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 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 with fellow Houston rapper and childhood friend Paul Wall. He signed to Universal Records in 2005 and released The Sound of Revenge under Universal. It included hit singles "Turn It Up" featuring Lil' Flip and the number-one, Grammy-winning hit "Ridin'" featuring Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Ultimate Victory followed in 2007, which was notable for not containing any profanity. Chamillionaire is also known for his most anticipated Mixtape Messiah 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 Ammunition 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 was released in July 2013. He is working on his third studio album, Poison.
Chamillionaire is the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment, which he founded in 2004. He joined Los Angeles-based venture capital firm Upfront Ventures in 2015 and has since been focusing on his entrepreneurial and investment career over his musical career since he released the social media app Convoz in January 2018.
Early life
Chamillionaire was born to a Muslim Yoruba father and an African-American Christian mother in Washington D.C., and moved to Houston, Texas at the age of four. Chamillionaire's parents separated in his early teenage years. He settled into the Acres Homes neighborhood of northwest Houston. He attended Jersey Village High School alongside rap partner Paul Wall.
Rap and other forms of secular music, 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, 8 Ball & MJG, and UGK, as well as other national acts such as N.W.A and Public Enemy. At a young age, Chamillionaire, along with fellow rap music artist and childhood friend Paul Wall, 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.
Music career
1998–2004: Career beginnings
Seriki's stage name Chamillionaire is a portmanteau of "chameleon" and "millionaire" While promoting at an event, Seriki and fellow rapper Paul Wall met Michael "5000" Watts, a popular mixtape DJ from northern Houston. After proposing to do promotions for Watts's company Swishahouse, 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-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. In 2002, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall collaborated for the album Get Ya Mind Correct, which went on to sell over 150,000 copies. The Source 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 and his G-Unit posse", performed at the SXSW music festival in 2004.