Chamillionaire

If you only know Houston-bred rapper Chamillionaire through last year's mega-hit "Ridin" (a song converted into purportedly the biggest selling ringtone ever), you might think he was just another Southern trend-rider looking to cash in on our fleeting love of syrupy slang and candy paint. Way wrong. Dude's definitely paid his dues, from starting a gospel rap group with Paul Wall back in the day, to putting out a steady stream of (quality) mixtapes for years on his own imprint, to showing love for the vets on his major-label albums (the likely first single off his upcoming Ultimate Victory is "Hip Hop Police," featuring Slick Rick). Unfairly considered the poor man's Lil Wayne, he's currently attempting to squash beefing, and blames Corporate America for inter-rapper conflict (definitely up on that tricknowledgy)—which makes him truly hardcore in my book. Cham's thuggish yet informed output may not be the ideal spawn of PE, but in today's anemic culture, it's welcome nonetheless.
Mon., Sept. 3, 9 p.m.