Patiently Waiting
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elting out harmonious choruses between rap verses, Chalie Boy’s fusion of R&B and Hip Hop have made him wellknown in the Lone Star State. Since aligning with Dirty 3rd Records in 2000, the artist from Hearne/ Calvert, TX has been professionally preparing himself for the mainstream. The breakthrough eventually came with his single “I Look Good.” Heavily influenced by his childhood years in the church choir, Chalie Boy’s soulful voice found its place in rap music by accident. “By miscommunication, I was going to see DJ Bull [of Dirty 3rd Records] thinking I was supposed to sing a hook or do ad-libs for this group of guys,” he explains. “They didn’t want me to waste my time, so he asked if I could come up with 16 [bars] for a mixtape they were working on.” Though it was spur of the moment, Chalie Boy wrote his first rhyme and it was well-received. “I jumped on a couple more mixtapes, and after
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that, they asked me to join the label,” Chalie Boy recalls. He went on to do several more projects with the Freestyle Kingz, including an underground album. In 2004, his first solo mixtape Making My Way hit the streets, followed by the Chalie Boy’s Greatest Hits series. The 2006 release of Versatyle Child, featuring the popular song “Bumpa Grill,” solidified Chalie Boy as an artist to watch. Over the next several years, the label focused on building connections and learning the business. “At the time, we felt we weren’t ready yet to make major steps,” he says. While establishing himself as an artist, Chalie Boy and his label networked with premiere DJs and radio personalities in his region. Once the foundation was in place, they decided it was time to take it to the next level. Hitting the studio specifically with radio-ready hits in mind, Chalie Boy came up with “I Look
Good” in early 2009. He began a heavy campaign which included DJ servicing, eblasts to fans, and street and radio promotions, among other successful tactics, to get the summertime anthem spinning. By fall of 2009, the song was in rotation nationwide, attracting the attention of Battery/ Jive. They offered Chalie Boy a deal and he accepted. Currently a second campaign is underway for Chalie Boy’s follow-up single “Look Like Money, Smell Like Dollaz.” His debut album is in the making, with a release date to be announced, and Chalie Boy is optimistic about bringing his talent to the masses. “I try to connect with the people no matter if I’m singing or rapping,” he says, while describing the passion in his craft. “It comes from my heart, and you’ll hear that in the music.” Words by Ms. Rivercity