Chamillioniare & Martin Luther King: They Have A Dream

Houston’s MLK Parade Foundation recently announced the crowning of Chamillionaire as a co-Grand Marshal in the 2009 MLK parade. At first blush, some might think that a dude who spends a great deal of time talking about his dick, his riches, and his gun is an unusual choice to represent Dr. King’s vision, but a close reading of Cham’s lyrics reveal a kinship with some of Dr. King’s writings.

Hair Balls broached this subject with Foundation CEO Charles Stamps by first reciting lyrics from Cham’s “I Got Hos,” in order to identify its counterpart in King’s cannon. “I got hos/ I got so many hos/ Callin’ on my phone/ Nah, they won’t leave me alone/Brown skin, redbone, yellow bone/Comin’ to my home/ They scream and they moan.”

Stamps said it was unfair to cherry-pick those lyrics and explained that “What we look at is a person’s contributions to the community, the positive influence that he has on his peers….we’re trying to bridge, if you will, the gap…between my generation and that generation.”

He later elaborated in an e-mail: “Rappers are a target group that I
am trying to reach..They are very influential with our kids…If I can
motivate them to become aware of that influence, and how it affects our
kids, then just maybe we can begin the process of closing the
generation gap by encouraging them to become more responsible with
their lyrics, and by being a positive influence.”

Contributions
to the community are definitely important, so Stamps guided us to
Cham’s bio on the Foundation website, which duly discussed the many
college scholarships he established, money he donated for parks in
blighted neighborhoods, and his work with the elderly.

Oh wait – no it
didn’t. It mentioned his Grammys and commercial success – which is
cool, too. Stamps said the bio was supposed to include his community
efforts, and he immediately contacted Cham’s publicist, Nancy Byron, to
help him update things. When Hair Balls asked if Byron could think of
any great things Cham’s done to “give back to the community,” she did
mention that he volunteered for hours at a POD in the aftermath of Ike.

Even those unfamiliar with Cham’s work can see its relation to
Dr. King’s speeches and sermons, and how Cham echoes Dr. King’s clarion
call for unity and peace.

“We running the game nigga, I’ma run
you out the game nigga
I ain’t gonna let no pussy niggas represent my
city nigga,
nuh uh, especially not no gimmick pussy niggas”
–Cham, “Run You Out the Game.”

“Let
us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass
away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our
fear-drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the
radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation
with all their scintillating beauty. Except for pussy niggas.”
–Dr. King, Letter From Birmingham Jail

“8,000 square footage of bricks on some private property
Plenty of surveillance for residents who be watchin me
You ain’t got to worry about if police or cops’ll see
All you need to worry about is if my new Glock’ll see.”
-Cham, “Living Good.”

“And
God grant that we will get on board and start marching with God – and
with our Glocks — because we got orders now to break down the bondage
and the walls of colonialism, exploitation, and imperialism, to break
them down to the point that no man will trample over another man,
unless that man is on the grounds of my palatial estate, but that all
men will respect the dignity and worth of all human personality.”
–Dr. King, “The Birth of a New Nation”

“My money move I get statements so I can view my dollars
A one then a zero, zero be leapin’ all the commas
I can poke I promise
Baby look dope as Pocahontas In the Bahamas
Counting money in my pajamas”
–Cham, “The Real Thang”

“But
not only have we gotten jobs through Operation Breadbasket in Chicago;
there was another area through this economic program, and that was the
development of financial institutions which were controlled by Negroes
and which were sensitive to problems of economic deprivation of the
Negro community. These financial institutions offer a program whereby
account holders can make deposits and withdrawals while wearing
pajamas, robes, or ‘just-puttering-around-the-house’ clothes. Amen.”
–Dr. King, “Where Do We Go From Here?”

(Note: We’re double-checking some of those King quotes.)

Update: We’ve gotten the charity work details.

On a personal level, there are many causes that are dear to Chamillionaire’s heart, especially anything to do with helping children; something that was inspired by his upbringing. Taking a cue from his Mother, who routinely took in foster kids while he was growing up, Chamillionaire himself currently homes 3 foster children. Cancer research and his church are also causes to which Chamillionaire contributes regularly. Chamillionaire’s fierce love for his city means that you will always find him present in times of need. Whether it is donations for hurricane repairs to schools, or giving his time to raise awareness for those causes he holds dear, Chamillionaire is a philanthropic staple in the Houston community.

— Craig Malisow