| King Chip | |
| Birth Name: | Charles Jawanzaa Worth |
| Alias: | Chip tha Ripper |
| Birth Date: | 20 October 1986 |
| Birth Place: | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Genre: | Hip hop |
| Years Active: | 2006–present |
Charles Jawanzaa Worth[1] (born October 20, 1986), known by his stage name King Chip (also known as Chip tha Ripper), is an American rapper from Cleveland, Ohio. He is best known for his guest appearance on fellow Cleveland rapper Kid Cudi's 2013 single "Just What I Am," which received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Along with his association with Cudi, Worth has amassed numerous mixtapes tailored for the Cleveland area.[2]
Worth began releasing music on hip-hop blogs and mixtapes in 2006.[3] Worth's musical style has been described as a slow, chopped and screwed, southern hip hop.[4] One of his biggest songs that shook the city of Cleveland, is "Catch The Beat", featured on his Money mixtape. This track is one of the many, that introduced him to the industry. https://www.reverbnation.com/chiptharipper/song/498951-3-catch-beat-chip-tha-ripper-money
In 2007, the song "Club Rockin", from his Money mixtape, featured Akon singing chorus.[5] Worth remained an independent musician, and did not sign with a production company. In 2008, Worth frequently visited Chicago, where he eventually performed with Kidz in the Hall on their album The In Crowd, on which Worth performed the song "Mr. Alldatshit". Worth was featured on producer Hi-Tek's album Hi-Teknology 3 in 2007, and on Kid Cudi's first mixtape A Kid Named Cudi in 2008. Much of Worth's work near the end of this period leading into national prominence had been performed with rapper Kid Cudi, also from Cleveland, Ohio.
In 2007, Worth appeared on PrettyBoy Floyd's show, "Street Stars' Radio", and performed a freestyle song to the beat of Ali & Gipp's "Go 'Head". It became known as the "S.L.A.B. Freestyle" (after his own label),[6] but it has, in recent years, come to be known more commonly as the "Interior Crocodile Alligator" song (or rap), after the iconic final two lines:
"Interior crocodile alligator / I drive a Chevrolet movie theater."
The lyric refers to Chip's Chevrolet having reptile leather interior, being large, and having television screens installed in the vehicle. However, many young fans did not understand his meaning and believed the lyric to be a non sequitur. This snippet of the freestyle became very popular on the internet, especially for usage in memes.
In late 2009, Chip released a mixtape entitled The Cleveland Show, named after the animated sitcom of the same name. The single, "Fat Raps", features Big Sean and Currensy, and is produced by Chuck Inglish.
On September 5, 2010, Chip Tha Ripper announced plans to form the musical duo "The Almighty GloryUS" with Kid Cudi, with whom he shared a mutual appreciation.[7]
In 2009, Worth was featured on Kid Cudi's first album , which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Worth performed with Kidz in the Hall again in 2010, on their Land of Make Believe album.[8] Also in 2010, Worth performed the song "The End" on Kid Cudi's second album . On February 18, 2011, Worth, Freddie Gibbs, and The Cool Kids formed the hip hop supergroup "P.O.C.", an acronym for "pulled over by the cops".[9]
On August 9, 2012, Worth changed his stage name from "Chip tha Ripper" to "King Chip". He also said that he had signed a contract with Creative Artists Agency.[1] Regarding his changed stage name, King Chip tweeted:
I am King Chip. Actually born in the ghetto slums of East Cleveland, Ohio. Rest in peace my mentor and former king, Hawk. His death made me....My birth name is Charles Jawanzaa Worth. Jawanzaa is Swahili and it means 'great leader and great warrior.' Look it up. I am King Chip.[1]
King Chip performed on Kid Cudi's single "Just What I Am", taken from Cudi's third studio album Indicud (2013). On September 4, 2013, King Chip released the mixtape 44108.[10] On December 26, 2013, King Chip released a music video for a song titled "Action Plan", from his 44108 mixtape. His next project was to be titled Rebel Castles.[11] [12] On September 16, 2014, a deluxe edition of 44108 was released to digital retailers through King Chip's "Rebel Castles" imprint.[13] [14] [15] [16]
In 2019, King Chip started referring to himself as Chip tha Ripper again on recent singles.[17]
In early 2020, an old 2007 freestyle from Chip's visit to Street Starz TV Radio resurfaced and became a TikTok sensation gaining over 70 million views.[18] In the same year Chip teamed up with New Zealand rapper Lil Mussie to take part in his charity EP helping kids in poverty.[19]
See main article: King Chip discography.
◆ 44108 (Deluxe) (2014)
Headlining
Supporting