Interview: Chip Tha Ripper On "Tell Ya Friends," Debut Album, & Meeting Kanye West

The Ohio-native talks about working with Wale, explains the cover art on his mixtape, and reveals whether or not he's signing a major label deal.

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Image via Complex Original
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After moving from the dreary Cleveland winters out to L.A., Ohio-native Chip Tha Ripper is finally seeing what it’s like to live like a rapper—even if he’s really not sure how. In the past four years, he’s released three mixtapes—including 2009's The Cleveland Show and last years Gift Raps. However, he's still probably best known for occasionally playing wingman to fellow Ohio-native Kid Cudi.

Chip's hook on Cudi’s “Hyyerr” off Man On The Moon may have earned him a gold plaque, but now it’s his time. His new mixtape, Tell Ya Friends, dropped earlier today right here at Complex. Plus, he's gearing up to drop his full-length debut sometime this year. 

The new mixtape has his son's face gracing the cover and features songs like “25 Wives” (which boasts a guest spot from Wale) and the Lex Luger–produced “Out Here." We figured it was the perfect time to get on the horn with the 25-year-old to talk about Tell Ya Friends, being unsigned, and what Kanye West told him at SXSW.

Interview by Lauren Nostro (@LAURENcynthia)

The making of “25 Wives” 

“I got that dumb idea [to do] "25 Wives." Nobody ever touched on that topic of having however many wives in a fresh aura like that.

The making of “Out Here

“Lex Luger hit me up and was telling me he was a fan of my music. I was like, ‘Whoa. That’s what’s up.’ He didn’t hesitate at all, he just sent me a folder filled with nice beats. I’m like, ‘Let’s record this.’

On his new mixtape, Tell Ya Friends

“With Tell Ya Friends, I picked the best songs I’ve been recording lately. Right now, I got like over 100 songs. I’m letting some of the good ones really go and giving everybody music that will make them make the face my son makes on the cover of the promo.

 

On being unsigned

“I’m a guy off the street making music. I’m not contractually bound to anyone on God’s green earth. I’m blessed to have the same opportunity as everybody else who’s in the game.

His upcoming debut album, Charles Worth 

Kanye told me he was willing to help out on my album—which is amazing. Him and Cudi pulled me to the side and said, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna get some work in for your album.’
“I’m recording for my album as well. My album—it’s not no date set right now but were aiming for the summer 2012. Me and Cudi have been working on it. The album is gonna be called Charles Worth—that’s my real name.

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