Chingy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chingy
Chingy performing in 2004
Background information
Birth name	Howard Earl Bailey Jr.
Also known as	H Thugz
Born	(1980-03-09) March 9, 1980 (age 45) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Full Dekk Real Talk Bungalo 49 Track Starz Parlophone Def Jam Disturbing tha Peace Priority Capitol

Howard Earl Bailey Jr. (born March 9, 1980), known as Chingy, is an American rapper. He comes from St. Louis, Missouri. In 2002, he toured with fellow St. Louis rapper Nelly. That same year, he signed with Ludacris' record label, Disturbing tha Peace (DTP).

His first hit song, "Right Thurr", came out in 2003. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song was part of his first album, Jackpot (2003). The album also reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. His second album, Powerballin' (2004), made it to number ten. His third album, Hoodstar (2006), reached number nine. It included another top ten hit, "Pullin' Me Back" (featuring Tyrese Gibson). His fourth album, Hate It or Love It (2007), was not as popular. His fifth album, Success & Failure (2010), did not appear on the music charts.

Chingy's Early Life and Music Start

Chingy grew up in a part of St. Louis called Walnut Park. He often called it the "Bad Blocks."

He started writing rap lyrics when he was 9 years old. By age 10, he was already recording his raps. At first, he was known as H Thugz. He was part of a St. Louis group called Without Warning. They had a local hit song called "What's Poppin Off." Later, H Thugz changed his name to Chingy. This name is a slang term for money.

Chingy went to McCluer North High School in Florissant, Missouri. This town is a suburb of St. Louis. His friends knew him as "Howie" in high school. He still prefers close friends and family to call him that name.

Chingy's Music Career

Starting His Music Journey (2002)

Ludacris and his manager, Chaka Zulu, quickly signed Chingy. He joined their new record label, Disturbing Tha Peace.

Big Hits: Jackpot and Powerballin (2003-2005)

Chingy's first album, Jackpot, came out on July 15, 2003. It was released through Disturbing tha Peace and Capitol Records. Other artists like Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, and Jermaine Dupri appeared on the album. The album had popular songs like "Right Thurr", "One Call Away", and "Holidae In". The St. Louis production team The Trak Starz produced the album. Jackpot was very successful. It sold over one million copies and was certified Platinum. "Right Thurr" became a huge hit, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

Chingy released his second album, Powerballin', on November 16, 2004. This album also did well, reaching #10 on the charts. It featured the hit song "Balla Baby." Many famous artists, including R. Kelly, Lil Wayne, and Janet Jackson, were on the album. Powerballin' sold over one million copies too. It was certified Platinum in March 2005. One of his songs, "I Do," was even in the video game Need for Speed: Underground 2.

New Albums: Hoodstar and Hate It or Love It (2006-2008)

Hoodstar was Chingy's third album. It came out on September 19, 2006. Producers like Jermaine Dupri and Timbaland worked on it. His song "Pullin Me Back" (with actor-singer Tyrese) was a big hit. It helped Hoodstar debut at number eight on the album chart. The album later went Gold, meaning it sold over 500,000 copies.

Chingy was not happy with how Capitol Records was promoting his music. So, in 2007, he went back to DTP Records. DTP was then part of the Def Jam music family. Chingy explained that Capitol Records was more focused on pop music. He felt they did not know how to market hip-hop artists like him.

Hate It or Love It was Chingy's fourth album. It was released on December 18, 2007. The main song was "Fly Like Me," featuring Amerie. This album debuted at #84 on the Billboard 200. It sold about 30,000 copies. This was Chingy's first album that did not reach the Top 10. Hate It or Love It was also not released in the UK.

Working on New Music (2009-2012)

In 2012, Chingy announced he was working on his fifth album. It was going to be called No Risk No Reward. However, the album was delayed because of funding issues. He then released a mixtape called Jackpot Back on March 3, 2012.

Exploring New Sounds (2013-2016)

In spring 2013, Chingy shared that he had become a practicing Black Hebrew Israelite. He released a music video for his song "King Judah." This song showed his new focus on moral messages.

Later, news came out about a new song called "Watch The World." It featured a singer named Lucy X from New Zealand. The song was released on November 1, 2013. It quickly reached #2 on the iTunes Urban chart in Australia and New Zealand.

Latest Music and Tours (2017-Present)

Chingy signed with Bungalo Records, which is part of Universal Music Group. In 2019, Chingy joined the "Millennium Tour" with the group B2K.

In 2021, Chingy was the main performer on a tour across the United States. He toured with R&B singers Mýa and Ginuwine.

Beyond Music: Other Projects

Acting Career

Chingy has also worked as an actor. In 2005, he appeared in the TV comedy series My Wife and Kids. That same year, he was in One on One and George Lopez. In 2006, he had a small role in the movie Scary Movie 4. He also appeared on the TV show Yo Momma. In 2010, Chingy had a role in the movie Speed-Dating.

Cologne

In early 2022, Chingy announced that he was creating his own cologne. He promoted and sold his cologne for the first time in September 2022 on an online platform.

Chingy's Music Albums

• Jackpot (2003)
• Powerballin' (2004)
• Hoodstar (2006)
• Hate It or Love It (2007)
• Success & Failure (2010)

Chingy's Film and TV Appearances

Movies

Television Shows

Images for kids

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