*HOUSTONSCENE*
*CHINGO BLING*
Hello my name is Pedro Herrera aka Chingo Bling and welcome to my site. I enjoy all types of basic things like watching bootleg movies on the inernet, reading selfhelp books, time with family, good ass tacos, traveling, fresh coffee and going to the gym even though i see 0 results.
I’m an artist, entrepreneur, and renaissance man. Im involved in all types of stuff like acting, djing, fashion, rapping, writing, etc and i don’t subscribe to the whole school of thought that you should limit yourself to one thing. That wouldn’t sit well with my A.D.D. Im not afraid to make mistakes or try new things. my whole career has been trial n’ error or as the great tamale salesman Felipe fernando Fernandez would say “cook, taste, adjust.”
My parents are from Ciudad Valle Hermoso, Tamaulipas Mexico and with sacrifice from the entire family i managed to take my brown ass to college for a marketing degree from Trinity university. I passed all straight A’s, magna cum laude. Nah just kidding, i was a decent student but i believed that education begins outside of the classroom or some shit like that. So much of my time was spent doing my college radio show, slangin’ mixtapes at the flea markets on the weekends, dj’ing the hottest frat parties, and hanging out in studios on the east side and south side of San Antonio. I’m also a member of Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity, turn up. That chapter of my life is a movie within itself. But the book will be out soon, you can cop that.
I’m from Houston one of the independent music meccas of the world and i naturally had a “do it yourself” attitude. through countless mixtape releases, constant barrage of grassroots activity, and authentic interaction with fans via the web our audience grew quickly. Somehow someway through team work and a fresh unique persona i managed to get my ass on Mtv a few times. Then came the record deal offers, phone calls and meetings with people i idolized: Master P, Diddy, Lyor Cohen, Tony draper etc. It was surreal and happened very fast, all at once. And we did it independently. However, i did distribute one album through Asylum/Warner that was titled They Can’t Deport Us All. We couldn’t fight them off much longer and we gave in to the major distribution system for a bit. The title was way bigger than the album itself, but i did get to learn a lot about the business firsthand and worked with some awesome producers.
I always wanted to get into acting and i think i can become great at it. After a phone call from Khoolaid of silent Giant Ent I had the chance to be involved in the successful indie film “filly brown.” My performance as Rayborn was seen on bootleg dvds, Netflix, Amc Theatres, Redbox, Sundance etc. That helped throw my name in the latin hollywood world and the word is quickly spreading that i’m not fucking around and i’m here to compete. i’m currently taking a bunch of bad ass meetings with networks, agents etc. My attitude is that even if Hollywood doesn’t see my value and potential and i don’t get cast in the good roles, then we’ll write and hire writers and crew etc and start putting out quality indie films that cater to our AUDIENCE. The Mexican American audience is growing and is untapped. It’s crazy that this same audience that every one wants to target but can’t figure out, are the same folks that support me and put me where i stand. In fact we have just launched our indie film company, Aguila films. We have a bad ass audience and thats where our power lies.
My audience empowers me and nothing is off limits to me… author, director, stand-up comedian, dj, clothing designer, astronaut.
*CHAMILLIONAIRE*
Biography
Chamillionaire began his musical career by recording mixtapes in the late 1990’s with fellow Southern rapper Paul Wall. Chamillionaire and Wall went to a local Houston radio studio and convinced the DJ to let them freestyle on air. They so impressed the station and the listerns that the two soon became regular contributors to Houston’s hiphop and mixtape scene. One of Chamillionaire’s nicknames is, in fact, The Mixtape Messiah.
Chamillionaire released his first major mainstream rap album, The Sound of Revenge, through his production company, Chamillitary Entertainment, and Universal Records in November 2005. The album debuted at #10 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum. The album spawned two hit singles, "Turn It Up" and "Ridin'," a song about police racial profiling. Chamillionaire recorded “Ridin’” with fellow rapper Krayzie Bone, and the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. “Ridin’” also won a 2007 Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
Chamillionaire won several awards for his first album, including the Grammy, an MTV Video Music Award, and two BET Hip Hop Awards. With the help of the popularity of “Ridin’,” he has been certified by the RIAA as the largest selling individual ringtone artist ever. “RIdin’” is so embedded in popular culture that Chamillionaire even saw Weird Al Yankovich turn "Ridin" into a hit parody, "White and Nerdy."
Chamillionaire released his successful follow-up album, Ultimate Victory, in September 2007
*Z-RO*
Joseph Wayne McVey (born January 19, 1977),[2][3] better known by his stage names Z-Ro and The Mo City Don, is an American rapper from Houston, Texas. He was named one of America's most underrated rappers by the New York Times.[4]
Early Life and Career[edit]
Z-Ro was born Joseph Wayne McVey in Houston’s notorious South Park neighborhood on January 19, 1977.[5] At age six his mother died, and he was shuttled from household to household in search of stability, eventually settling in the Ridgemont area of Missouri City in Southwest Houston.[5] When Z-Ro reached his late teens he was unemployed and resorted to drug dealing and hustling on the streets.[5] According to Z-Ro, listening to the music of 2Pac, Geto Boys, Street Military, K-Rino and Klondike Kat inspired him to work harder for his goal of leaving the streets.[5] Z-Ro discovered his talent of freestyle rapping and after going through a couple of recording studios to make a demo,[5] the CEO of a local label discovered and signed him.
Z-Ro released his critically acclaimed Rap-a-Lot debut titled The Life of Joseph W. McVey.[5] The record was a huge success and helped expand Z-Ro’s fan base beyond the South.[5] In 2005, Z-Ro released Let the Truth Be Told, which was well received.[5] Z-Ro's 2006 album I'm Still Livin' was released while he was imprisoned for drug possession, to positive reviews.[6][7] It was called "a great album... powerful" but "relentlessly bleak" by The Village Voice[6] and "one of the best rap albums to come out of Houston" by the Houston Chronicle.[8] In 2010 he released his next album titled Heroin, which was followed by another new album titled Meth in 2011 and then Angel Dust in 2012.
Z-Ro released his first EP under The Mo City Don titled Tripolar on August 25, 2013 via One Deep Ent.[1] Z-Ro then followed up with The Crown in June 2014.[9] In February 2015, Z-Ro released his first proper studio album in three years, entitled Melting the Crown
*TRAE
THE TRUTH*
Frazier Othel Thompson (born July 3, 1980), better known by his stage name Trae tha Truth or simply Trae, is an American rapper from Houston, Texas. Apart from his solo career, Trae is also known as a member of the underground rap collective Screwed Up Click, as well as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo ABN, and one of the founding members of the group Guerilla Maab, alongside Z-Ro and Dougie D.[2][3] Trae tha Truth currently hosts Banned Radio on XXL on Dash Radio.
Life and career[edit]
Trae Tha Truth gained exposure on the Houston rap scene in 1998, when he made his rapping debut with a guest appearance on Z-Ro's album Look What You Did to Me.[4] In 2003, he began his solo career with the album Losing Composure. 2004's Same Thing Different Day, 2006's Restless, and 2007's Life Goes On followed shortly after. Trae Tha Truth has also worked relentlessly with fellow Houston rapper Chamillionaire on his various Mixtape Messiah series.
He also collaborated with Z-Ro to form the duo ABN or Assholes by Nature. They have released two albums, Assholes by Nature (2003) and It Is What It Is (2008).
Trae Tha Truth was involved in a fight with Texas rapper Mike Jones at the 2008 Ozone Awards. Both later apologized for the incident.[5] It was recently suspected that Trae Tha Truth's music was banned from Houston's local radio Station, 97.9 The Boxx.[6]
After creating a buzz online and in the streets, on March 1, 2012, T.I. announced he signed Trae Tha Truth to Grand Hustle Records. On October 9, 2012, Trae was featured on the annual BET Hip Hop Awards cypher, alongside his Grand Hustle label-mates Iggy Azalea, B.o.B, Chip and T.I.[7] His first Grand Hustle album, Banned, was scheduled to be released in 2014.[8] However, prior to that he will release the mixtape I Am King and has been involved in the recording process for the Grand Hustle Records compilation album.[9] His Grand Hustle Records debut titled Tha Truth was released on July 24, 2015.
