Charles Hamilton
Charles Eddie-Lee Hamilton, Jr.
- Rapper
- singer
- songwriter
- record producer
2005–present
- Aggravated Mayhem
- Starchasers
- Tune First
- Republic
- First Access[2]
- NewCo
- Interscope
- Demevolist
- Spud Mack
- Serious Truth
- 3rd Eye Magic
- The Chosen Few
- All City Chess Club
Life and career[edit]
1987–2007: Early life and career beginnings[edit]
Charles Hamilton was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He was exposed to music at an early age: "My mother was an entertainment journalist for the Cleveland Call and Post, so she would take me with her to events when I was just a baby." Hamilton stated his mother always made sure he had an instrument around him. His mother put different kinds of instruments in the basement of their Cleveland home, but he naturally gravitated to the keyboard. Hamilton has stated, "At first, I was just playing the rhythm of the songs I would hear... The older I got, the more proficient I got at hearing the notes." For most of his life, Hamilton was self-taught. Picking up the lead and bass guitar in his teenage years, as well as the drums and harmonica. Hamilton has stated that listening to other genres of music, being exposed to different cultures and experiencing life helped mold his musical sound. Hamilton would leave from his mother's home at the age of 18 and would at times be homeless spending his nights at his friends' houses.[7][8][9]
Hamilton would later utilize a studio built at the Frederick Douglass Academy.[10] Hamilton would spend countless hours in the studio, developing his craft and his own signature sound. Hamilton stated, "The Lab (FDA's studio) means so much to me, because when I literally didn't have anywhere else to go in the world, I can just go into my beloved alma mater and purge myself creatively." The studio in the Frederick Douglass Academy is where most of Charles Hamilton's music is made. Hamilton has also stated, regarding FDA's studio, that "[I] can do my thing in other studios. It's just something about home that makes my music breathe."[1][11] Hamilton attended Rice High School in Harlem, where he would also participate in freestyle rap battles.
Hamilton would later meet his future manager Le'Roy Benros after offering to help with a music event that he was organizing.[8] When Benros eventually heard his music he was "blown away" and arranged a meeting at Hamilton's high school in Harlem.[8] Benros set about promoting his first client in any way that he could, burning CDs, putting him on at showcases and securing his first appearance on the influential blog "You Heard That New".[8] He also managed to introduce Hamilton to Theo Sedlmayr, one of the most powerful entertainment lawyers in the music industry.[8]
2008–09: Signing to Interscope Records, "The Hamiltonization Process" and The Pink Lavalamp[edit]
June 16, 2008 saw the release of Hamilton's debut mixtape Crash Landed;[12] a week later, on June 27, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape Outside Looking.[13][14] On August 14, 2008, Hamilton announced he was officially signed to Interscope Records, after well known artist/producer/songwriter Pharrell introduced Hamilton to Interscope Records CEO at the time, Jimmy Iovine.[15] Later in August, Hamilton would announce that he would release a series of 8 mixtapes entitled "The Hamiltonization Process"; it would be titled after his former personal blog at the time.[16][17][18] On September 2, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape Death Of The Mixtape Rapper, which would be the first release in "The Hamiltonization Process": a series of mixtapes written and produced by Hamilton which would lead up to the release of his debut album, The Pink Lavalamp.[19][20]
On September 16, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape And Then They Played Dilla. The mixtape was a dedication to producer J Dilla, and the mixtape cover was based on J Dilla's critically acclaimed album Donuts.[21][22] On September 30, 2008, Hamilton and Demevolist Music Group released their mixtape Staff Development.[23] Then, on October 15, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape It's Charles Hamilton; the mixtape cover was based on Nas's critically acclaimed album Illmatic.[24][25] On October 28, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape The L Word.[26] A few weeks later, on November 11, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape Sonic The Hamilton.[27] On November 18, 2008, Hamilton released his debut single "Brooklyn Girls"; the music video would feature a cameo appearance from pornographic actress Lacey Duvalle, who Hamilton had earlier that year made a dedication song towards entitled "Lacey Duvalle".[28] On November 25, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape Intervention.[29][30]
On December 8, 2008, Hamilton released his debut album entitled The Pink Lavalamp. The album was originally supposed to had been released as Hamilton's major-label debut studio album, but due to Hamilton disagreements with Interscope Records about having his single "Brooklyn Girls" placed on the album's tracklist, he decided it would be best to release it as a free independent release with his label Demevolist Music Group. The album would go on to have critically acclaimed reviews and build Hamilton a cult following; it would be the last release in "The Hamiltonization Process".[31][32][33]
In 2008, Hamilton was chosen for the XXL's 2009 Freshmen cover issue alongside fellow rappers Wale, B.o.B, Asher Roth, Cory Gunz, Blu, Mickey Factz, Ace Hood, Curren$y and Kid Cudi.
2009: This Perfect Life and release from Interscope[edit]
On February 13, 2009, Hamilton released his mixtape Well Isn't This Awkward. The mixtape lyrically followed the story of a fan who had a romantic obsession with the singer-songwriter Rihanna, and instrumentally included various samples of her music.[34][35]
That May, a video went viral of Hamilton first rap battling, then getting assaulted by his former girlfriend/fellow rapper Briana Latrise, the stepdaughter of Mary J. Blige, due to Hamilton referencing during the battle Latrise having an abortion.[36][37] On May 25, 2009, during an interview, they publicly apologized to each other, with Hamilton stating, "I apologize honestly for putting some things out there that shouldn't have been out there. I understand it; it was the heat of the moment, and I didn't get the chance to really talk to you about it. I just wanted to tell you I apologize because I know what I shouldn't have said", and with Latrise remarking, "I'm going to thank you for your apology. I'm going to apologize for acting outside of the norm. We're going to talk about our personal business, on our personal time."[38]
Hamilton was to release his first studio album on Interscope, entitled This Perfect Life, in 2009. According to Hamilton's blog at the time, the album was to be released digitally on June 23, 2009,[39] and the physical copy in stores on August 25, 2009.[40] The album was supposed to be Hamilton's major label debut and the first album distributed by a major record label for free download on Charles Hamilton's own website. There was also a physical copy of the album that would have to be purchased in stores that included a DVD of animated videos to help the listener get a better feel for the music. On August 17, 2009, Hamilton released This Perfect Life EP as promotion for the album.[41]
When the cover for This Perfect Life was released, Hamilton caused some controversy when the deceased producer, J Dilla, was named as executive producer.[42] A handful of Dilla's closest associates through hip hop began speaking out against Hamilton's use of the name and its connection to his music. Hamilton later stated he wished to financially help J Dilla's mother, who had thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, the same illness that took J Dilla's life. J Dilla's name was later removed from the album artwork due to legal reasons.[43]
After months of speculation, the album was never released as a result of Hamilton getting dropped from Interscope on September 19, 2009, for multiple reasons, including but not limited to his poor performance at a Penn State rap battle and his unapproved crediting of J Dilla.[44] Manager Le'Roy Benros later explained why he felt Hamilton's career stalled by telling HitQuarters:
Demevolist Music Group[10][110]
Musical style[edit]
Influences[edit]
Hamilton has frequently named American rapper Eminem as his biggest influence in his music.[111] On May 6, 2009, during an issue of XXL, Eminem revealed he had worked with Hamilton in late 2007 and fellow rapper B.o.B., stating, "Charles Hamilton I've worked with a couple of years ago, toward the end of 2007. I just made the beat to a song, but, you know, Charles Hamilton is dope."[112] On May 12, 2010, Hamilton penned a 1,000 word open dedication letter to Eminem.[113][114]
Hamilton has also named artists Incubus, N.E.R.D., Jay Z, Modest Mouse, Korn, Dr. Dre, Thelonious Monk, Aerosmith, 50 Cent, Marilyn Manson, The Alchemist, The Isley Brothers, Kanye West, Nine Inch Nails, Hi-Tek, DMX and Mase as other influences in his music, stating "I just love good music. Good music that tells a story."[11][33][115]
Rapping technique[edit]
Hamilton has been known for his clear enunciation and his story-telling rhymes focusing on depression, hope, social injustice, drugs, Sega, women and religion.[9] Hamilton is also known for carrying a concept over a series of albums, complex rhyme schemes, bending words so they rhyme, melody hooks, varied, humorous subject matter, multisyllabic rhymes, adding many rhymes to a bar, having complex rhythms, being able to freestyle rap over long lengthy periods of time and being a musical workaholic.[9] In 2009 during an interview Hamilton would explain his rapping technique, According to Hamilton:
Personal life[edit]
Hamilton is the cousin of rapper MC Lyte.[9][117]
On June 4, 2008, Hamilton discussed his admiration and his philosophy on the color pink stating "God is a woman, pink is the color of life, you give life with a man into the woman and pink is the inside of the woman's womb.[115]
During an interview on September 11, 2008, Hamilton discussed his past drug addiction with marijuana, heroin and psilocybin mushrooms.[9][118]