Friday, August 5, 2011

The Rise, Fall, and Possible Rise of Chamillionaire

By The Voice
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Five years ago, Chamillionaire was viewed as a promising rapper in the game. On a lyrical level, Chamillionaire was no genius, but he managed to tell an interesting story over nice beats. It was this, paired with his chart-topping single, "Ridin'," that led to him becoming the breakout artist of the 2005-2006 period in hip hop.

Signed to Universal Records, Chamillionaire quickly became the focal point of the label. Because of his popularity, Universal wanted Cham to record a second album to release in 2006. The problems began when he refused to put out another album so soon. Most of the popular rappers in the game released yearly albums.

Chamillionaire said he would remain successful without releasing so many albums in such a short period of time. Instead, he wanted to take his time and craft the right album. This decision led to Universal withdrawing their support of his 2007 follow-up album, Ultimate Victory. The same people praising Cham for his 2005 effort were making fun of his no-curse stance and the album title.

The Sound of Revenge, Chamillionaire's debut album, was a platinum success. Chamillionaire's sophomore album has barely sold 200,000 copies. The album was also panned by critics, who blasted many of the songs for attempting to sound like the songs on Chamillionaire's debut. Accepting the negative reviews of his last album, Chamillionaire said most of the blame should fall upon Universal Records. After years of delays on his third album, Chamillionaire decided to leave the label.

Back on the independent scene, Chamillionaire has promised to get back to making music his own way, without the influence of a label. Last year, Chamillionaire announced he would be releasing his long-awaited third studio album, Playlist Poison.

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