage years. He settled into the
Acres Homes Acres Homes is a neighborhood located in northwest Houston, Texas. The mile area is loosely bounded by the city limits and West Gulf Bank Road to the north; Pinemont Drive to the south; North Shepherd Drive to the east; and Alabonson Drive to th ...
neighborhood of northwest Houston. He attended
Jersey Village High School Jersey Village High School is located in Jersey Village, Texas, United States, in the Houston metropolitan area. The school, which serves grades nine through twelve, is a part of the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Maggie Wiley serves as its principal, ...
alongside rap partner
Paul Wall Paul Michael Slayton (born March 11, 1981), better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper and DJ. He has spent much of his career affiliated with Swishahouse Records, and has released several albums under the label and collabor ...
. Rap and other forms of
secular music Non-religious secular music and sacred music were the two main genres of Western music during the Middle Ages and Renaissance era. The oldest written examples of secular music are songs with Latin lyrics.Grout, 1996, p. 60 However, many secular s ...
, which his parents had highly opposed in their household, became very appealing to Chamillionaire, who was still in his teens at the time. Chamillionaire has stated that he was inspired by southern rap acts such as the
Geto Boys Geto Boys (originally spelled Ghetto Boys) was an American hip-hop group originally formed in Houston, Texas. The Geto Boys enjoyed success in the 1990s with the group's classic lineup consisting of Bushwick Bill, Scarface and Willie D, earning ...
,
8 Ball & MJG 8Ball & MJG is an American hip hop duo from Memphis, Tennessee. They met at Ridgeway Middle School (Memphis, Tennessee) in 1984. In 1993, the duo released their debut album '' Comin' Out Hard''. They went on to release '' On the Outside Looking ...
, and
UGK UGK (short for Underground Kingz) was an American hip hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987, by Chad "Pimp C" Butler and Bernard "Bun B" Freeman. They released their first major-label album, ''Too Hard to Swallow'', in 1992, followe ...
, as well as other national acts such as
N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group whose members were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered ...
and
Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...
. At a young age, Chamillionaire, along with fellow rap music artist and childhood friend
Paul Wall Paul Michael Slayton (born March 11, 1981), better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper and DJ. He has spent much of his career affiliated with Swishahouse Records, and has released several albums under the label and collabor ...
, had decided to make music their careers. Chamillionaire has a brother, who is three years younger than him, Rasaq Seriki, who is also an occasional rapper and a past member of
The Color Changin' Click The Color Changin' Click was an American hip hop group formed in 2001 by Chamillionaire and Paul Wall. The group disbanded in 2005. Chamillionaire and Paul were part of a group prior to Color Changing Click called The Sleepwalkers. It's unclear ...
.


Music career


1998–2004: Career beginnings

Seriki's stage name Chamillionaire is a
portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordschameleon Chameleons or chamaeleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colors, bein ...
" and "
millionaire A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. Depending on the currency, a certain level of prestige is associated with being a millionaire. In countries that use the short scal ...
" While promoting at an event, Seriki and fellow rapper
Paul Wall Paul Michael Slayton (born March 11, 1981), better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper and DJ. He has spent much of his career affiliated with Swishahouse Records, and has released several albums under the label and collabor ...
met Michael "5000" Watts, a popular mixtape DJ from northern Houston. After proposing to do promotions for Watts's company
Swishahouse Swishahouse is an independent Southern hip hop, southern rap record label and hip hop collective based in Houston, Texas. History Swishahouse was founded in North Houston in 1997 by founder and CEO Michael "5000" Watts and OG Ron C as a response ...
, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall came to Watts's studio and convinced Watts to allow them to freestyle on an intro to Watts's radio show on Houston hip-hop radio station
KBXX KBXX (97.9 FM) is a commercial radio station in Houston, Texas. It airs a rhythmic contemporary radio format, mostly made up of hip-hop music and R&B. It is owned by Urban One as part of a three-station cluster with KMJQ and KROI. The stud ...
-FM. 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. Soon, Seriki (performing as Chamillionaire) and Paul Wall became regular staples on Houston's mixtape circuit, appeared on several of Watts's mixtapes, and became permanent members of Swishahouse. Chamillionaire and Paul Wall soon started their own group,
The Color Changin' Click The Color Changin' Click was an American hip hop group formed in 2001 by Chamillionaire and Paul Wall. The group disbanded in 2005. Chamillionaire and Paul were part of a group prior to Color Changing Click called The Sleepwalkers. It's unclear ...
. In 2002, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall collaborated for the album ''
Get Ya Mind Correct ''Get Ya Mind Correct'' is the debut studio album by rappers Paul Wall & Chamillionaire of The Color Changin' Click, released when they were both on the Paid In Full Label. It was notable in the Houston underground rap scene. The album peake ...
'', which went on to sell over 150,000 copies. ''
The Source ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...
'' magazine nominated the album for independent album of the year in 2002. Chamillionaire and the Color Changin' Click, dubbed "Houston's answer to
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
and his
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released t ...
posse", performed at the
SXSW South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Te ...
music festival in 2004.


2005–2006: ''The Sound of Revenge''

Chamillionaire's first major solo release ''
The Sound of Revenge ''The Sound of Revenge'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Chamillionaire. It was released on November 22, 2005. The album features guest appearances from Lil' Flip, Lil Wayne, Rasaq (his younger brother), Natalie Alvarado, Krayzi ...
'' was released through Chamillitary Entertainment and Universal Records on November 22, 2005. The album debuted and peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart in the United States. The album's lead single was " Turn It Up", featuring Lil' Flip produced by
Scott Storch Scott Spencer Storch (born December 16, 1973) is an American record producer and songwriter. He started off as a keyboardist for the group the Roots. Early life Storch was born on Long Island, New York. He was raised in South Florida and Phila ...
, followed by "
Ridin' "Ridin'" is a song by American rapper Chamillionaire featuring fellow American rapper Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, released on February 27, 2006, as the second single from his debut studio album '' The Sound of Revenge'' (2005). Pro ...
", featuring
Krayzie Bone Anthony Henderson (born June 17, 1973), better known as Krayzie Bone, is an American rapper, singer, producer, and entrepreneur. He is a member of the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Personal life Henderson comes from a fourth generation famil ...
of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony produced by Play-N-Skillz; "Ridin'" reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Its video also was named " Best Rap Video" at the
2006 MTV Video Music Awards The 2006 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 31, 2006, honoring the best music videos from June 11, 2005, to June 26, 2006. The show was hosted by Jack Black at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The 2006 Video Music Awards marked th ...
. In 2007, he won a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for ''Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group'' for "Ridin'". He was at that time signed with Michael 5000 Watts' Swishahouse label. Comedic performer
"Weird Al" Yankovic Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known for creating comedy songs that make light of pop culture and often parody specifi ...
made a parody of the song entitled " White & Nerdy", for his own album '' Straight Outta Lynwood''. The third single from the album was "
Grown and Sexy "Grown and Sexy" is the third US single and second international single from Chamillionaire's album, ''The Sound of Revenge''. The music video is set up to have a futuristic feel to it. Chamillionaire's appearances on Ciara's "Get Up (Ciara son ...
". Additionally, the bonus track "Grind Time" was featured in the video game ''
NBA Live 06 ''NBA Live 06'' is a 2005 installment of the '' NBA Live'' series released on the Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2 and Mobile. It was developed by EA Sports. The game features several game modes, i ...
''. The album was certified platinum by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
, and a chopped and screwed version, screwed by OG Ron C, was released in February 2006. Guest appearances for the album included Lil' Flip,
Natalie Natalie may refer to: People * Natalie (given name) * Natalie (singer) (born 1979), Mexican-American R&B singer/songwriter * Shahan Natalie (1884–1983), Armenian writer and principal organizer of Operation Nemesis Music Albums * ''Nata ...
,
Krayzie Bone Anthony Henderson (born June 17, 1973), better known as Krayzie Bone, is an American rapper, singer, producer, and entrepreneur. He is a member of the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Personal life Henderson comes from a fourth generation famil ...
,
Bun B Bernard James Freeman (born March 19, 1973), known professionally as Bun B, is an American rapper. He is best known as one half of the southern rap duo UGK (UnderGround Kingz), a group he formed in 1987 alongside Pimp C. Aside from his work with ...
,
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
,
Pastor Troy Micah LeVar "Pastor" Troy (born November 18, 1977) is an American rapper and record producer. He is also a member of the hardcore rap group D.S.G.B. (Down South Georgia Boyz). In 2020, he made several homophobic statements against Lil Nas X that g ...
,
Killer Mike Michael Santiago Render (born April 20, 1975), better known by his stage name Killer Mike, is an American rapper, actor, and activist. Mike made his debut on Outkast's 2000 LP ''Stankonia'', and later appeared on their Grammy-winning single " ...
, Scarface, singer Billy Cook, and his brother Rasaq. Chamillionaire won the Best New Artist award for the 2006 BET Awards The second installment to the
Mixtape Messiah Mixtape Messiah is a series of mixtapes by Houston rapper Chamillionaire. ''The Mixtape Messiah'' was his first in the series, which was released on February 15, 2004. Featuring 61 tracks over three CDs, this triple mixtape is the longest and mos ...
series, ''
Mixtape Messiah 2 Mixtape Messiah is a series of mixtapes by Houston rapper Chamillionaire. ''The Mixtape Messiah'' was his first in the series, which was released on February 15, 2004. Featuring 61 tracks over three CDs, this triple mixtape is the longest and mo ...
'', was released January 5, 2006. Later in 2006, Chamillionaire was featured in the singles "
Get Up Get or GET may refer to: * Get (animal), the offspring of an animal * Get (divorce document), in Jewish religious law * GET (HTTP), a type of HTTP request * "Get" (song), by the Groggers * Georgia Time, used in the Republic of Georgia * Get AS, a ...
" by
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
, "
That Girl ''That Girl'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from September 8, 1966 to March 19, 1971. It starred Marlo Thomas as the title character Ann Marie, an aspiring (but only sporadically employed) actress, who moves from her hometown of Brewster ...
" by
Frankie J Francisco Javier Bautista Jr. (born December 7, 1975), better known by his stage name Frankie J, is a Mexican-American singer and former member of the musical group Kumbia Kings. Born in Mexico, he grew up in San Diego and became a freestyle ar ...
, "
Bet That "Bet That" is the first single from Trick Daddy's seventh studio album ''Back by Thug Demand''. The song was released in October 2006. It features Chamillionaire and Gold Ru$h. The song was produced by The Runners; who has produced for various art ...
" by
Trick Daddy Maurice Samuel Young (born September 27, 1974), better known by his stage name Trick Daddy, is an American rapper from Miami's Liberty City (Miami), Liberty City. Early life Trick Daddy was born on September 27, 1974, at Jackson Memorial Hospita ...
, "
King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...
" by
Jibbs Jovan Campbell (born November 13, 1990), better known by his stage name Jibbs, is an American rapper. He had one top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100, which was his debut single "Chain Hang Low". Jibbs's only other song ...
, and " Doe Boy Fresh" by
Three Six Mafia Three 6 Mafia is an American Hip hop music, hip hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground hip hop group, they would eventually go on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album ''Mys ...
in 2007.


2007–2008: ''Ultimate Victory''

To promote his new album, Chamillionaire released ''
Mixtape Messiah 3 ''Mixtape Messiah 3'' is a mixtape by southern rapper Chamillionaire. This is the third in the ''Mixtape Messiah'' It was released as a free download on Chamillionaire's website on July 18, 2007 at 11pm EDT to promote his album ''Ultimate Vi ...
'' as a prelude to his new album on July 18, 2007, at 11pm Eastern Time on his website. Chamillionaire released his second mainstream album ''
Ultimate Victory ''Ultimate Victory'' is the second studio album by American rapper Chamillionaire. It was released on September 14, 2007. The album debuted at number 8 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 79,000 copies in the first week. It is notable fo ...
'' on September 18, 2007. ''Ultimate Victory'' was made without a single profanity said by Chamillionaire. Guest appearances included
UGK UGK (short for Underground Kingz) was an American hip hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987, by Chad "Pimp C" Butler and Bernard "Bun B" Freeman. They released their first major-label album, ''Too Hard to Swallow'', in 1992, followe ...
,
Krayzie Bone Anthony Henderson (born June 17, 1973), better known as Krayzie Bone, is an American rapper, singer, producer, and entrepreneur. He is a member of the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Personal life Henderson comes from a fourth generation famil ...
,
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
, Famous (Lil Ken), Tony Henry,
Devin the Dude Devin Copeland (born June 4, 1970), better known by his stage name Devin the Dude, is an American rapper from Houston, Texas. He is known for his unique rapping style and his 2002 songs "Lacville '79" and "Doobie Ashtray". Early life Devin Cop ...
and Lloyd. The first single was "
Hip Hop Police "Hip Hop Police" is a song written and performed by Chamillionaire and Slick Rick. It was produced by J. R. Rotem and released as the first single of Chamillionaire's second album, '' Ultimate Victory''. Background The clean version of the son ...
", featuring
Slick Rick Richard Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence with Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. Their songs " The Show" and " ...
, which both Chamillionaire and Slick Rick performed on the CBS television network program ''
Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
'' on September 14, 2007. The following single was "The Evening News." ''
Mixtape Messiah 4 ''Mixtape Messiah 4'' is the fourth mixtape by American rapper Chamillionaire in his ''Mixtape Messiah'' series. It is a two-disc set that was released on August 27, 2008.Reid, Shaheem (2008)Fabolous Wants Swizz Beatz, Ryan Leslie To Go Loso's Way ...
'', the fourth title in Chamillionaire's ''Mixtape Messiah'' series, was initially set for release on December 18, 2007, but was released on August 27, 2008.


2008–2010: Final ''Mixtape Messiah'', ''Venom'', and ''Major Pain''

In November 2008, Chamillionaire announced his plans for his third album, ''Venom'', for release in early 2009. His sixth installment in the ''Mixtape Messiah'' series was to be a "prelude" to ''Venom''. The first single from ''Venom'' was initially planned to be "Creepin' (Solo)", which featured
Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
and ended up reaching No.1 on the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. However, it is unclear whether or not the song will be included on ''Venom'' after Chamillionaire canceled and then reinstated the album. He announced that ''
Mixtape Messiah 7 Mixtape Messiah 7 is a mixtape by southern rapper Chamillionaire. It is also the final mixtape in the ''Mixtape Messiah'' series. Disc 1 was mixed by Michael "5000" Watts and disc 2 was mixed by Rapic Ric. Chamillionaire later released a chopped ...
'' would be the final installment of the "Mixtape Messiah" series and that he cancelled ''Venom'' to create different material for his third album. Chamillionaire awarded his final ''Mixtape Messiah 7'' to 100 winners of a contest which he ran on his website. The first disc from ''Mixtape Messiah 7'' was launched for free download on August 4, 2009, and Disc 2 was released on August 6, 2009. The next day, the Discs 3 and 4 were released for a total of 66 tracks. On September 29, it was officially announced that Chamillionaire's third album would indeed be entitled ''Venom'' after a fan vote on his website. The first single from this upcoming album was titled "
Good Morning "Good morning" is a common greeting in the English language. It may also refer to: Television * ''Good Morning!!!'' (Australian show), a children's show * ''Good Morning'' (New Zealand show), a daytime talk show * ''Good Morning'' (Russian ...
". The album was scheduled to be released on June 22, 2010. Chamillionaire appeared on the remix for
Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing v ...
's song "Can't Stop Partying", from their album '' Raditude''. He also joined Weezer for live performances as Lil Wayne, who is featured on the original version of the track, was convicted on gun possession charges and was unable to perform. On December 11, 2009, Chamillionaire performed a set for "Fort Hood Community Strong", an event described as a day of "healing, fun and entertainment" for those placed at the
Fort Hood Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, it is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquarters ...
military base who were affected by
the shooting ''The Shooting'' is a 1966 American Western film directed by Monte Hellman, with a screenplay by Carole Eastman (using the pseudonym Adrien Joyce). It stars Warren Oates, Millie Perkins, Will Hutchins, and Jack Nicholson, and was produced by ...
that took place on November 5, 2009, killing 13 people. Other performers at the event included
Nick Jonas Nicholas Jerry Jonas (born September 16, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Jonas began acting on Broadway at the age of seven, and released his debut single in 2002; this caught the attention of Columbia Records, where Jonas ...
,
Dana Carvey Dana Thomas Carvey (born June 2, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his seven seasons as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1986 to 1993, which earned him fiv ...
and
Zac Brown Band Zac Brown Band is an American country music band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown (lead vocals, guitar), Jimmy De Martini ( fiddle, vocals), John Driskell Hopkins (bass guitar, guitar, baritone guitar, banjo, ukulel ...
. On December 23, 2009, Chamillionaire announced via his YouTube page that he would be initiating a new mixtape, ''Major Pain'', through his website on February 2, 2010. Due to the 2010 NBA All-Star Game taking place in
Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
, Texas, Chamillionaire released a new song, "The Main Event", on February 11, 2010, via free download. It features fellow Texas rappers Paul Wall,
Slim Thug Stayve Jerome Thomas (born September 8, 1980), better known by his stage name Slim Thug, is an American rapper. He initially gained mainstream attention for his contribution to the hit single by rapper Mike Jones, "Still Tippin'". In July 2005, h ...
and
Dorrough Dorwin Demarcus Dorrough (born October 28, 1986), known professionally as Dorrough Music (or simply Dorrough), is an American rapper and songwriter. His singles include "Walk That Walk", "Get Big", " Ice Cream Paint Job", and "Beat Up the Block" ...
. "Every artist on the song with me has independent hustle and strength in the streets," he said. "It's an All-Star song, so what better place to shoot the video than All-Star Weekend, right here in our own backyard." It was later released to iTunes on June 8, 2010. On Chamillionaire's official website, he stated: "Right now the Venom album is set for March 16 and has been pushed back just like Lil Wayne's Rebirth, Game's Red album, and countless other hip-hop albums that this happens to." The date was later pushed back to June 22, but was not released that day. ''Venom'' has been confirmed as canceled as Chamillionaire has parted ways with Universal. ''Venom'' was later released on
DatPiff DatPiff is an online audio distribution platform that was launched in 2005. It is headquartered in Pennsylvania. It specializes in hip-hop, rap, and urban music. The site was founded in the spring of 2005 by Marcus Frasier. It is owned by Media ...
in 2011 as a bootlegged mixtape made by the fans.


2011–2012: Departure from Universal Records and ''Playlist Poison''

According to Kanye West's engineer and producer Andrew Dawson, Chamillionaire and Universal Records have parted ways. "I've been working a lot with Chamillionaire, because I produced some tracks for him. He got out of his deal with Universal ecords which wasn't a good situation for either of them," revealed Dawson. "Him and I have an active producer agreement that is now null and void because they got caught in the legal shuffle, but I'm like, 'I just want the music to come out. Let's find a way to make it happen.' I was emailing him stuff back and forth when I was
ith Kanye West The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immediatel ...
in Hawaii. Some big stuff will be coming out this next year, so I'm stoked to see it going." Chamillionaire also tweeted that he'll be doing a Ustream session on January 14 to discuss his future plans. During his live UStream on January 14, 2011, Chamillionaire announced he was officially leaving Universal Records. As part of this deal he was not allowed to release ''Venom'' or any material recorded during that time. He was then working on a new series called ''Playlist Poison'' and released tracks on a random basis. The first ''Playlist Poison'' song released was "When Ya On" which featured
Nipsey Hussle Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid- ...
and was followed by "This My World" featuring
Big K.R.I.T. Justin Lewis Scott (born August 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Big K.R.I.T. (a backronym for King Remembered in Time), is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, he started his musical career in 2005. Af ...
, "Charlie Sheen" featuring Rock D & Killer Mike, and "Passenger Seat" featuring
Short Dawg Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...
. On April 18, he released the next installment in his ''Major Pain'' mixtape series, ''Major Pain 1.5'' for free download from his website, and subsequently released three other mixtapes entitled ''Badazz Freemixes'', ''Badazz Freemixes 2'' and ''Badazz Slowmixes''. Chamillionaire's eight song EP titled ''
Ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
'' was released for digital download on March 20, 2012, and all physical bundles were released on March 27, 2012. His third studio album, ''Poison'', was initially announced for a 2013 release, but is still unreleased . In 2012, Chamillionaire was featured on the track "Mayday" from the
Krizz Kaliko Samuel William Christopher Watson IV (born March 7, 1974), better known by his stage name Krizz Kaliko, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and voice actor. He is a longtime collaborator with fellow hometown native Tech N9ne and was signe ...
album ''
Kickin' and Screamin' ''Kickin' and Screamin is the fourth studio album by American rapper Krizz Kaliko, released on May 15, 2012. It debuted at #43 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200, making it his most successful album. Background Krizz Kaliko first announ ...
'' as well as the single "Keep Pushing" from the
Saigon , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...
album '' The Greatest Story Never Told Chapter 2: Bread and Circuses''. On the December 4, 2012, Chamillionaire released the single "Show Love" featuring D.A. of
Chester French Chester French was an American indie pop band consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter David-Andrew 'D.A.' Wallach and multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Maxwell Drummey. They met as college students at Harvard University, naming their band ...
to iTunes. This was the only music video he released in 2012, although he appeared in the music video for the song "No Room in Hell" for the video game '' Dead Island: Riptide''.


2013–2015: EPs, finalizing ''Poison''

On January 17, 2013, Chamillionaire announced he had been working on a new
extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
, stating that it would be one of many he would release to promote ''Poison''. The seven-song EP, titled '' Elevate'', was released on February 12, 2013. ''Elevate'' featured no guest artists. Chamillionaire announced that despite leaving Universal, ''Poison'' was likely to be released through a
major label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produc ...
, unlike the various promotional EPs. On July 23, 2013, Chamillionaire released ''
Reignfall ''Reignfall'' is the third extended play by American rapper Chamillionaire released in promotion of his third studio album, ''Poison''. The EP was released on July 23, 2013, by his record label Chamillitary Entertainment and Republic Records. Ba ...
'', his third EP. ''Reignfall'' would be his first project since his second studio album to chart on a ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' chart. On February 13, 2014, Chamillionaire released his first single of the year titled "Watching Breaking Bad" featuring Tami LaTrell, in recognition of the TV show ''
Breaking Bad ''Breaking Bad'' is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an underpaid, overqualified, and dispirited hig ...
''. The single "Go Getta" followed on February 28 and "End of a Knife", produced by Kato, was released on March 21, 2014.


2015–present: Entrepreneurial career, hiatus and return to music

Since 2015, Chamillionaire has been appointed as an entrepreneur in residence for
Upfront Ventures Upfront Ventures, formerly known as GRP Partners, is a Santa Monica-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies. It is one of the largest venture capital firms in Los Angeles, with $2 billion in total raised funds. ...
. During this time he has given more focus to his entrepreneurial career than music. He was featured on one single titled "Sweet Dreams" by BeatKing in the same year. Chamillionaire released volume 3 of his Greatest Verses on April 3, 2018, which contained a collection of non-album songs recorded from 2007 to 2014. After a two-year break, he returned to music in 2017 where he was featured on
Trae tha Truth Frazier Othel Thompson III (born July 3, 1980), better known by his stage name Trae tha Truth (or simply Trae), is an American rapper and record executive from Houston, Texas. Embarking on a musical career in 1998, he soon established himself ...
's single, " I'm On 3.0". A music video for the single was released in January 2019, and was the first time in six years that Chamillionaire made a music video appearance.


Entrepreneurial career


2003–2005: Fly Rydes and Record Label

In addition to being a musician, Hakeem 'Chamillionaire' Seriki has embarked a business career and established himself as an entrepreneur in a number of industries. In 2003, he ventured into one of his earliest investments in a Houston-based auto dealer and car customization shop, Fly Rydes Kustom Toy'z. Chamillionaire's partner, Big Ernest, created the company years back, and Chamillionaire decided to collaborate with him to get "corporate money" for the business and build its clientele. Chamillionaire has since let Ernest take over the whole company, due to his career. He says; "Out here in Texas, that car thing is big. We'll do videos and rent all kinds of cars and people will waste all kinds of money on them, and instead, they can come spend that money with me." Seriki founded his own record label;
Chamillitary Entertainment Chamillitary is an entertainment company and hip hop record label owned and run by rapper Chamillionaire. It was previously distributed by Universal. It has since been an independent record label company. History Chamillitary Entertainment was ...
. Seriki created the label after he had left his previous record labels;
Swishahouse Swishahouse is an independent Southern hip hop, southern rap record label and hip hop collective based in Houston, Texas. History Swishahouse was founded in North Houston in 1997 by founder and CEO Michael "5000" Watts and OG Ron C as a response ...
and
Paid In Full Entertainment Paid in Full Entertainment is an American recording label based in Houston, Texas and owned by Benjamin Thompson. The label has housed such artists as Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, 50/50 Twin, The Color Changin' Click (which is a group consisting of ...
as he was unsigned. It was distributed by
Universal Records Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
but has been independent since January 15, 2011, due to Chamillionaire and the label parting ways.


2006–2008: Masterpiece Mind Frame & Tour Bus Company

Seriki opened up a modelling company, called Masterpiece Mind Frame. He believes it is his way of giving back to those who have things to offer, he says, but do not know how to get there. "I will go out and see people and everybody wants to make money, and I will meet video girls who want to live the good life and all, but it is like, you gotta have a plan, you know?" Chamillionaire stated. "That is why it's called Masterpiece Mind Frame because in the word mind frame, your MIND comes before your frame. Print modelling can turn into movies and other stuff, and you can just step all the way up the ladder. It's like that with males and females, and if you're trying to go somewhere, just walk up the ladder, you know, and take it to the next step." It is reported that Chamillionaire also owns a
Tour Bus A tour bus service is an escorted tour (sometimes a package holiday) or bus service that takes visitors sightseeing, with routes around tourist attractions. Information Double-decker buses and open top buses are commonly used, for provid ...
company. He founded the company in 2006 after seeing the business potential from touring around the US after the release of ''
The Sound of Revenge ''The Sound of Revenge'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Chamillionaire. It was released on November 22, 2005. The album features guest appearances from Lil' Flip, Lil Wayne, Rasaq (his younger brother), Natalie Alvarado, Krayzi ...
'' as a rapper. In addition, most of the tour buses have internet, cable, studio, DVD, surround sound and a shower.


2009–2014: Maker Studios

Chamillionaire met
Mark Suster Mark Suster is an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He is a managing partner at Upfront Ventures, the largest venture capital firm in Los Angeles. Suster is a prominent blogger in the startup venture capital world. Career In 1999, ...
in 2009, an
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
entrepreneur Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value. With this definition, entrepreneurship is viewed as change, generally entailing risk beyond what is normally encountered in starting a business, which may include other values th ...
and
venture capitalist Venture capital (often abbreviated as VC) is a form of private equity financing that is provided by venture capital firms or funds to startups, early-stage, and emerging companies that have been deemed to have high growth potential or which hav ...
who is a managing partner at
Upfront Ventures Upfront Ventures, formerly known as GRP Partners, is a Santa Monica-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies. It is one of the largest venture capital firms in Los Angeles, with $2 billion in total raised funds. ...
. Chamillionaire became and invested in his online video talent agency,
Maker Studios Maker(s) or The Maker(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Maker'' (film), a 1997 American drama film *'' Makers: Women Who Make America'', a 2013 American TV documentary, a 2014 TV series, and related media * Maker Studios, now part of ...
. On November 4, 2009, Chamillionaire also launched the Global Innovation Tournament 2009 at the
Stanford Memorial Auditorium Memorial Hall (informally referred to as MemAud), was built in 1937 to commemorate those students and faculty from Stanford University who died in World War I. Designed by Arthur Brown, Jr. in conjunction with Bakewell and Weihe, construction o ...
, Stanford University with
Quincy Jones III Quincy Delight Jones III (born 23 December 1968), better known as QDIII, QD3 and Snoopy, is an English-born Swedish-American music producer and film producer. Family Jones was born in Wimbledon, London, the son of Swedish model Ulla Andersson ...
as part of the Stanford Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar Series. Seriki also invested
Cruise Automation Cruise LLC is an American self-driving car company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Founded in 2013 by Kyle Vogt and Dan Kan, Cruise tests and develops autonomous car technology. The company is a largely-autonomous subsidiary of G ...
, a self-driving automation tech company, during its startup stage in 2013. This investment proved successful after it sold to
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
for over $1 billion in 2016. The self-driving company includes features such as a kit in which customers can transform their vehicles to include self-driving technology. On March 24, 2014, Maker Studios, Inc. agreed to sell itself to
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
for $500 million, rising to $950 million if financial milestones were met. Chamillionaire's investment in Maker Studios was $1.5 million and his payout was reported to be over $20 million. This investment forged a partnership between Chamillionaire and Mark in which Suster realised Seriki wanted to establish himself the tech industry. On April 14, 2014,
Relativity Media Relativity Media is an American media company founded in 2004 by Lynwood Spinks and Ryan Kavanaugh. The company brokered film finance deals and later branched into film production and other entertainment ventures. The company was commerciall ...
submitted a competing bid of up to $1.1 billion, but Maker denied the bid. In December 2015, the company became a subsidiary of
Disney Consumer Products Disney Consumer Products, Inc. is the retailing and licensing subsidiary of the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment of The Walt Disney Company. Previously, Consumer Products was a segment of Disney until 2016, then a unit of Disney Co ...
and the
Disney Interactive Disney Interactive is an American video game and internet company that oversaw various websites and interactive media owned by The Walt Disney Company. History 1995–1996: Formation and beginnings In December 1994, Disney announced that it wa ...
division of
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
. The Network also partnered with
Fusion TV Fusion TV was an American pay television news and satire channel owned by Fusion Media Group, a multi-platform media company subsidiary of Univision Communications, which relied in part on the resources of its parent company's news division, Not ...
in a deal that falls under the corporate umbrella of
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
.


2014–2016: Upfront Ventures

Seriki has invested in
Uber Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber), based in San Francisco, provides mobility as a service, ride-hailing (allowing users to book a car and driver to transport them in a way similar to a taxi), food delivery (Uber Eats and Postmates), package ...
competitor,
Lyft Lyft, Inc. offers mobility as a service, ride-hailing, vehicles for hire, motorized scooters, a bicycle-sharing system, rental cars, and food delivery in the United States and select cities in Canada. Lyft sets fares, which vary using a dyn ...
. He states that "Me and a few others like
Big Boi Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a member of the southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside André 3000. ...
from Outkast and
Trey Songz Tremaine Aldon Neverson (born November 28, 1984), known professionally as Trey Songz, is an American R&B singer and rapper. His debut album, '' I Gotta Make It'', was released in 2005 through Atlantic Records. His follow-up album, ''Trey Day'', ...
were excited about the ride-sharing space," and that "This was around 2014, we started making the steps to get in touch with
Lyft Lyft, Inc. offers mobility as a service, ride-hailing, vehicles for hire, motorized scooters, a bicycle-sharing system, rental cars, and food delivery in the United States and select cities in Canada. Lyft sets fares, which vary using a dyn ...
and did our investment in 2015." In a 2019 interview with CNBC, he told how he sees great potential with Lyft and even though the company went public in 2018, he is
bullish Market sentiment, also known as investor attention, is the general prevailing attitude of investors as to anticipated Market trends, price development in a market. This attitude is the accumulation of a variety of fundamental analysis, fundamenta ...
on the company and will be invested in it for a long time. On February 23, 2015, Upfront Ventures, the largest early-stage fund raised in L.A since 2000, confirmed that Chamillionaire was appointed as an
entrepreneur in residence An Entrepreneur in residence, or Executive in residence (EIR), is a position most often held by successful entrepreneurs in venture capital firms, private equity firms, startup accelerators, law firms or business schools. The EIR typically lead ...
. This marks the first time an honor of this kind has been bestowed upon a rap artist. Chamillionaire hopes that this pivotal new role will allow him to help usher in the next generation of tech entrepreneurs as well as continue to offer valuable advice and investment capital to worthy start-ups. A spokesperson for Upfront Ventures has stated that; "Chamillionaire brings a wealth of expertise in this area to the table based on his own years of employing successful tech and marketing strategies as both an independent music artist and later a label partner with Universal Records. Add to that he has quietly been a fixture in the tech world for many years: attending major conferences both as a keynote and audience member, making him a sought-after promotional partner, advisor and potential investor. It was in this capacity that he met Upfront partner,
Mark Suster Mark Suster is an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He is a managing partner at Upfront Ventures, the largest venture capital firm in Los Angeles. Suster is a prominent blogger in the startup venture capital world. Career In 1999, ...
, in 2009, becoming one of the earliest co-investors in
Maker Studios Maker(s) or The Maker(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Maker'' (film), a 1997 American drama film *'' Makers: Women Who Make America'', a 2013 American TV documentary, a 2014 TV series, and related media * Maker Studios, now part of ...
, now a subsidiary of
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
." In a letter penned by Mark Suster explaining the week he's had at Upfront Ventures in Los Angeles, he explains the presence of Chamillionaire around the office. "The same Chamillionaire who was showing us how to get our respective shines on not a decade ago. But if Kanye has taught us anything, it's that we can find success in multiple creative outlets. In the past five years or so, Cham has been quietly but actively involved in the tech startup scene, from speaking on social media engagement in the music industry to hanging out with Y Combinator associates."


2017–present: Convoz

Seriki teased that he was working on something bigger than music in summer 2017 as part of being an EIR at Upfront Ventures with a soft launch of the social media app. In February 2018, at the Upfront Summit, Seriki announced Convoz, a social media app which allows an influencer to connect directly with his fans. Seriki describes the app as a "the place where you go to talk to people." and the launch comes after he "just wasn't happy with the communication channels that are currently existing on social media." The app permits users to share 15-second clips, which are usually addressed to celebrities. The celebrities can then decide which fan or user they can reply to, individually or all to see. The startup has a total of seven employees, and has cultivated an undisclosed amount of seed funding from Greycroft Ventures, Upfront Ventures,
500 Startups 500 Global (previously 500 Startups) is an early-stage venture fund and seed accelerator founded in 2010 by Dave McClure and Christine Tsai. The fund admitted a first "class" of twelve startups to its incubator office in Mountain View, California ...
, Precursor VC, Okapi Ventures, XG Ventures, and a roster of angels including Justin Kan and Snoop Dogg. In May 2019, Seriki, in an interview with
Yahoo! Finance Yahoo! Finance is a media property that is part of the Yahoo! network. It provides financial news, data and commentary including stock quotes, press releases, financial reports, and original content. It also offers some online tools for perso ...
, announced that they are going to invest $25,000 into a startup founded and managed by a
woman A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
or
person of color The term "person of color" ( : people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is primarily associated with, the U ...
alongside rapper
E-40 Earl Tywone Stevens Sr. (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the rap group The Click, and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 26 studio albums to date, a ...
. The move came after it was published that Caucasians make up 87% of Venture Capital-backed CEO's and 97% of those positions are held by men. In September 2019, Seriki invested in
Atoms Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety of hydrogen has no neutrons. Every solid, liquid, gas, an ...
, the first footwear company to come in quarter sizes. The investment was led by
Initialized Capital Initialized Capital is a venture capital fund founded in 2011 and headquartered in San Francisco. It was founded by Alexis Ohanian, Harjeet Taggar, and Garry Tan. As of 2021, it has raised more than $3.2 billion in assets. Initialized Capital ha ...
, the investment firm started by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and Garry Tan. After seeing the success of his initial $25,000 investment pledge, Seriki and E-40 launched another, much larger, $100,000 competition for minority or woman start-ups.
Shark Tank ''Shark Tank'' is an American business reality television series that premiered on August 9, 2009, on ABC.Hibberd, James (May 10, 201'Dancing,' 'Bachelor,' and a bigger 'Shark Tank' returning to ABCInsider TV. Retrieved June 24, 2012 The show i ...
judge
Daymond John Daymond Garfield John (born February 23, 1969) is an American businessman, investor, and television personality. He is best known as the founder, president, and chief executive officer of FUBU, and appears as an investor on the ABC reality tel ...
and Republic.co also joined the team to narrow the search. The winner of the competition was Pierre Laguerre and it was announced in January 2020. His startup idea was "Fleeting Pro", a company that links certified class A & B drivers to trucking companies for scheduled, on-demand transportation needs.


Personal life

Chamillionaire announced through a video log that he has a son born on May 14, 2010. He points out that his son's name, Xavier, means "new house". Chamillionaire has stated that despite being a Texas native, he has always been a
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
fan. He goes on to say that "I know a few people think I'm on the bandwagon because the Lakers are a hot team but I was on the Lakers when people wasn't really rooting for them." On June 3, 2010, Chamillionaire's third mortgage property home was foreclosed on by the bank. The rapper told TMZ in a public video claiming to have given it back to the bank after paying just over US$2 million on it and claims it was a bad investment and he was never in it.


Controversy


Paul Wall

On November 19, 2004, Chamillionaire's younger brother, Rasaq Seriki, was allegedly attacked by
Paul Wall Paul Michael Slayton (born March 11, 1981), better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper and DJ. He has spent much of his career affiliated with Swishahouse Records, and has released several albums under the label and collabor ...
and his entourage at a nightclub. Chamillionaire expressed his disappointment in Paul Wall, arguing that they all used to be family and that these events should not have happened. Before the entire incident between Paul Wall and Rasaq they were all part of the group called "
The Color Changin' Click The Color Changin' Click was an American hip hop group formed in 2001 by Chamillionaire and Paul Wall. The group disbanded in 2005. Chamillionaire and Paul were part of a group prior to Color Changing Click called The Sleepwalkers. It's unclear ...
" which now has become fragmented. Chamillionaire released a diss track with Rasaq titled "Go Head". The dispute ended in 2010, when the pair reunited for a full tour. Paul Wall stated "It took a long time and us growing. You know, we started off as a group and a lot of times when you go your separates ways, a lot of people say, "Oh you can't do it without him" and so you wanna prove them wrong. I know for me, I wanted to prove everyone wrong and prove that I could make it on my own." Chamillionaire replied; "We had been bumping into each other a lot. It's kinda been died down for a little bit now but we just kinda needed that stamp of approval. I think the tour kinda just solidifies it for other people. It's not like today we just stopped beefing, we stop beefing a long time ago, but nobody believed us."


Awards and nominations


Discography

;Studio albums *2005: ''
The Sound of Revenge ''The Sound of Revenge'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Chamillionaire. It was released on November 22, 2005. The album features guest appearances from Lil' Flip, Lil Wayne, Rasaq (his younger brother), Natalie Alvarado, Krayzi ...
'' *2007: ''
Ultimate Victory ''Ultimate Victory'' is the second studio album by American rapper Chamillionaire. It was released on September 14, 2007. The album debuted at number 8 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 79,000 copies in the first week. It is notable fo ...
'' *TBA: ''Poison'' ;Collaboration albums *2002: ''
Get Ya Mind Correct ''Get Ya Mind Correct'' is the debut studio album by rappers Paul Wall & Chamillionaire of The Color Changin' Click, released when they were both on the Paid In Full Label. It was notable in the Houston underground rap scene. The album peake ...
'' (with
Paul Wall Paul Michael Slayton (born March 11, 1981), better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper and DJ. He has spent much of his career affiliated with Swishahouse Records, and has released several albums under the label and collabor ...
)
*2005: ''
Controversy Sells ''Controversy Sells'' is the second and final studio album by rappers Paul Wall and Chamillionaire. Paid In Full released the album in 2005 after both artists had left the label. The album peaked at #50 on the ''Billboard''Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album ...
'' (with Paul Wall) ;Extended plays *2012: ''
Ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
'' *2013: '' Elevate'' *2013: ''
Reignfall ''Reignfall'' is the third extended play by American rapper Chamillionaire released in promotion of his third studio album, ''Poison''. The EP was released on July 23, 2013, by his record label Chamillitary Entertainment and Republic Records. Ba ...
''


Filmography


See also

*
Culture of Houston Houston is a multicultural city with a thriving international community supported by the third largest concentration of consular offices in the United States, representing 86 nations. In addition to historical Southeast Texas culture, Housto ...
* History of the African Americans in Houston


References


External links


Chamillionaire.com
– Official blog and website {{Authority control 1979 births Living people 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American businesspeople African-American investors American investors African-American male actors African-American male rappers African-American record producers American hip hop record producers American male film actors American male television actors American music industry executives American people of Nigerian descent American transportation businesspeople American venture capitalists Businesspeople from Houston Businesspeople in information technology Grammy Award winners for rap music Jersey Village High School alumni Male actors from Texas Rappers from Houston Republic Records artists Motown artists Southern hip hop musicians Gangsta rappers 21st-century American rappers Record producers from Texas 21st-century American male musicians Universal Motown Records artists Universal Records artists 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American people