Chingy
Encyclopedia
Howard Bailey, Jr. better known by his stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...

 Chingy, is an American rapper.

Chingy grew up in the Walnut Park section of St. Louis and began rapping in earnest in his late teens. Chingy toured as an opening act with Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...

 in the summer of 2002 and then became a protégé of Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...

, who signed him to his newly formed Disturbing tha Peace
Disturbing Tha Peace
Disturbing tha Peace is a record label founded by Christopher "Ludacris" Bridges, his manager Chaka Zulu and Zulu's brother Jeff Dixon...

 (DTP) record label. The rapper's 2003 summer debut single, "Right Thurr
Right Thurr
"Right Thurr" is a 2003 hip hop single from Chingy. The song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Hot 100 and #17 on the United Kingdom pop charts.-Track listing:CD: 1# "Right Thurr"# "Mobb wit Me"CD: 2# "Right Thurr" # "Mobb wit Me"...

", put him on the musical map as a good-time rapper who specialized in catchy, club-friendly beats. Chingy's 2003 debut album, Jackpot, sold two million copies, thanks to the boost from "Right Thurr." A second album, Powerballin', was released in 2004 to mixed reviews, and his 2006 release Hoodstar spawned the hit singles "Pullin' Me Back
Pullin' Me Back
"Pullin' Me Back" is the first single from Chingy's third album Hoodstar . The song features Tyrese with production by Jermaine Dupri. The track employs a synthesized sample of SWV's 1997 single Rain .The video was retired on 106 & Park after being on the countdown for 65 days...

" and "Dem Jeans
Dem Jeans
"Dem Jeans" is the second single off Chingy's third album, Hoodstar. The song is produced by and features Jermaine Dupri. Bun B & David Banner made cameo appearances in the promotional video. "Dem Jeans" was heard on 100th episode of CSI: Miami, and the fourth episode of the fourth season of The...

." He released Hate It or Love It
Hate It or Love It (album)
-B-Sides & Bonus Tracks:"St. Louis N***az" did not make the album, while "Remember When" & "Ain't No Way" were featured as Japanese bonus tracks.-Chart performance:...

in 2007, under DTP records. The album's lead single is "Fly Like Me
Fly Like Me
"Fly Like Me" is a song by rapper Chingy, and is the first single from his album Hate It or Love It, which is released on December 18, 2007. It features singer Amerie and has, in Chingy's words, a "mainstream feel" similar to that of the 2005 single "Pimpin' All Over the World" by rapper Ludacris,...

", featuring Amerie
Amerie
Amerie Mi Marie Rogers , known professionally as Amerie or Ameriie, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She debuted in 2002 with the album All I Have, primarily co-written and produced by Rich Harrison, and was well-received in the urban market...

. A mixtape entitled Success & Failure was released in 2010.

As of 2011 Currently Chingy has been working on his new upcoming project No Risk No Reward which will be released under his label Slot-A-Lot Records & distributed by his newly signed label Full Dekk Music Group.

Early life

Chingy grew up in the Walnut Park section of St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

, a neighborhood he has referred to as the "Bad Blocks." The middle child with two older brothers and two younger sisters, Chingy became a music fan at an early age.

Chingy began writing lyrics at age 9 and was recording raps at age 10. He was originally known as H Thugz and was in the St. Louis, Missouri group Without Warning on 49 Productions with M.G.D. & Mysphit. They recorded "What's Poppin Off" together, which became a local hit. H Thugz and Augustin also recorded a music video for the song. H Thugz later chose the alias Chingy, a slang term for money.

Early career

Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...

 and his manager, Chaka Zulu, were quick to sign Chingy to their fledgling Disturbing tha Peace
Disturbing Tha Peace
Disturbing tha Peace is a record label founded by Christopher "Ludacris" Bridges, his manager Chaka Zulu and Zulu's brother Jeff Dixon...

 label. The Party Rap track "Right Thurr
Right Thurr
"Right Thurr" is a 2003 hip hop single from Chingy. The song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Hot 100 and #17 on the United Kingdom pop charts.-Track listing:CD: 1# "Right Thurr"# "Mobb wit Me"CD: 2# "Right Thurr" # "Mobb wit Me"...

" gained popularity, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

.

2003: Jackpot

Chingy's debut album Jackpot was released on July 7, 2003 on Disturbing tha Peace. Unable to secure a distribution deal through Def Jam, Ludacris negotiated a deal to distribute the album through Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...

. Guest appearances included Ludacris, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...

, Murphy Lee
Murphy Lee
Torhi Harper , better known by his stage name Murphy Lee, is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper, best known as a member of the hip hop group St. Lunatics. Lee is also the chief executive of his own label, U C Me Entertainment.-Career:Murphy Lee formed the St...

, I-20, Raindrop, Tity Boi of Playaz Circle
Playaz Circle
Playaz Circle is a rap duo signed to the Def Jam Recordings record label.-Biography:The duo was formed in 1997 by two childhood friends 2 Chainz and Dolla Boy in College Park, GA. They created the acronym Playaz which stands for Preparing Legal Assets for Years from A-Z...

, Trina
Trina
Katrina Laverne Taylor , better known by her stage name Trina, is an American rapper, songwriter and model from Miami, Florida. Trina first gained notoriety in 1998 with her appearance on Trick Daddy's second studio album www.thug.com to the single "Nann Nigga"...

, and Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...

. Fueled by "Right Thurr
Right Thurr
"Right Thurr" is a 2003 hip hop single from Chingy. The song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Hot 100 and #17 on the United Kingdom pop charts.-Track listing:CD: 1# "Right Thurr"# "Mobb wit Me"CD: 2# "Right Thurr" # "Mobb wit Me"...

", Jackpot produced the hit "One Call Away
One Call Away
"One Call Away" is the third single released from Chingy's album Jackpot and features J-Weav. The song reached number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number twenty-six on the UK Singles Chart. The music video features an appearance by actress Keshia Knight Pulliam and professional AND1...

" featuring J-Weav
Jason Weaver
Jason Michael Weaver also known by his stage name J-Weav, is an American actor and singer. He is perhaps best known for his television roles as a pre-teenage Michael Jackson in the Emmy Award-winning 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, and as the older brother Marcus Henderson on the...

 and "Holidae In
Holidae In
"Holidae In" is a single by American rapper Chingy, the second from his debut album Jackpot. It features Snoop Dogg and Ludacris, and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #35 on the UK Singles Chart.-Music video:...

" featuring Snoop Dogg and Ludacris. The album was produced by St. Louis production crew The Trak Starz
The Trak Starz
The Trak Starz , are a Grammy Award-winning American hip-hop production group from St. Louis, Missouri.-Biography:...

. The album was received well by critics. Within a year of the release of Jackpot, It was certified Platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...

 by the RIAA.

2004-2005: Powerballin

Chingy released his second album, Powerballin', on November 16, 2004 through Slot-A-Lot Records and Capitol Records. The album peaked at #10 on the charts and featured the hit single "Balla Baby
Balla Baby
"Balla Baby" is a song by U.S. rapper Chingy. It was released as the first single from Chingy's second album Powerballin. It was the only single from the album to be released worldwide, and reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 34 on the UK Singles Chart. The remix features Lil Flip...

." The album featured guest appearances from artists R. Kelly
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...

, Bun B
Bun B
Bernard Freeman better known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK . He is also a guest lecturer at Rice University located in Houston, Texas...

, Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...

, Lil Flip, Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...

, David Banner
David Banner
Lavell Crump , better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000...

, Nate Dogg
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...

, and Get It Boyz.
Powerballin
sold over one million copies and received a Platinum certification. He also was on one of the George Lopez episodes as himself.

2006: Hood Star

Hoodstar is Chingy's third album, released on September 19, 2006. The album featured Mr. Collipark
Mr. Collipark
Michael Crooms, better known by his stage name Mr. Collipark and also known as DJ Smurf, is a hip hop producer and the president of his own Atlanta-based record label, Collipark Records....

, longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...

, Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....

, and Mannie Fresh
Mannie Fresh
Byron O. Thomas, better known by his stage name Mannie Fresh, is currently an artist and hip-hop producer who records for Def Jam South and his own division Chubby Boy Records...

. His summer single, "Pullin Me Back (featuring actor-R&B singer Tyrese
Tyrese
Tyrese Darnell Gibson , also known simply as Tyrese, is an American R&B singer, rapper, actor, author, former fashion model and MTV VJ. After releasing several albums, he transitioned into films, with lead roles in several Hollywood releases.-Early life:Gibson was born in Los Angeles, California,...

)," would find him back on top on the Hot Rap Tracks chart and help Hoodstar debut at number eight on the album charts, but the follow-up single "Dem Jeans
Dem Jeans
"Dem Jeans" is the second single off Chingy's third album, Hoodstar. The song is produced by and features Jermaine Dupri. Bun B & David Banner made cameo appearances in the promotional video. "Dem Jeans" was heard on 100th episode of CSI: Miami, and the fourth episode of the fourth season of The...

", featuring Jermaine Dupri, fared worse although the album did go gold. Other singles from Hoodstar were "Brand New Kicks" and "Hands Up".

The album sold 77,000 copies in its first week.

2007-2008: Hate It or Love It

Unhappy with the way he felt Capitol was promoting their urban artists, in 2007 Chingy jumped ship and returned to DTP Records, which was by-then a part of the Def Jam family. When asked upon this move, the St. Louis rapper said: "I don't think Capitol really knew how to work urban artists, They're really stuck on pop and they didn't know how to market me."

Hate It or Love It is Chingy's fourth studio album. The album featured production from Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...

, Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....

, and Cool and Dre
Cool and Dre
Cool & Dre are a team of hip hop producers from Miami, Florida, consisting of Marcello "Cool" Valenzano and Andre "Dre" Christopher Lyon.-Epidemic Records:...

. The lead single is "Fly Like Me," featuring Amerie
Amerie
Amerie Mi Marie Rogers , known professionally as Amerie or Ameriie, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She debuted in 2002 with the album All I Have, primarily co-written and produced by Rich Harrison, and was well-received in the urban market...

. The album was released on December 18, 2007 and featured appearances by Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...

, Bobby Valentino, Steph Jones
Steph Jones
Steph Jones, is an American singer, songwriter, and model. He was signed to Def Jam, through Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace but left the label.-Early life:...

, Trey Songz
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...

, Rick Ross
Rick Ross
Rick, Ricky or Richard Ross may also refer to:* Rick Ross , American rapper* Richard J. Ross, a Massachusetts State Senator* Richard Ross , an American photographer...

, and Anthony Hamilton
Anthony Hamilton (musician)
Anthony Hamilton is an American R&B, and soul singer-songwriter, and record producer who rose to fame with his platinum-selling second studio album Comin' from Where I'm From , which featured the singles "Comin' from Where I'm From" and "Charlene."-Life and career:Hamilton was born in Charlotte,...

. The album debuted at #84 on the Billboard 200, selling 30,000 copies, making it Chingy's first album not to crack the Top 10. Hate It or Love It did not get released in the UK, this was Chingy's first album to not be released in the United Kingdom.

2011: No Risk No Reward

Chingy is working on his fifth studio album called No Risk No Reward, which is said to be released sometime in 2011. "Superhero", which features Full Dekk Music Group's artist Chris Woodhouse, is the first single from the album. The second single will be "Paperman".

Acting career

In 2005 Chingy made his acting debut in the TV comedy series "My Wife and Kids
My Wife and Kids
My Wife and Kids is an American television family sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001 until May 17, 2005. Produced by Touchstone Television , it starred Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, and centers on the character of Michael Kyle, a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules...

". Also in 2005, Chingy acted in the TV comedies "One on One
One on One (TV series)
One on One is an American sitcom that aired on the now-defunct UPN from its September 3, 2001 premiere until May 15, 2006. The series stars Flex Alexander as a single sportscaster, who becomes a full-time dad when his ex-wife decides to accept a job out of the country and his teenage daughter...

" & "George Lopez
George Lopez (TV series)
"The George Lopez Show" redirects here. For the late-night program hosted by the same comedian, see Lopez Tonight.George Lopez is an American sitcom starring comedian George Lopez...

". In 2006 Chingy made a cameo in the comedy "Scary Movie 4
Scary Movie 4
Scary Movie 4 is the fourth film of the Scary Movie franchise, directed by David Zucker, written by Jim Abrahams, Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, and produced by Craig Mazin and Robert K. Weiss. It is distributed by The Weinstein Company via its Dimension Films unit in the U.S. and Television, and...

". Also in 2006 Chingy made a guest appearance on "Yo Momma". In 2010 Chingy had a role in the movie "Speed-Dating" .

Discography

Studio albums
  • 2003: Jackpot
  • 2004: Powerballin'
  • 2006: Hoodstar
  • 2007: Hate It or Love It
    Hate It or Love It (album)
    -B-Sides & Bonus Tracks:"St. Louis N***az" did not make the album, while "Remember When" & "Ain't No Way" were featured as Japanese bonus tracks.-Chart performance:...

  • 2011: No Risk No Reward


Studio mixtape

Filmography

Films
  • The System Within (2006) as Nick
  • Scary Movie 4
    Scary Movie 4
    Scary Movie 4 is the fourth film of the Scary Movie franchise, directed by David Zucker, written by Jim Abrahams, Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, and produced by Craig Mazin and Robert K. Weiss. It is distributed by The Weinstein Company via its Dimension Films unit in the U.S. and Television, and...

    (2006) as himself
  • Psycho Sleepover (2008) as Pizza Man
  • Speed-Dating (2010) as Kenneth
  • Polish Bar (2010) as Fat Moe

Television
  • My Wife and Kids
    My Wife and Kids
    My Wife and Kids is an American television family sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001 until May 17, 2005. Produced by Touchstone Television , it starred Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, and centers on the character of Michael Kyle, a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules...

    (2005)
  • The George Lopez Show
    George Lopez (TV series)
    "The George Lopez Show" redirects here. For the late-night program hosted by the same comedian, see Lopez Tonight.George Lopez is an American sitcom starring comedian George Lopez...

    (2005) as himself
  • One on One
    One on One (TV series)
    One on One is an American sitcom that aired on the now-defunct UPN from its September 3, 2001 premiere until May 15, 2006. The series stars Flex Alexander as a single sportscaster, who becomes a full-time dad when his ex-wife decides to accept a job out of the country and his teenage daughter...

    (2005) as Taz
  • Punk'd
    Punk'd
    Punk'd is an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. It bore a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show Candid Camera and to TV's Bloopers...

    (2005) as himself
  • Yo Momma (2006) as himself
  • Caramel (2009) as Kyle

Film (Table)

Year Name Role Notes
2006 The system within Nick
2006 Scary movie 4
Scary Movie 4
Scary Movie 4 is the fourth film of the Scary Movie franchise, directed by David Zucker, written by Jim Abrahams, Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, and produced by Craig Mazin and Robert K. Weiss. It is distributed by The Weinstein Company via its Dimension Films unit in the U.S. and Television, and...

 
Himself (Credited as CHINGY)
2008 Psycho Pizza man
2010 Speed-Dating Kenneth
2010 Polish Bar Fat Moe

Television (Table)

Year Name Role Notes
2005 My Wife and Kids
My Wife and Kids
My Wife and Kids is an American television family sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001 until May 17, 2005. Produced by Touchstone Television , it starred Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, and centers on the character of Michael Kyle, a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules...

 
2005 The George Lopez Show  Himself
2005 One on One
One on One
- Film and television :* One on One , a 2000s American sitcom* One on One , a 1977 movie starring Robby Benson and Annette O'Toole** One on One , the soundtrack album from the film...

 
Taz
2005 Punk'd
Punk'd
Punk'd is an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. It bore a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show Candid Camera and to TV's Bloopers...

 
Himself
2006 Yo Mamma Himself
2009 Caramel Kyle

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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