Back at home in St. Louis, there is a calm in speaking to Chingy. You have to remind yourself that you’re talking to the artist who pushed out hits like “Right Thur” and “Pulling Me Back.” On the brink of his new album, “Chinglology,” I had the chance to catch up with him. So what’s changed since we last saw Chingy.
There is a sense of self-awareness and accountability. A corner has most definitely been turned and he is looking to correct past behavior. “I want to become more of a leader,” he says in looking back at lessons learned over the years. He uses words like “Positive” and “Great” in describing where he wants to go not just with this album but in life moving forward. A spiritual awakening of sorts is present in his energy and reflective in the album, specifically with the track “King Judah” which pays homage to the origins of the African man.
Yes, it’s deep. However don’t sleep on Chingy’s ability to put together hits, especially those to keep the ladies entertained. This will all be done tastefuly as he’s taken the route of not disrespecting women, or beefing with other artists. Sounds like Chingy could be that breath of fresh air we’ve all been waiting for. On the current state of hip-hop, he believes there needs to be more positivity. “These kids don’t know,” says Chingy referring to the drugs and violence, which seem to be a theme in the ever changing rap game. That being said, he does like the work of artists like Drake, Wale, and Wiz Khalifa.
Chingy was recently featured on VH1’s reality show, “Couples Therapy.” The show is built on the idea of couples trying to fix a relationship. He says that he learned a lot during that process, and that it was real and not an act for the cameras. It doesn’t stop there… From 2013 to Now he’s been working on a new reality show called “Business with The Baileys” a collaboration with his mom & sister, revamped his record label “FullDekk” & released the mixtape “FullDekk Fulloisphy” that features STL Artist, he’s been to Australia not once but twice co-headlining with Fabolous & Omarion then again for a solo run and has released two singles on iTunes “Falling & “Damn Girl” while still touring all around the US. Chingy is a busy man and has no problem managing all these ventures. The way he sees it, why not succeed at all levels so long as the people and experience involved are all positive.
To the critics and haters, Chingy is not listening. If you aren’t breaking bread at his table, you’re irrelevant. At the end of the day, he wants people to understand that he’s just a regular, down to earth guy who enjoys history and who likes to bowl when he’s not in the studio. This new found maturity could be exactly what gets Chingy back to the top… and honestly, hip-hop can use a few more Chingys.
