Chamillionaire

Chamillionaire
Chamillionaire
	Chamillionaire in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Hakeem Temidayo Seriki
Born	28 November 1979 (aged 46); Washington, D.C., U.S.
Origin	Houston, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Southern hip hop; gangsta rap;
Occupation(s)	Rapper; songwriter; entrepreneur;
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Chamillitary; Swishahouse; Paid in Full; Universal Motown; Universal;

Hakeem Seriki (born November 28, 1979),^[2] better known by his stage name Chamillionaire (pronounced Ka-MIL-yin-air; a portmanteau of "chameleon" and "millionaire")^[3] is an American rapper and entrepreneur from Houston, Texas and the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment.

He stated that his goal is to show that the South can produce quality lyricists. He is also a hook writer and generally sings and harmonizes with himself (using vocals from various tracks) on his own hooks. Chamillionaire is a founder and original member of The Color Changin' Click.^[4] In 2007, he won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his number-one single "Ridin'", a number-one hit in the United States for two weeks in 2006.^[5] He is a former artist on Michael 5000 Watts' Swishahouse label.^[4]

Early life

Hakeem Seriki was born November 28, 1979^[4] in Washington, D.C. to a Nigerian immigrant father^[6] and an Nigerian-American mother. He moved to Houston, Texas at the age of four. Before becoming a rapper, he worked numerous jobs, including stocking trucks and transporting blood and urine for a medical lab.^[7]

Chamillionaire said he originally lived in a section of Houston zoned for Eisenhower High School and his parents moved to the Jersey Village High School attendance zone, so he could play in a more advanced basketball program; he attended Jersey Village.^[8]