We know Chamillionaire can rap. Sometimes he’ll go braggadocios, sometimes he’ll look inward and get introspective. Other times, though, he paints vivid stories that captivate the listener for an entire song.

After striking platinum with the Sound of Revenge, the Houston MC was poised to go again, but the masses didn’t connect the second time at bat. Koopa’s sophomore major label album was a solid piece of work that was hindered by poor marketing and timing (it arrive just a week after the epic 50 Cent/ Kanye West sales showdown). While Ultimate Victory didn’t impact the charts in a huge way, it was loaded with mature and ambitious records. Plenty of tracks deserve a spotlight, but the highlight of the LP came in the form of “I Think I Love You.”

There have been numerous occasions where Chamillionaire (and basically every other rapper) used a woman as a metaphor for cash, but this time around the idea was fully fleshed-out, inspired, and masterful. On the track, Cham paints the tale of a relationship that starts off great and corkscrews down to hell. The song kicks off with a happy verse detailing all the great things going on in the relationship, while the second verse creeps with paranoia, detailing the threats of other men taking his woman. The third and final verse is cinematic.

“He introduced her to his mother, his mother said that she love her/And after that he discovered, his brother done tried to cut her/They messin with one another, saw her under the covers/And now he gotta show his brother the meaning of keep it gutter.” After finding his “woman” under the covers with his brother, Cham attempts to take her back and when his brother protests, Cham shoots his brother and flees the scene, cash in hand.

“Pulling and grabbing her, now he already damaged her/He throws her in the trunk, and the talks to her like a passenger/And that’s when uh, he hearing the tires peel/He’s speedin out of the driveway, approaching the highest hill.” The song reaches a frantic pace at this point, as Cham is on the run, with his mind racing. “I fought to keep you in my life and this the thanks I get?/Well thanks for all the good memories/I think I’m sick” is the final, cryptic line of the verse as Cham’s character’s gun goes off again and the car crashes.

“I Think I Love You” is as cinematic as hip-hop gets and Chamillionaire paints an ugly but realistic picture of what money can do to relationships around you. The song ends with a news soundbite reporting the car crash, which then leads perfectly into his news announcer record. Ultimate Victory, despite its lackluster sales, was a creative highlight of Koopa’s career and, if nothing else, this song alone proves that he’s still deeper than “Ridin’ Dirty.”

The post RESPECT. The Verse: Chamillionaire – “I Think I Love You” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Chamillionaire has dropped plenty of great songs in his career, with a wide range of topics. His storytelling records, however, are where he might excel the most. Today, he lets loose an inspired concept song in which he metaphorically takes on the perspective of a knife. Similar to Nas’ classic, Cham details violent outbursts with the object while masking it as a domestic dispute. The story is masterful and if you get lost along the way, you can read along with the lyrics below. Stream the song now and support it on iTunes.

(Hook)

They always tell me that im colder than ice/
But try ya best to not get caught in the hype/
Cuz I could give you back control of your life/
Ya Betta handle me wit Caution/ Caution/
You try to mess wit me you gon pay the price/
I do my dirt and then im gone in the night/
Dont try to tell me that im wrong when im right/
Cuz I aint really talkin/ ya walking into the end of knife/

(VERSE 1)

I wasnt really doin much
But chillin in the kitchen/
Layin in cut you know playing my position/
Watchin the superbowl really thats like tradition/
And then thats when I had a vision/
What I did to my old girl/
Look at it how its dripping of your curls/
And if I say any more they probably gone hurl/
Ill summarize it by sayin its A cold world/ a cold world/
All I can tell you is I knew id cut her off you could say it was destined/
One day I saw her getting fresh with one of her X men/
Thats when I dissappeared and she was definitely stressing/
Now shes guessing but I guess that’ll teach her a lesson/
I been sharp baby and you know your reflection/
Will shine like me soon as we make a connection/
I’m laughin at whoever told you sex is weapon/
Go get some protection it aint gonna help when/
She let me get in them guts/ oops im saying too much/
When im stroking its love/ when im poking its lust/
Every time that we touch Its such a beatiful rush/
We can turn me to us and together be dangerous/

(Hook)

They always tell me that im colder than ice/
But try ya best to not get caught in the hype/
Cuz I could give you back control of your life/
Ya Betta handle me wit Caution/ Caution/
You try to mess wit me you gon pay the price/
I do my dirt and then im gone in the night/
Dont try to tell me that im wrong when im right/
Cuz I aint really talkin/ ya walking into the end of knife/

(VERSE 2)

I wasnt really doing much/
But chillin in the kitchen/
Layin in cut you know playing my position/
Choppin up w the homie about to make me some fixin’s/
Lend me your ear its time to listen/
Cuz now ive got roommate/
A lazy roomate/ that always showed up at school late/
An athlete and his temper too great/
Hes normally cool but sometimes hes such a 2 face/ and too fake/
Pay atttention I was on my protein and my oatmeal thing/
My eating healthy got me feeling so real thing/
Heard a knock another knock then heard the doorbell ring/
A beauty queen damn I have a chance to get clean/
Look how she walked/ noticed her pretty skin/
Minimal mascara devilish little grin/
I didn’t know what to say didnt know where to begin/
She wasn’t here for me/ and she only came here for him/
Was dressed like she recently just got out church/
She pulled some purple evidence up out of her purse/
Another womans underwear you know what’s worse/
Is its the same girl I mentioned in the first verse/
And then she cursed at my patna yelling bout what she saw/
Asking him bout some lingerie that she found in her car/
I sitting back watchin and just trying not to get involved/
Thats when I heard her say that she was ready to break the law/
A tricky satiuation I was currentky facing/
The roomate or ya soulmate which side taking/
I wasn’t saying nothing I watching and waiting/
She yelling and pacing and now shes adjacent/
To me and I was there standing quietly
He started yelling when she tried to get behind me/
Then up his dukes like he thought he was Ali/
You swing at me thell have to hook you to an IV/
Naw matter fact you better say you know karate/
Ya family gonna have to come and get ya body/
Before you try me you better find a hobby/
Or betta go find a job like Martin said to Tommy/
Im not the type that you should ever try to get close to/
Matter fact you should run you ever see me approach you/
And now this loser talking like he trying to get vocal/
Im like dont you have me in here bout to go postal/
Ohh say it again then you gon say a prayer/
Im gon send you to heaven and you can say it up there/
This aint a dare its promise and ill say I swear/
I don’t care I bet that you wont say I’m scared

(Hook)

They always tell me that im colder than ice/
But try ya best to not get caught in the hype/
Cuz I could give you back control of your life/
Ya Betta handle me wit Caution/ Caution/
You try to mess wit me you gon pay the price/
I do my dirt and then im gone in the night/
Dont try to tell me that im wrong when im right/
Cuz I aint really talkin/ ya walking into the end of knife/

(VERSE 3)

I was really doing much/
Now I know hes wishing/
I wasnt in the cut/
He gon need some stitching/
I didnt wanna do it/
Told you you wouldnt listen/
She the one who gave me the permission/
I knew that it was evil but it made me feel dope/
The way she got me feeling I think we should elope
She reached around my body then she pulled me real close/
Then she rubbed me on the face and said its time to get ghost/
Your wish is my command you rollin im rolling wit ya/
If you say its time to split don’t worry I get I picture/
She grabbed me by the wrist If I could I would kiss ya/
In all the chaos I didnt get to tell you I miss ya/

I was thinking bout the cut/ Like my mind was missing/
Sitting in the car/ You know playing my position/
She drove up to a cliff and Wait hold up/ Wait
She said somebodies going fishing/ Hold up/
But I just ended a life/
This how were ending the night/
Oh well you wasn’t even my type/
Wait is the end of the knife/

The post New Music: Chamillionaire – “End of a Knife” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Chamillionaire keeps the new music flowing, with a cut off DJ Rapid Ric and Trakksounds‘ compilation mixtape. “I Know You See It” has a vintage Koopa sound to it, with the chorus dripping in Houston flavor. Break out the candy painted drop top for this one.

The post New Music: Chamillionaire – “I Know You See It” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Chamillionaire drops off another new record while fans continue to await his Poison album. The Beat Bullies handle the production on “Go Getta,” where Cham waxes poetic about being one of the hardest working hustlers in the rap game. Stream it below and support on iTunes.

The post New Music: Chamillionaire – “Go Getta” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Like millions of others, Chamillionaire is a huge fan of AMC’s smash hit Breaking Bad. While the show came to an epic conclusion last year, Cham is keeping its memory alive with a new record. Say his name.

The post New Music: Chamillionaire – “Watching Breaking Bad” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

(VERSE 1)

I made a plan and then made the scrilla/
Made a movie then I made it bigger/
Made the one they said was the man/ go switch up his plan and became the dealer/
Back when Deion would play the Stealers/
Back when Michael created thriller/
I been trill you could listen to Bun and you could listen to Kirko it wouldn’t make you triller/
Sitting back in my favorite villa/ Smoothie on the desk says vanilla/
I told my chic you put in work on this its like the perfect mix it woulda made ya shiver/
Fake it something I can’t deliver/ Shed a tear till y’all made a river/
Y’all cry babies really need to let me be the one to pick your new baby sitter/
Ummm I’d probably pick Casey Anthony/I hope they come take your family/
I need to get my haters up because a haters really just a faker fan to me/
I see through your fake philanthropy/ A faker would hate to stand with me/
They see that I’m stackin’ mail but you lazy beggers wouldn’t get a stamp for free/
Embarrassments/ Have to pardon my absence/
Cuz I refuse to let you lil mini wannabes talk about me in past tense/
You ain’t baller go sit on that bench/
Merci beaucoup I tell em that’s French/
Took one percent and put it in my kitchen now all my tables got cash dents/
Used to move crates like this ain’t narcotics/
They can talk money but they ain’t no grinders/
Behind dark tint feeling like J Prince/ Every time you see me you should say your high ness/ Now you in the presence of the H Town’s finest/
The main one that made the candy paint so timeless/
Told me money talks/ Went into the vault/ You can look at me and you can see it ain’t no silence/

(HOOK)

H Town Legend/ H Town Legend/
H Town Legend/ H Town Legend/
Kinda like Pimp kinda like Bun kinda Like Face and Devin/
You are now in the presence of an H Town Legend/

(Verse 2)

Got the game from Lil O & ESG/
E had the candy blue EXT/
Wanted me a lac like Lil KeKe/
Now I got more cars than a DMV/
My was OG was Dj DMD
Repping for Hawk and Pat
Cuz these wack rappers ain’t seen me/
Im talking bout real life not PS3/
Big Moe was the H Town’s BIG/
Club Oasis I was VIP/
I said one day I’ll be an OG/
Now the hustlaz in the street tryin’ to be like me/
Used to send the product through COD
Police keep asking me to see ID/
Slim Thugga taught me how to ride on vogues/
But Pimp told ya that the g a m e ain’t free/
Ugh used to wanna be a baller just like Lil Troy/
Now I’m rolling in a car that some would kill for/
Been a minute since ya seen me on the Billboard/
Don’t get it twisted this the city that I built boy/
Everybody always askin if I still tour/
Anybody sellin here will say I sell more/
When they see ya really happy then they kill joy/
Been a baller so you know that Ima still score/
Had a slab so I went and got a roadster/
Double seated so I didn’t get a chauffeur/
See I was really underground for a long time/
Then I popped up out the ground like a gopher/
Wait a sec I gotta shoot out to the Clover/
Cuz in a minute like Flip its game over/
I don’t really wanna have to say I told ya/
But wait a couple minutes and I promise you gonna know a….

(HOOK)

H Town Legend/ H Town Legend/
H Town Legend/ H Town Legend/
Kinda like Pimp kinda like Bun kinda Like Face and Devin/
You are now in the presence of an H Town Legend/

(VERSE 3)

The mixtape god who could be against you/
I got you Texas and you know I meant to/
Drop the album like last year
Cuz im the dopest here and got the most potential/
merk instrumentals just with my mental/use a pen and pencil like a utensil /
sharpen a pencil like its a ginsu/ Stick my weapon into your credentials/

ughh ooohh kill em/

The post New Music: Chamillionaire – “H-Town Legend” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Everyone wants a piece of this instrumental, it seems. The latest rapper to tackle “Pound Cake” is Chamillionaire and he may have claim to the best verse yet. For over four minutes, the Houston MC sounds off with his classic braggadocios flow mixed with conscious content. Listen and read the lyrics below and download here.

(Verse 1)

Couple investments a few of em made some major sense/
Keep ya two pennies especially if you ain’t made a cent/
I learned the game and been getting publishing ever since/
People that ain’t made a dollar will say they ain’t convinced/
When you ride to 7 11 on some handle bars/
You can’t vision how catchy hooks could take a man to mars/
The problem is that y’all only just wanna hang wit stars/
Heard Lauryn sing and wanted to take the world from Nas/
I salute but I still demand applause/
I’ve given infinite gifts I still feel like Santa Clause/
Males acting like girls I call it Mano pause/
This the type of verse that I bet you that type of man would pause/
I can’t stop and give the hataz what they ask for/
99 thousand or more inside the cash drawer/
I’m the type to keep a passport on the dashboard looking for a south of France shore to make a dash for/
Feeling like Damon dash been moving that a cappellas/
When times is Bleek I hit the Freeway like its Rockefella/
It’s been a decade get a clue that you could stop me never/
You’d have a better chance of trying to stop a hot propeller/
On a jet while smoking a cigarette/wit gasoline on ya hands/
Carosine on ya breath/ oh yes I do it the best/ get verses then you are blessed/
I do it for what it’s worth and ill never do it for less/
Stress never that I know the album is more than late/
Looked quantity in the face and told it you’re gonna wait/
Send a salute to the people who push the culture straight and those who culture hate I just hope you don’t get to procreate/
Met with some rappers that industry people over rate/
Met with the devil but said I wouldnt negotiate/
Lyor made millions Jay made millions/
And If Cham made millions I’m feelin’ like I can sure relate/
Killa/see mr Koopa got em quite jealous/
People that hang wit mr koopa turn to sky dwellers/
I’m from a city where the skinny turn to pie sellers/
And if any say they making millis then they lie tellers/
Preach/ The struggle will never cease/
Your struggle look like a puddle my struggle look like a sheesh/
I’m visualizing it clear like I’m Mr Michael artis/
It’s either Jackson or Jordan I feel like Michael on beats/
Coulda been on a beach/instead I turnt to a beast/
The clarity of my raps you’d think I created speech/
Saw me dirty my cleats all over these Houston streets/
The hundreds stay in my reach/The money stay on a leash/
(*Bark) I know you hear them dogs barkin’/
That hype beasting is in Houston what we call boppin.
I make I’m pay for all my words like its a blog auction/
and Go Daddy what she tells me when we blog shopping/
I’m the type to make it and give it a fee/
And you the type that make it they wouldn’t take it for free/
They look at you and they like tell me whats in it for me/
& wouldn’t take ya disc if you put it under their Christmas tree/
Me, Lets talk about consistency/
Consistently make em feel like these other rappers ain’t sick as me/
I’m currently in city they’ll never get to see/
The only suite that they’ll ever see is a pack of swishas G/
My OG be callin me to say the streets miss me/
He know im eatin’ but the reason is I eat picky/
Like play station they pump fakin’ and you’ll see quickly/
The game switched they’ll always end up wit a 360/
Albums coming I tell the doubters just wait till then/
Shot videos and you know that I’d never waste a lenz/
They sleeping on me could hope that they never wake again/
But they gotta be sleep when you’re planning a rude awakening/

(Verse)

Hey yo Texas you know the puzzles what I had to solve/
Ya prodigy be bringing havoc like I had a mob/
Had 3 enemies so them odds what I had to dodge/
And now im riding in cars that look like avatars/
They ain’t never had the soft never had the hard/
they try to make it sound deep pretend they have a cause/
Pushing them yellow bricks no that’s where you have to pause/
Most of em cowardly & Lion like the man on OZ/
They lyin to you falsifying within their little bars/
They’d probably try to tell you Tommy really had a job/
Tell you how they had to starve and how they had rob/
Like I went to Heaven and took a blessing from the hand of God/
Nah/
Sorry I don’t don’t believe it/ Don’t believe what ya reading/
Who the ones that achieved it/ Not them we did/
Irrelevance is as reverent as the person that said it/ and you ain’t never did anything don’t you ever forget it/
That dialogue you can dead it/ You borrow your mothers car and put half a tank of unleaded/

The post New Music: Chamillionaire – “Pound Cake” Freestyle appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.