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ou’re in rap group with this guy who’s clearly a better businessman than emcee. You want to trust his business vision, but he’s taking a little too long to put your music out. As much as you enjoy working with the guy, you just can’t quell that hunger to go out and get your own. So, you leave. You put out a few well-received records, your former group member moves away and does the same, only with a new set of co-workers. You continue to put out some well-received records, but your former partner winds up blowing up and becoming a millionaire and an infamous icon in the music industry. Would you regret you decision? Bay Area vet Chilee Powdah made that choice, and he hasn’t looked back since. “Back then I was real hungry, so I wasn’t as patient as I am now,” says Powdah, an original member of Master P’s group TRU who left the group before it became the flagship of No Limit Records. “It was a good experience because I got a lot of game on the business. I was with P walking into In-A-Minute records when it was just us, RBL Posse, Rappin’ 4-Tay and Too $hort. I don’t have any regrets, though.” Nor should he. A decade and some change later Powdah is still putting out albums and being accepted as a veteran artist who can still keep up with
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the youngsters. Since releasing his first album Late Night Gafflin’ in 1992 featuring the breakout single “Dank and Drank,” Powdah has built a musical catalog that include over 30 releases, including albums, mixtapes, and compilations. “I’ve been able to stay afloat because I stay in the streets,” says Powdah, crediting his ability to still relate to the Bay’s younger rappers to his staying power. “Even though I’m on some grown man shit, they see that and respect it. They look at the long line of records I’ve put out. It doesn’t matter how much they sold; they see the consistency and they know I don’t hold onto game. I share it.” Powdah is adding to his catalog with his upcoming Real Rich/Koch-distributed release Stunnas On My Face. Powered by the singles “Lil Mama” featuring Mistah F.A.B. and “V.I.P.” featuring his artist Don P, Powdah insists that the record will become an instant favorite. “People are going to hear some of my most focused work this time around,” says Powdah, who spends a lot of time jetting back and forth between his Richmond, California roots and Arizona, which he has adopted as his second home. “With this album, I wasn’t trying to appeal to everybody, but I think I got something that’s appealing to everybody.” Interview by N.A. Words by Maurice G. Garland