How Chamillionaire Became a Better Entrepreneur than Rapper

Michael Beausoleil
The Startup
Published in
5 min readJun 12, 2020

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The middle of the 00’s saw many rappers rise to fame then fall off the map. Sounds changed, ringtones became uncool, and new talent emerged. The music industry changes rapidly and many careers die faster than they started. For some people, the end of a music career might be the start of better endeavors.

Around 2004 the rap scene saw an increase in Texas-based rappers gain popularity. No one peaked higher than Chamillionaire, hitting the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks during the summer of 2006 with his song Ridin’. Falling from the top turned out to be a blessing in disguise because he’s become quite the successful investor.

Chamillionaire, whose real name is Hakeem Seriki, has taken some risks that paid off. He found ways to give back through his success, and has put his earnings to good use. Seriki’s music success has really pigeonholed him as a one hit wonder, but he’s much more than that. Now more than ever, we should be recognizing his accomplishments and they ways he is empowering future entrepreneurs.

The Decline of Chamillionaire the Rapper

If you remember the name “Chamillionaire,” it’s most likely thanks to Ridin’. If you don’t remember that song, you might be familiar with Weird Al’s pardoy White and Nerdy. For a brief moment in time Ridin’ was so popular that Weird Al could score the highest charting song of his career thanks to his parody.

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Michael Beausoleil
The Startup

User Analytics | Digital & Brand Marketing | Productivity … hoping to explore topics that interest me and find others with similar passions