As an artist, your dream is to make it big and be successful right out of the gate. But with such a fickle industry, having a platinum plaque is like saying you’ve seen a unicorn.
On the other hand, one such performer that does have thqat merit on his resume is Hurricane Chris, for hit massive hit song ‘A Bay Bay’ from his debut album, Ratchet 51/50.
In fact, the tune ended up going platinum two times over, which leads us to the present time. There’s an industry term out there that many critics dub, “The Sophomore Jinx,” and that’s a category that the Shreveport, Louisiana native intends on avoiding as he gears up for his second project in Unleashed.
So is the youngster capable of stepping over that fate, while maintaining a steady ship? Well, according to him, he’s already got it in the bag.
Your second album, Unleashed will be here before people know it… So what can your fans expect to hear from it?
Hurricane Chris: Well, I stepped my game up a lot on this album, and I have producers like Play-N-Skillz, The Inkredibles, Cool & Dre, and some others on there… Plus I’m also working with Beenie Man from Jamaica; I’m trying to show a lot of different sides to me this time around…
But I’m definitely going to pick up a whole ‘nother fan base after this album… I call myself “The coldest rapper doing it,” because ain’t no one doing it like I’m doing it right now… Most of my albums, I’m freestyling on them, but you won’t be able to tell, because I’m crushing them songs…
Is that a conscious decision on your part to just go into the studio, and freestyle your album, as opposed to sitting down, and thinking out material?
Hurricane Chris: I feel like with most people, they have to write their stuff down. But with me, my mind processes a lot faster than other rappers… So by trying to slow my fast process down, by writing it on paper; that would probably kill me… I got to just let it go as soon as I feel the beat, you feel me? I can have like a 1,000 ideas real fast, and I have to drop them, or they’ll be cluttered up in my head…
Do you think it will be tough to follow the success you had with 51/50 Ratchet, as you go into Unleashed?
Hurricane Chris: No, because this album here is going way harder than my last album… I can sit here and tell you that, because it’s real from the bottom of my heart… I’m really stepping my game up, and I’m unleashed on this one, so that’s why I called it that… I’m the coldest person doing this, just like I told you…
So you don’t have any sophomore jitters going into this one?
Hurricane Chris: Nah, that only happens with them BS rappers man, I do this for real… I do this in my sleep man, and I’ll eat whoever you put in front of me on the microphone… I’ve been doing this since I was 9-years-old, and it ain’t nothing to me… I’m a DOG with this baby!
What initially gave you the idea to write ‘Halle Berry (She’s Fine)’?
Hurricane Chris: I was in Dallas, and I was working with Play-N-Skillz, and they were giving me different beats… So when we came across that one, I hopped on it, and I was like,
“HALLE BERRRRYYYY!!!” “HALLE BERRRRYYYY!!!”
So right when I started screaming that out, the song was an instant hit, you feel me? Play-N-Skillz already had the beat up, and they were in their studio working to it, and vibing with it… It was a good move to make, so we had to make it happen, Halle Berry…
[Laughs]… Have you found the creative process going from album one to album two a little more difficult, or easier?
Hurricane Chris: I think it’s gotten a little easier… Just like anything; you get better with time, and you get more comfortable… When I first started off I was a little nervous, but now I’m a lot more comfortable with those things… So right now, it’s just a walk in the park for me…
I also wanted to talk to you about the whole ‘Ratchet Movement.’ A lot of people credit you for bringing that aspect into Hip-Hop, but for the people who aren’t familiar with it, can you break it down for them?
Hurricane Chris: Basically it’s just that music that lets you come into the club, and do your own vibe to it… Ratchet Music is just you doing you, you feel me?
There’s no particular way to dance to Ratchet Music, the music is just going to make you go crazy, and rock whoever you want to rock… If that happens to be your song, you’re going to get ‘ratchet’ to it, so we just started making a bunch of songs like that…
What would you say has been one of the most difficult parts of your career so far?
Hurricane Chris: I would say having that paperwork with the record label… There’s a lot of things going on, but you don’t see it, because of all the BS with the paperwork…
You have to make sure you have that paperwork down, because that’s going to be the most challenging part, so you have to make sure that you’re staying on top of that… Just make sure that you stay in-tuned to what’s going on; down to the nitty gritty…
