S. Samuel
Rapper Charles Hamilton has penned an open letter to Eminem thanking him for inspiring his music and explaining how much of an impact he has had on his life.
Hamilton credited Em’s latest single, “I’m Not Afraid,” for motivating him to release the letter publicly.
“As of late, I found myself in a “Relapse” rut. I am nicer than any rapper that is to come. Period. And I don’t have a need to battle a Wale or a Cory Gunz to prove it. I know my lyrical ability, whether these hip-hop sites will admit to it or not…I sound like such a groupie right now, it’s disgusting. It’s the inner Alison. All I know is, I completed my dharma when I met you in Detroit. I have never felt better my entire life. We kicked it. Had a chat. Laughed. I think the Newports pissed you off. I hope not. I mighta crossed the line asking to live in your basement…You probably will read this. A lot of people will. Not scared (#ImNotAfraid). “I’m Not Afraid” is what is influencing me to do what I’m doing now. You think I’m scared of LA streetlights? F*ck outta here. Kill me with my iPod on peak (Apple holla at me, MTV come find me). I will be playing the 8 Mile soundtrack, I will be playing your catalogue for all that. lol. But this is for me. I feel like having access to a studio in which I went to school in the same building, kinda spoiled me. I’m working for this.” (Karen Civil)
Drake‘s “Shut It Down” producer Omen recently discussed Hamilton’s return to rap.
“Charles’ focus right now is putting out really clever records, but joints that can bump in the club,” the Harlem-bred producer says. “As far as his pen game, Charles is a genius in his own right. His whole vibe is left-field and he’s one of the quickest artists I ever worked with. We did like 14 songs in two days. This might be the first time where he doesn’t really produce the bulk of the album. I think people will be really surprised… that dude has a lot of good joints lined up.” (VIBE)
The rapper’s “I Hate Parties” single landed online last month.
Two years ago everyone loved Charles Hamilton’s cheeky Sonic the Hedgehog steez and heartfelt odes to “Brooklyn Girrrrrls.” Then everyone turned on him after that chick wailed on him in that internet video and he falsified Dilla-bro status. Hamilton went half-milk carton for a little while, popping up here and there for a comeback. Now apparently people are down with him again, if Last Night’s Tweets (TM) are to be believed, after he charmed/rapped himself back into everyone’s good graces with his recent performance with B.O.B. in New York. Perhaps to combat the fickle nature of his once and future fanbase, he just dropped this party song about hating parties, interpolating The Cars’ “Just What I Needed” with a little 808 jangle and rapping about, what else, being jacked up in the head. We think his voice got a little deeper but his flow is still nice and he’s still an amiable weirdo. Chicken wangs/ candy paint/ the color of my drank is the color of the pain. Charles and Lil B collabo? (The FADER)
Former Hamilton rap rival, Rhymefest, recently spoke with SOHH and gave some advice to the young emcee.
“I mean, I don’t have anything against the brother, like, I don’t hardball, I just feel like you diss me, I diss you,” Fest told SOHH referring to his past beef with Hamilton. “That’s just the way it is, I don’t hold no animosity but I see the brother is punishing himself. You know what I’m saying? He thinks there’s something, he may think it’s something Jesus-like in the self-sacrificing that he’s doing but he’s punishing himself and he has to, in his heart, he has to decide to stop doing that, not just with me but with everything. With the J-Dilla, the girl he hit on — all the stuff, I kinda feel empathy, I think that would be the correct word, not sympathy but empathy, I’m like man bro, whatever depression, he gotta find happiness and stop punishing himself.” (SOHH)
Listen to Charles Hamilton’s “I Hate Parties” below:
