Hurricane Chris is Unleashed! New Album December 21 Top 10 R&B/Hip Hop Single “Headboard” Ft. Mario and Plies Sophomore Album Unleashed on Polo Grounds Music/J Records
New York, NY — When Hurricane Chris hit the scene in 2007 with his Top 10 hit single “A Bay Bay,” he opened the world up to the “ratchet” sound of his hometown Shreveport, Louisiana. His new single “Headboard” featuring Mario and Plies has shown fans a different side of the young rapper, all leading up to the release of his Polo Grounds Music/J Records sophomore album Unleashed on December 21, 2009.
Touting appearances from Beenie Man, Mario, Bobby V, Plies, Cherish and Superstarr, Unleashed has been a work in progress for Hurricane Chris. Production on the album includes tracks from Shawty Red, Play N Skillz, Don Vito and The Inkredibles amongst other amazing talent.
The idea behind the album title is pretty straight forward, as Hurricane explains: “You’re going to be held back in a lot of minor ways. Now I’m unleashed. I’m off the collar. I’m off the chain. I’m not held back by anything anymore.”
The media has championed the young MC, realizing that there is more to him than meets the eye. “Hurricane Chris can no longer be looked at simply as a radio rapper,” wrote Eric Perrin of Ozone Magazine in their July 2009 issue.”He has gotten to the point where his lyrical prowess, uncanny freestyling ability, and knack for creating club bangers is undeniable – even his biggest critics can’t argue with the fact that HC has talent.”
Needless to say, Polo Grounds Music President Bryan Leach is thrilled with the young star’s second release on the label: “It’s been a journey to see Hurricane go from where he was when Mr. ColliPark bought him to Polo Grounds as a 17-year-old freshman to where he is now, entering into his sophomore album. Letting him find himself through this album was important to Hurricane, and I hope the fans enjoy the ride. He’s still so young, and has a huge career in front of him.”
With over 3.5 million combined ringtones and downloads for “A Bay Bay,” and his second single “Hand Clap” certified Gold, the young lyricist’s debut album 51/50 Rachet made quite an impression on fans. 2009 has also proven to be an exciting year for Hurricane Chris as he gears up for the release of Unleashed.
In early 2009, Hurricane Chris returned in a big way with another hit single, “Halle Berry (She’s Fine),” which hit #7 on both the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs and Hot Rap Tracks Charts. In March, Ellen DeGeneres and Oscar winner Halle Berry made up their own dances to “Halle Berry (She’s Fine)” on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, resulting in a YouTube video that received over 330k views in its first week. To date, the video has received nearly 1.6 million views, and became the #3 most watched in the Music category, #23 overall.
Along with astounding radio play reaching over 56 million listeners, there have been several career moves that have positively impacted Hurricane Chris’ ability to reach fans. Between albums, he toured with Chris Brown, Soulja Boy, Bow Wow and Sean Kingston on the Chris Brown tour. The demand for his unique style led to collaborations with various stars, including Mike Jones on “Drop N Gimme 50″ and with Chris Brown and Bow Wow on “Picture Perfect.”
Despite formidable successes so early in his life, Hurricane Chris stays focused on giving back to his community and advancing his entrepreneurial opportunities. He started a foundation aimed at helping his community, and has facilitated giveaways to hundreds of people during the holidays. Chris and his mother have delved into real estate, and he also launched the Helsman sneaker in affiliation with FILA, selling over 400,000 pairs nationwide.
Unleashed album track list
01. I’m Back – prod. by Shawty Red
02. Beat It Out The Frame – prod. by Phunk Dawg
03. Halle Berry (She’s Fine) ft. Superstarr – prod. by Play N Skillz, Q Smith & Superstarr
04. Coke Bottle ft. Mouse – prod. by Mouse
05. Headboard ft. Mario & Plies – prod. by The Inkredibles
06. Last Call ft. Bobby V – prod. by prod. by Rodnae
07. I Want It ft. Fiend 4 Da Money – prod. by Fiend Crack Alley Music
08. Secret Lover ft. Cherish – prod. by Don Vito
09. No Worries ft. Beenie Man – prod. by Don Vito
10. Hot Like Lava – prod. by Raphael RJ2
*iTunes pre-order bonus track: Touch Bases ft. Bobby V
The press speaks on “Headboard” featuring Mario and Plies
“Complete with an infectious beat by The Inkredibles this grown-and-sexy track would require a grip of censorship to win heavy radio rotation, but should sound right at home in the club, at the local strip joint, and in the bedroom.” — DJBooth.net
“In all honestly, it’s a song crafted perfectly for the radio and should get some serious spins. Catchy hook, catchy beat and a hot guest feature.” — SmokingSection.net
ABOUT HURRICANE CHRIS
When Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry goes on national television and makes a point to dance to your song, you know you’ve tapped into something remarkable. And that’s exactly what happened when Berry and Ellen DeGeneres broke out their own moves on the Ellen DeGeneres Show to Hurricane Chris’ “Halle Berry (She’s Fine).”
“When I saw that Halle endorsed the song, that just made me appreciate her even more,” Hurricane Chris says. “That let me know that the song was going to the moon.”
Already an underground phenomenon thanks to the multitude of people who made up their own dances and posted them on YouTube prior to Berry’s own routine, the Superstarr and Play N Skillz-produced cut has become the No. 1 anthem for saluting beautiful women. Hurricane Chris felt the magic as soon as he recorded the song. “Everybody was like, that’s a hit right there,” he says. “That’s a hit. Now we got the whole world hollering ‘Halle Beeeeerrrrrry.’”
His “Halle Berry (She’s Fine)” mixtape remix featuring Ludacris, Beenie Man, Pitbull, Yo Gotti, Yung Joc and Lil Boosie provided a perfect platform for Hurricane Chris’ smash second album, Unleashed. Best known for his triple platinum 2007 single “A Bay Bay” and for introducing his signature “ratchet” flavor to the world, the Louisiana native has learned a lot about life and the music business and feels that he’s been freed, literally and figuratively.
“Being fresh in the game, a lot of things come with that, like restraints,” reveals Hurricane Chris, whose new album also features production from Shawty Redd (Young Jeezy, Snoop Dogg), Phunk Dawg (“A Bay Bay”) and Don Vito (Cherish). “You’re going to be held back in a lot of minor ways. Now I’m unleashed. I’m off the collar. I’m off the chain. I’m not held back by anything anymore. I’m educated and I know the game. I’m unleashed and I’m ready to hit ‘em with this ‘Ratchet’ flavor.”
The “Ratchet” flavor is to do you no matter what, to be yourself regardless. And for Hurricane Chris, Unleashed provides his creative, distinctive take on a variety of musical sounds and styles, from slow jams to club bangers to street music to songs with heavy meaning. “Last Call,” for instance, features Bobby Valentino and Chris detailing their adventures when the DJ at the club lets everyone know that the bar is about to be shut down.
Other distinctive cuts include the Cherish duet “Secret Lover” and “No Worries,” which features Beenie Man. Hurricane Chris then taps into more traditional territory with Mario and Plies on the sexually intense “Headboard.” This song features a quick, bouncy tempo, much like a lively lovemaking session.
But life isn’t all about fun. Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, Hurricane Chris learned how to deal with pain at an early age. Although the city is the third largest in Louisiana, nearly a quarter of its population lives below the poverty line. That’s what makes Hurricane Chris’ bond with his family — by blood and by friendship — so critical. They didn’t have much else.
“I come from not having anything,” he says. “Coming from that, you really learn how to appreciate people who really care for you, who do for you in any kind of way. I have a lot of people around me who were in the same situation I was in.”
No wonder Hurricane Chris calls his label 5150, meaning that he’s 101 percent real. His debut album, 2007’s 51/50 Ratchet, established Hurricane Chris as a capable hitmaker thanks to his irresistible club sensation “A Bay Bay.” The tune’s easily chantable chorus and mesmerizing keyboard patterns helped propel the single to triple platinum success.
From there, Hurricane Chris inked a deal with Fila via Polo Grounds Music to represent the popular shoe brand, resulting in the Helmsmanshoe, which sold more than 400,000 pairs. He recorded songs with Chris Brown, Bow Wow, Mike Jones and others, and was featured on theChris Brown tour with Soulja Boy Tell ’Em, Lil Mama, Sean Kingston and Bow Wow.
He also launched charitable initiatives in Shreveport, toured in Japanand Europe and will be launching his own artists, Louisiana Will andCalico. There’s also the impending release of A Bad Azz Hurricane, a collaborative mixtape with Lil Boosie.
Yet regardless of the project, Hurricane Chris will always bring his all. “I’m going to give you that energy every time,” he says. “I go crazy in my music and on stage. I don’t hold back nothing. I give you that high voltage every time. My fans love that energy and I’m going to keep feeding it to them.”
So when Hurricane Chris tells you that he feels Unleashed, believe it.
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