The Rise of Chip

Chipmunk has dropped the much anticipated free download Spazz.com which comes at a perfect time as Chipmunk been killing everything he gets his hands on…

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Jahmaal Noel Fyffe, born 26th November 1990, in the ever so popular town for rising stars Tottenham, North London. He attended a local community school by the name of Gladesmore, where I’m sure not even his fellow peers who use to refer to him as a cute, little critter had the slightest idea of his foreseeable success. This ‘T high streeter’ as it were, merely began his career as a ‘Grime MC’ at the tender age of 14. Associated with a group called ‘Shoddy Crew’ alongside another household name ‘Double S’, Jahmaal had built up a strong underground following. Now at the age of 20, Jahmaal has a vast amount of credentials to show for than just a ‘strong underground following’ – with his signing to a major record label Jive (Sony), his own record label under his belt (Alwayz Recordings), massive collabs, his association with Adidas brand ‘High Court Hi’ trainers and the debut of his new mixtape ‘Spazz.com’ (released 16th September) there’s no stopping this young star. I’m sure you would have guessed by now who I maybe referring to, but for those of you who sat blankly at your computer screens throughout this whole introduction, be my guess in reading on and finding out the story behind the one and only ‘Chip Diddy Chip’….

Now this freestyle takes me back a few years and is in fact my favourite one of Chipmunk’s. However it was this innocently said statement that I feel sparked up the very controversy surrounded amongst his name. As I tried to explain in my recent article ‘Get Signed or Die Trying’ when an artist who is lyrically talented such as Chip blows up thanks to a certain genre i.e. grime but doesn’t stick to making grime music; I guess it just upsets us fellow fans to the point where maybe we lose hope in that artist. We feel as though they have conformed and lost that same amazing substance that we have taken the journey with since the very beginning.

“…I won’t do a Kano or Dizzee, leave my friends in the ends are you dizzy…”

– at least we can hold Chip to this statement as he has stayed true to his team regardless his success; especially his long time friend and fellow team mate Shalo Kid. Circular Movements and Alwayz Recordings now known as Cash Motivations Alwayz Recordings (CMAR) have received much exposure from Chip and follow him as he crosses over that bridge into stardom.

“… I say things direct and blatant, I do not do in-di-r’s, but the kids who diss that are s*** they often find that Chips I par, Chips I par, yeah Chips I par, that’s three times for those hard at hearing…”

– no real reason as to why I have picked out this lyric, I have just always been hugely fond of it to be honest.

With three mixtapes already in circulation in the underground scene, (‘Fresh out the Oven’, ‘Whatever the Weather Vol 1’& ‘Whatever the Weather Vol 2’) when Chipmunk put out his 4th mixtape ‘League of my Own’ it only became the start of a beautiful moment in the grime scene. Obviously his ‘64 Bar Statement’ which also features on this mixtape was epic, but for me it was this single that put him on the map – ‘Who are You’. All I ever wanted to do at that time was correctly recite this famous lyric;

“I am the grime scene saviour, Rudolph raver, Chick King eater, T high streeter, Gladesmore jumper, Adidas sneaker, Prada wearer, lyrical MC tearer, straight out the 90’s era…”

I think the fact that Chipmunk manages to basically sum up what he’s all about literally in the opening sentence is what intrigued me and I’m sure many others. The visual to this single is also entertaining as he features cameos from many established artists to a very familiar DJ; Shalo Kid, Wretch 32, Young Spray, Ghetts, Calibar, Frisco, Griminal, two thirds of Marvell (Double S, Vertex), Tim Westwood, Ny, Bashy but to name a few. With nearly 3 million views on YouTube as it stands today this will undisputedly remain one of Chip’s greatest classic tunes as the years progress.

Some would say the ‘Godfather of Grime’ (Wiley) was responsible for bringing through Chipmunk and without his help his success wouldn’t have been achieved. Others may feel that although Wiley did aid him with the opportunity of receiving an ample amount of exposure it was Chips actually talent that makes him that guy. In my personal opinion I would agree with the second account of the situation. Sometimes even the best of us need a helping hand but it’s what we actually do once these doors are open for us that really matter. It took Dr Dre to find a talent like Eminem and it took that same talented Eminem to find an artist so unique like Fifty. So I guess Wiley your respects are due entirely here. Check out this Westwood freestyle to truly understand what I am going on about.

“…every day I got a black rack sack, two pens, two pads, yeah fam I’m a carrier…”

Next up Chip releases a whole load of material, his ‘Guess Who?’ mixtape featuring the undoubtedly catchy melody ‘Fire Alie’, the debut album ‘I am Chipmunk’ featuring, ‘Oopsy Daisy’, ‘Diamond Rings’, ‘Chip Diddy Chip’, ‘Look for Me’ (feat. Taley Riley) and ‘Beast’ (feat. Loick Essien) not forgetting the mixtape he put out just for fun entitled ‘For the Fun of It’ featuring that crazy all star banger organised by Wiley ‘She Likes To (England Top 10). Chipmunk wasn’t short of the work rate as to why his success over the years can only be expected. The fact he receives two MOBO awards in 2008 only proves that – ‘Best UK Newcomer’ and ‘Best Hip – Hop act’ not only that but a year later in 2009 he wins a MOBO award again for ‘Best Hip – Hop act’. 2009 had more in store for Chipmunk as his first album released through Columbia Records (Sony Music) received a very warm welcoming, reaching number 2 on the UK albums chart. So it was only right that when Chip eventually released a second album it would have to blow the socks off the first. On the 18th April 2011 the ‘socks came right off’ as Chipmunks ‘Transition’ album was released. Portraying a vast amount of maturity compared to his first album the title is just perfect for what he was trying to do here making it rather self explanatory. The sound, the cameos all depict to us how Chips life has changed drastically since he’s signing in 2008.

‘Champion’ (feat. Chris Brown), ‘In the Air’ (feat. Kerri Hilson), ‘Take Off’ (feat. Trey Songz), ‘Every Gyal’ (feat. Movado), now all these artists are people we all admire in some shape or form. They are massive artists in the scene so for a local lad to achieve such greatness like this at a young age (20) is definitely one for the books. I think the age factor for Chipmunk was also something else that brought controversy his way in the form of the ‘green eyed monster’ – envy. Obviously he had already formed the people that disliked him for the simple fact that he no longer created ‘grime’ music and now he’s built up a fan base that probably view him as being quite an arrogant person. But what people need to understand is there is a huge difference between being arrogant and confident. Chipmunk is merely really confident and why shouldn’t he be? London rapper Wretch 32 once stated in his defence, “…I just think because he’s mad confident and over here they’re not use to someone that’s so confident that actually delivers. He’s like the guy they want to see lose but he’s winning…” It’s really interesting because with the release of ‘Transition’ Chipmunk managed to convert some of his ‘haters’ into liking what he had to offer. He now had people saying, “…I don’t even like Chipmunk you know but this tune is hard!” Of course the tune is hard, it’s merely Hip – Hop/RnB music that you listen to on a normal day so how is it different now that Chipmunk delivers it?

Summer 2011 – the wave of ‘Hustle Hard’ remixes was dawned upon us. I can’t explain to you guys how many thousands of different versions I had to experience; that it got to the point where I even thought, ‘should I give it a go?…’ (Clearly I’m pulling your leg here, but you understand the emphasis on how much the UK clearly loved that song). However when Mr Munk decided to create his own version there was only one word to described it….magical. Instantly that same artist we knew all those years ago was back! The rawness, the realness it was just all there in this freestyle. I know with this one you don’t even need me to recite the lyric that can be classed as the ‘iconic bar’ because we are all too familiar with it but I’m going to do it anyway…

“….I spent £6 on my white Tee but like 30g’s on my chain…”

There were so many punch lines in this freestyle but with this line no more actually needs to be said. Chippy you’re a mad man for this lyric here.

Finally I’m going to wrap it up with this quite recent freestyle Chipmunk did in association with SBTV, his F64. Now in comparison to the first one he did last year, his growth which he has undertaken lyrically is quite evident. Although looking back at his first F64 just totally reminds me of how you could, say lyrically advance he in fact is.

“…I would rather be chart topping with doe, then be on the underground and broke, when you’re on the come up everybody rates, as soon as you cross over everybody hates…”

“…I’m successful they’re calling me a sell out, as if man stuck in the hood ain’t tryna get out…”

Lyric for lyric definitely aimed at his ‘haters’ here. Chipmunk hits the nail on the head as it is quite mind boggling that his success is not appreciated but rather looked down upon. When did trying to better your life become a capital crime? As black people in a ‘white man’s world’ aren’t we all trying to make it?
With the second F64 Chipmunk did I want to touch up on the things he says about his feelings towards his label rather than simply dissecting his punch lines (I will leave that to you guys).

“…so tell these spitters don’t step out of line, they’re looking for a deal I’m trying to get out of mine…”

“…next time I chart pray it’s on my own label, maybe it’s time I say bye, bye to Jive, ‘cause f***it I been A&R – ing myself for time…”

I don’t know about you but I think Chip is trying to let us in on a little secret here…hmmm. All I’m saying is just revert your attention back to my ‘Get Signed or Die Trying’ article.

But for now just look out for Chipmunk’s new mixtape released today (16 September 2011) ‘Spazz.com’ without the aid of his record label I might add.

Chipmunk has dropped the much anticipated free download Spazz.com which comes at a perfect time as Chipmunk been killing everything he gets his hands on…

[button color=”black” link=”http://mixtapemadness.co.uk/mixtapes/chipmunk/spazzz” target=”_blank”]Download Mixtpae[/button]