Chamillionaire Albums (10)
'Mixtape Messiah, Vol. 4'
Release Date 8/27/2008
Tracks 74
Label Chamillitary/Universal
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What The Critics Say
Crossover rap hits don't come much bigger than Chamillionaire's 2005 single "Ridin." The track was inescapable for months longer than anyone expected, put a Grammy on Cham's mantle, was graced with a Weird Al parody, and spawned a ringtone that became the first certified triple platinum. The rapper takes great pride in these achievements by repeatedly mentioning the sales numbers, but he also takes great pride in himself and his work. Fellow millionaire 50 Cent may lie back and let the money roll in with a proven formula, but Cham is still chasing paper, the dream, and a legendary status with everything he's got, something that makes Ultimate Victory feel more important and more genuine than the everyday hip-hop album. The bad news is, it's flawed, with a couple redundant numbers and a surprisingly underwhelming Lil Wayne collaboration that does the overdone guitar and "party like a rock star" thing without a hint of flair. Past a few missteps, the album is a winning embrace of hip-hop with commentaries on beefs, nostalgic pining for better days, and a positive outlook for the future of the genre. Beef is shown the door, cussing is absent, and yet somehow Cham comes off as more Scarface than Mase. Part of this is due to Ultimate Victory's allegiance to verse-filled hip-hop and its unwillingness to repeat "Ridin" for a quick buck. Even if "The Evening News" has an instant hook, its subject matter is heavy, and even if "Hip Hop Police" with very special guest Slick Rick has that slick J.R. Rotem beat, it's more concerned with hip-hop's history than selling ringtones. "Industry Groupie" is also worth noting thanks to its exciting venom and sample from Europe's "The Final Countdown," and when you add the excellent "The Bill Collecta" with Krayzie Bone, along with the extremely catchy "You Must Be Crazy" featuring Lil' Ken, you've already got more highlights than most of the competition. A rapper's credibility is bound to take some shrapnel when a single crosses over as big as "Ridin." Ultimate Victory is a brilliant way to recover from overexposure and bring things back to a more sensible level if a long-term, credible career is what's at stake. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'Whut It Dew: Reloaded'
Release Date 2/28/2006
Tracks 84
Label BCD Music Group
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'The Sound of Revenge'
Release Date 10/25/2005
Tracks 16
Label Universal
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What The Critics Say
An experienced MC with piles of mixtapes and other underground releases in his past, Chamillionaire follows Mike Jones, Slim Thug, and Paul Wall as yet another Houstonian to surface aboveground in 2005. He's immeasurably superior to Jones in every aspect but self-promotion, isn't quite as imposing as Slim Thug, and, compared to childhood ally and former Color Changin' Click partner Wall, he's much sterner than sweet, indicated by the title of this album. The Chamillionaire that Southerners and other rabid followers of Southern rap have been hearing throughout the past few years hasn't made many concessions with this major-label release. He goes relatively soft on a couple tracks, but the tradeoff is that he continues to get better with time, and an overwhelming majority of the material here is only a slightly polished spin on what can be heard on his mixtapes. Even when the MC is at his most vengeful, he boasts an easy flow that's as easy to listen to as a warm, fluid bassline. Though he occasionally sounds as defensive as someone backed into a corner (hear the vicious "Frontin" in particular) and pens a few abjectly vigilant rhymes, his voice always slides through the ears with almost as much effortless composure as a Nate Dogg hook. Speaking of hooks, Cham provides almost all of them, switching between rhymes and singsongy vamps on a dime. Lyrically, he has a lot more range than the contemporaries mentioned above, making it evident that he took heed from the gripping narratives and bleak rhymes within the early Geto Boys albums. There's no "Mind of a Lunatic" or "Mind's Playing Tricks on Me" here, but there is "Rain," a track featuring Scarface that's as sobering as it is uplifting. Cham's as incisive and clever and nimble here as he is anywhere else: "Tired of being poor, tryin' to leave the rats/Walk out to see that three of your tires are flat/And that one tire left's a sign, I hope/That helps you to keep on grindin' when you're kind of broke/That helps you to keep composure up around your folk/That keeps you from tryin' to wrap a rope around your throat." The Sound of Revenge is as strong as Slim Thug's Already Platinum and has more dimensions. The Beat Bullies man the switches on six tracks. Scott Storch, Cool & Dre, Mannie Fresh, Play-N-Skillz, Happy Perez, and Sol Messiah also put in time. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
'Da Bottom, Vol. 2'
Release Date 9/6/2005
Tracks 30
Label BCD Music Group
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'Houston We Have a Problem!!'
Release Date 6/14/2005
Tracks 34
Label BCD Music Group
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What The Critics Say
Not just another in a seemingly endless flow of mixtapes from the Houston-based rapper/producer Chamillionaire, Houston We Have a Problem! is, as the title suggests, heavy on the beef. After a brief spoken intro, the album kicks into high gear with a freestyle taking potshots at fellow Texan Paul Wall by name; amusingly, the very next track is a new track by Wall, "Sittin' Sideways." The album continues in that point-counterpoint vein for most of its length, with guest star turns by Wall, Slim Thug, Mike Jones, and just about everyone else active in the Houston scene. There's even a nod to local hip-hop history with an updated version of the Geto Boys' "Mind Playin' Tricks on Me," the first great Texas rap single. Those wanting either an introduction to Chamillionaire's production and rapping gifts or a quick overview of the on-fire Houston hip-hop scene should start here. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Another in Chamillionaire's seemingly endless string of mixtapes, Chamilitary is also a fine loss-leader compilation of the artists signed to the rapper/producer's label of the same name. After a statement of purpose intro track that's also an excellent example of Chamillionaire's own mic skills, the album is mostly a showcase for Rasaq and 50/50 (who gets five solo tracks of his own). Both of them are solid rappers, each with a more than adequate presence and flow, but the irony of the album is that even without trying to, Chamillionaire's mixture of skills, production savvy, and charisma tends to overshadow his protégés. His solo tracks "Get Outta Here" and "Roll wit Me" are the album's highest points, the latter built on a thin, needly arrangement that enhances the starkness of the lyrics. It might be a label sampler, but Chamilitary mostly plays up the label head's talents instead of that of his signings. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
