CHAMILLIONAIRE

He takes his name from a shifty lizard. It wasn't hard to get five contradictions from the Houston MC who's claiming rap's Ultimate Victory.
As told to Justin Monroe | Photograph by Jared Ryder

I'm not wasting my mind. I know about current events. Music is my platform to speak, so that's why I made a choice to say what my opinion is... But I'm not one of those people who try to act like I'm all supersmart or all my opinions are completely right. When people get to high levels of society, their voice becomes omnipotent, like they know everything. That's crazy.

After the success of "Ridin'" I'll get e-mails from random police officers saying they risk their lives to protect people like me. I'm saying, don't take it that seriously... But I've been pulled out of my car. Police jumped on my hood, dented it, had guns all to my face, was standing on top of me. Then they realized my car wasn't stolen and just dusted me off.

I've never gotten drunk in my life before. I never smoked. I'm a person that likes to be productive, and I don't like a downer. Of course there are so many people that glorify it and don't even do it. I used to drink Red Bull all the time because it keeps me up, it keeps me working... But I don't like to be dependent on stuff, so I said, I'm going to stop drinking it just because.

I'd say the N-word [on records]. It wasn't really a curse word to me... But I was out there doing shows, and most of the kids is white kids, and I'd say the N-word and the DJ would stop it and the whole crowd says it. So I thought, I've got to switch that up. I can do it or I can't do it, but I'm not dependent on it. I don't need it as a crutch.

There's a whole bunch of label people who say they want me to be successful... But nobody wants it more than me. If I have to go back to the 'hood, I am going back to the 'hood. Another artist is going to come through for them. I'm disposable. That's why I work harder than anybody. I don't want to go back to the 'hood.

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