Customer Reviews

Ultimate Victory

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Forget about 50 Cent and Kanye West, cause Chamillionaire (Hakeen Seriki) just made the best Hip Hop album of September. You probably ask why I would be praising the guy that made "Ridin" a few years ago but I really didn't see this coming at all. "Ultimate Victory" got what any good Hip Hop album should have. A concept of songs that feel like they are part of the same album and a sound that is both strong but also coherant for the overall project. Chamillionaire talks about what he knows and seen and while other rappers talk about street credabilty and bragadiccio punchlines Cham made an album with a few of socio political themes but mostly of good/bad things he's been through since he became a celebrity, All of this successfully without the use of explicit lyrics, but instead he's really funny on alot of songs even if the subject matter is deep. The production is really strong aswell (Jonathan Rotem, Happy Perez KaneBeatz, the Beat Bullies and Play-N-Skillz) even of many of them aren't exactly superproducers they made better beats then alot of producers with better reputation and like aformentioned the production mostly sounds like it's part of the same project with hard hittin beats, heavy bass and fast drums. There's plenty of stong number here so let's take a look at it.


On the sister songs "Morning News" and "Evening News" he act as a news reporter, have you seen the video where Cham is dressed up as a white middle age guy?. However, here he deals with the hypocracy of the society and how we get gossip news instead of what is really important. An example is "Now I want to know about Katrina, but everytime I talk about Katrina/ They look at me like it's a misdeamenor/ Anyways there's way more important stuff that we can discuss,
N'Sync, Makin The Band and Milli Vanilli had broken off". These two songs are standouts and deals with "forbidden" subjects that really make sense but no one had the guts to mention or make a song of. Like "Flavor "Flav get a lot of ratings, Bill O'Reilly somewhere is hating/ Kanye just said what?/ The president ain't got time for that /The White House is going to stay white/Even though we know Obama's black". These are just glimpses of the lyrics, listen to them clearly cause they are standouts. Another standout is "Hip Hop Police" with old skool rapper Slick Rick that got famous for his humour, wonderful storytelling and British accent. This song hits right on spot and deals with how Hip Hop is blamed for violence and bad influence on youth, and how it's slowly dying cause of that when it's actually far more deeper then just shootings and pimping. On the Rock-esque "Standing Ovation" proves he's no fluke and this album is actually completely diffrent from his debut so he's defenitely right. "Won't Let You Down" may not be a standout but it's beats are lethal and makes it very enjoyable. On Rotem's "Industry Groupie" they use the sample from Europe's classic 80's hit "The Final Countdown". Cham talks about how tired he is of hearing about golddiggers, hoe's and strippers are deregatory terms in Hip Hop for women. All of this with alot of Humour. Could be a hit. "Pimp Mode" with Bun B was produced by Happy Perez and got this very laiback sound with slow guitar riffs. It also pokes fun of the famous P.i.m.p lifestyle, some rappers should feel hit by this one.

"Party Like a Rockstar" with Lil Wayne should have been excluded, it's one of a few bad songs and personally I find this un-invited guest quite annoying. "Bill Collecta" however is strong and deals with people that owes money and never wants to pay back and how they end up in the morgue. "The Ultimate Vacation" is a really catchy, mostly a feel good song but I love it. "Come Back To the Streets" is about rappers that forgot about the streets because they become rich and famous, Cham claims he'll always faithful to his past. "I Think I Love You" is about the love for money, but the trouble it brings aswell. "Welcome to the South" is a rough upbeat song, quite forgettable but atleast he's faithful to his home. "You Must Be Crazy" is the worst song here and sound more like 50 Cent then anything but "Me Breakin Up" is another standout. A love song about a relationship not working. Few others would have the guts to make something like this and no words starting with B or H on this song either. "Rocky Road" is with Devin the Dude, A Happy Perez song that does sound quite simular to his other song. I think it's about having self esteem and not giving up even when times are tough. The title track is the closer and serve as an outro and it's also a strong number from Happy Perez. Here he talks about putting out real Hip Hop and sticking around thanks to his music without becoming a sellout. I think that's what's called "Ultimate Victory".

Overall, Chamillionaire seemed like another decent Southern Rapper after his debut album but his sophmore effort is completely diffrent and ultimately one of the best Hip Hop albums of the year. A coherant album with great production and lyrics that deals with misunderstood stereotypes and not too often they are making fun of cliche's aswell. While conscious rappers like Common and Talib Kweli both made strong albums and often did, Cham's lyrics here on the the socio political songs hit the nail on the head and the fact that he's successfully made a Hip Hop album without the use of foul words and explicit lyrics make it look like a kick start for a dormant genre on the decline. I would be recommending this album to anyone interested in good Hip Hop. More albums like this and Hip Hop would no longer be the scape goat for violence and sterotypes.

When Ridin exploded onto the radio a couple years ago, we got a glimpse of how good Chamillionaire is. Although that song got repetitive, it was a good indication of Cham's ability.

On his sophomore album, his ability finally shines clear. Released in the same month as Kanye and 50's new albums, Cham steals the show. In the ensuing months leading up to September, Ultimate Victory wasn't on anyones radar. Yet here it is, and its much better than 50, Kanye or anyone else expected. Each track, minus the two skits is an absolute banger, and the lyrics are superb as well. There were several tracks that struck me as extremely original or spectacular. This is not to say that the other tracks arent killer, it is a 5 cd album in my opinion after all, but these were the best and best described the overall feel of the album.

On the first track, The Morning News, Cham acts a news reporter, interpreting the news for the listener. This song has a great beat and opens the album off well. Its counterpart, The Evening News, follows the same line and is equally good.

Hip-Hop Police, the lead single for the cd comes on next. This is one of the most peculiar singles i have heard in a long time. By no means is this a bad song, but it does not have the commercial appeal of something like Ridin. Regardless, this track is spectacular in its own right. The inclusion of hip hop legend Slick Rick, known for his storytelling, elevates this track to the next level.

Industry Groupie: For anyone that knows the song Final Countdown, this song will be an unexpected surprise. For those that dont, Cham samples a techno beat,very much like Stronger by Kanye, only he does it much better. On this track, Cham absolutely rips the beat,spitting about a groupie that has slept with everyone in the rap industry, claiming that "even akon was smackin that". This is one of the catchiest songs i have heard in the last year, and will be stuck in your head for a long time.

I Think i Love You: Chamillionaire raps about all the trouble money can bring. A stellar track, Cham spits that "money cant buy me love but shes actin like she love me" Finally, he reps the message Notorious B.I.G. did on Mo Money Mo Problems so many years ago

This cd proves that Cham is not your stereotypical Southern Rapper. Ultimate Victory will be a strong contender for rap cd of the year. In the end, this cd has something for everyone. Its got lyrics, beats, style, and a great theme that runs throughout teh album, something thats become almost non-existant in rap today. I guarantee you will be spinning this cd for days. This is Chamillionaire's Ultimate Victory, victory over southern raps stereotypes, victory over 50 and Kanye, and victory over the media's decision to ignore his album.

I'm not going to go in depth about each song and how good it is - they are all ridiculous! This CD is set so far apart from your average rap CD that comes out nowadays. Amazing production, filthy lyrics, songs that are cohesive to a general theme of the album, incredible presentation - overall this is probably the best CD to come out this year. If you are a fan of music period get this album

Despite being a huge music fan and a regular buyer of CDs (a few every month, though that'll pick up in the upcoming weeks), I usually don't take the time to write reviews. This album, however, is put together so well that I simply feel compelled to do so.

I picked up Cham's "first" major-release, The Sound of Revenge shortly after it was released and immediately grew to admire his swagger and cleverness. The best thing was that despite the hot singles off that album ("Turn It Up" and "Ridin'"), it was a few other tracks, namely the explosive yet simple Boom-Clap, Boom-Boom-Clap beat of "In The Trunk," which I felt was the hottest track on the album. I've been fortunate enough to get both of his latest mixtapes off his website.

This release was probably my most anticipated of the year. And it certainly does not disappoint. From his first joint-single video of "Hip-Hop Police" and "Evening News," it was apparent that this would be a good effort from Cham. The beats are fresh, and unlike what one of the fellow reviewers wrote, I found nothing that he supposedly took off from other artists. Chamillionaire does have some political content, but I attribute that to his being a relevant artist who has a concern about the world around him. Sure, he has several songs regarding his riches, along with a song referring to groupies, but if you actually take the time to listen to his songs (you'd be doing yourself a favor with a true artist like Chamillionaire), it simply doesn't contain the demeaning stance that brings such a shadow on hip-hop.

I won't even bother comparing Cham to 50 Cent, but as far as Kanye West, I will say that Kanye brings creativity to his production, which Chamillionaire obviously does not possess. On the other hand, Chamillionaire is as talented of a lyricist as any in the game today. If you're looking for two more reasons to check out this album, here they are:

1. Chamillionaire does not cuss. That's right...despite his stature as a truly-accepted artist, he is able to do what he does without any profanity, garnering him even more respect from me, as such a act requires a more complex vocabulary.

2. Chamillionaire sings most of his own hooks, and surprisingly (or not), does a commendable job. In fact, I'll even go as far as to say that he comes close to holding his own against some of these R&B "singers" being released today.

Overall, a very solid album that will hopefully generate respectable numbers, as long as fans are willing to give him a listen.

I have been waiting for this cd ever since I first stumbled upon Chamillionaire a few years ago. Up in Ohio we don't usually get introduced to the good southern rap until someone hits it big with a single. I loved "The Sound of Revenge" but thought that the whole album itself wasn't really amazing from beginning to end although it did have alot of good songs on it. This time around with "Ultimate Victory", I honestly can listen to every song and say to myself "Damn this is amazing". A few of the songs take a couple listens to truly appreciate them but the lyrical quality blows Kanye (who i think sucks at rapping anyways but has unreal beats) and 50 (who only raps about gettin hos and gettin more hos)out of the water.
If at first you listen to it and only think a few songs are good, just give it a chance because you will realize that Cham can seriously rhyme with the best of them. The best thing about him is that he sings his own hooks, has a very big vocabulary, uses clever rhyming schemes, and his beats are all hot. My favorite song on the albums is definitely "Ultimate Victory". This song just has so much emotion packed into it and the rhyming is incredible. It gets me so psyched every time i hear it. Other tracks I love are Pimp Mode, Standing Ovation, Wont Let you Down, Ultimate Vacation, and I think Im in Love. Every other song is good and I'm sure the more I listen the more I will like. Do yourself a favor and buy this album. I can guarantee you won't be disappointed if you give it a chance.

I'll admit it that I didnt enjoy The Sound Of Revenge. Chamillionaire is good rapper but I just didnt feel that album. I heard Hip Hop Police(feat Slick Rick) and decided to pick this album up and Im impressed. Hip Hop Police is not the only song of substance on this album. The Morning New ,The Evening News and Ultimate Victory all have gems in them. Chamillionaire sounds energized on tracks like Wont Let You Down, Standing Ovation and Come Back To The Streets. Chamillionaire has some dope match ups in the form of The Bill Collecta(feat Krayzie Bone), Pimp Mode(feat Bun B), Welcome To The South(feat Pimp C) and Rocky Road(feat Devin The Dude). On Welcome To The South, Cham and Pimp C criticizes those that diss the south then try to emulate their style. Industry Groupie is creative track about a groupie that's been with every rapper in the game. Rock Star is pretty good(its better than Fly As The Sky) collabo with Lil Wayne even though Cham pretty much dominated that track. The Bill Collecta with Krayzie Bone is both of them explaining why you shouldnt gyp them when it comes to paper. I Think I Love is another creative track where Chamillionaire talks about money as if it was a chick. The only songs I didnt feel is The Ultimate Vacation and We Breakin Up. Bottom Line: Chamillionaire's Ultimate Victory is one of 2007's best releases as well as his best work. His rhymes were great on here, the production was superb and the guest appearances shined along with Chamillionaire. Chamillionaire proved without a shadow of a doubt that you can still make a great album without cursing. If you didnt cop this based off him not cursing then you dont know what you are missing. The best release from the south this year. Standout Tracks: THE MORNING NEWS, HIP HOP POLICE, STANDING OVATION, WONT LET YOU DOWN, INDUSTRY GROUPIE, PIMP MODE, COME BACK TO THE STREETS, THE EVENING NEWS, YOU MUST BE CRAZY and ULTIMATE VICTORY.

Just like one of my fellow reviewers noted, this was the album I was waiting for. This was what the rap game needed. Chamillionaire came out with the classic "Sound of Revnege" in 2005, and you could see right from the start that he was totally different from any other rap, from the South and the whole rap scene overall. Lyrically he was much better, his lyrics were full of content, and he could create catchy hooks he sang by himself (and did a great job doing that). After taking over the mixtape scene on Houston, it was only a matter of time for King Koopa to take over the rap game worldwide. The talent was obvious, and so was the man's intelligence, originality and charisma. "The Sound of Revenge" was a classic, yet I never thought that Cham would be able to top it, and create the masterpiece he had with "Ultimate Victory".

Chamillionaire is not afraid to be different and original. First of all, he (and the guest rappers as well) does not curse on the album, and does not use the n-word. These days rappers would want to have album without the "Parental Advisery" sticker, because otherwise they would be considered soft and not enough "street". But it's much more than the language used - "Ultimate Victory" is one of the most creative and original albums to be released ever. It's just different, plain and simple as that, and you could easily call it a "concept record". Chamillionaire created an album, without having to compromise his own vision as an artist. It's obvious he has total control of what would be on that album. "Ultimate Victory" is so different than anything coming out these days, because it's so full of content. Every single song is about a different subject. Cham chooses to adress a lot of social issues, life in general, the rap game, and his own life and experiences as well. You never get two songs that sound the same (both lyrically AND musically), and there are no songs, that are about nothing! That's something you don't get these days (just think about it, how many of today's rappers have their biggest singles, rapping about NOTHING over some great beats?). The opening track "Morning news" is like the intro to the album, but it's a full song nevertheless, and Cham's first song to adress social issues. The album's first single "Hip Hop" police deals with the negative stigma about rap, and how the public treats rappers like criminals only because of the content. The song features rap legend Slick Rick, and he adds a great (and funny) verse as usual. I was real happy that Cham chose him on the first single. "Standing Ovation" has got Chamillionaire celebrating his success and rise to success, while "Won't Let You Down" is about hustlin' and working hard in order to succeed and reach your goals in life. "Industry groupie" is a real banger (the hook sampling the classic 80's song "The Final countdown") and the title explains the topic of the song well enough. Cham does a terriffic job on this one, adding a lot of humor in his verses, while mentioning many of today's biggest rappers' names (but in a sophisticated way, unlike the biggest name-dropper today, The Game). "Pimp Mode" featuring Bun B is a real smooth and laid back song critisizing the whole Pimp-attitude many rappers and playas have. "Rock Star" is an ok song with a rock-style beat where Cham and guest rapper Lil' Wayne rap about their lives as rap stars (this is probably the only song that is not on the same level as the rest of the album, and even Lil' Wayne drops a forgettable verse). It's followed by a long and useless skit about some guy owning Chamillionaire some money. The nest song is "Bill Collector" where Chamillionaire, Krayzie Bone and Play-N-Skills try to recreate the magic they had on the cult song "Ridin'". Well, while the song isn't bad, it does not stand out, and musically it's way too similiar to "Ridin" (the beat sounds almost the same). "The Ultimate Vacation" is a great laid-back song, which is about having a vacation to rest and calm down from everyday life in some exotic place. "Come Back to the Streets" is a good song, where Cham raps about his mainstream success and the streets reaction to it. "I think I love" you an awesome song, where Cham raps about his girlfriend, while he's actually about money and how it can bring you down. "The Evening News" is probably the best song on the album - Chamillionaire raps over a hard beat about social issues and about how sociery and the press treat a lot of things in life. "Welcome to the South" has once again a bangin'-beat and on it, Cham and Pimp C represent the Dirty Dirty, and talk about it's place in the rap industry. "You Must Be Crazy" is another favorite song of mine, which is mostly about King Koopa demostrating his lyrical skills, with some help from Chamillitary Records rapper Lil Ken. "We Breakin' Up" is anther song where Cham uses a lover as metaphore for the rap industry, and his complicated relationship with it. "Stuck in the ghetto" is just a nice skit with some guy singing. "Rocky Road" featuring Devin is about the problems and strugles you face in life. And the final track "The Ultimate Victory" is another masterpiece where Cham actully sums it all up, and explains about the proccess of making this album, his thoughts, the people he owes and thanks to. It's a deep (yet short) song, and it's a perfect ending to this classic.

All over the album, Chamillionaire sings the catchy hooks, like only he knows and it adds a lot! I was always amazed by this guy's talent at that. Producers iclude Jonathan JR Rotem, Beat Bullies, The Runners, Play-N-Skillz, Kane and a few others. His lyrical skills are undeniable, and his delivery is just untouchable. His rap are clear, and he always menages to get his point across easily. You actually need to listen all the time, because the lyrical content is so rich, that you could miss a lot if you skip a few bars.

Chamillionaire proved that he is a unique figure in the rap game. He definitely sacrificed A LOT when he made this album, mostly album sales. He could chose the easy path, pick up the usual producers that will make sure you sell a few million copies (Scott Storch, Timbaland etc.), instead he picked up some less-known producers, which did an awesome job, and also produced some music sounding different from anything coming out these days. Or he could load the album with a lot of big name guest rappers and singers. He could also make a bunch of songs about clubbin', women, cars and money, that would be certain club-bagers. Instead he made something new, something different and FRESH! It's a personal album, yet something most people can understand and feel, since it deals with a lot of subjects that not only rappers or people from the streets can relate to. Chamillionaire also took a big risk, because not only the album might hurt his sales, but he also might loose quite a lot of fans - and I'm not talking about the real fans of his music, but the mainstream fans, those who like listening to catchy singles, and simple and stupid songs, with no content at all. But for a real, and MATURE fan of Chamillionaire and quality rap music, "Ultimate Victory" is an immidiate classic, and the best album to come out in 2007. I just can't wait for the nest record.

Definitely worth the money. Every song is good. Very comparable to the Kanye. All around a good CD. Don't download this support the artist. I would say download 50's album because it = garbage.

Chamillionaire (A.K.A. Hakeem Seriki) sophomore album "Ultimate Victory" (2007) is a strong ninteen track release which features guest appearances from Slick Ric, K-Ci, Bun B, Lil Wayne, Krayzie Bone, Pimp C, Lil Ken, Tony Henry & Devin the Dude. My favourite track's on this release are the lead single "Hip Hop Police" an outstanding collaboration with oldschool Rapper Slick Rick & "Won't Let You Down" feat. R & B singer K-Ci, a track which has Chamillionaire on his grind recommending people get their hustle on and get paid. On "Standing Ovation", Chamillionaire reflects on his own journey in the Rap Game, celebrating making it while providing commentary on numerous topics on the album's opener "The Morning News". Jonathan Rotem who produced the lead single samples 80's group Europe track "Final Countdown" for "Industry Groupie". Another solid single is "The Bill Collecta" which has Chamillionaire tagteaming the track with Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony's Krayzie Bone - these two have good chemistry as they showed on "Ridin". Most people can relate with Chamillionaire and would love to get away on "The Ultimate Vacation". Chamillionaire provides an upbeat and laidback track. On the "Evening News" Cham gets political talking about the President and the war. Devin the Dude makes the album's last guest appearance appearing on the decent "Rocky Road", then Chamillionaire closes off the release with the title track "Ultimate Victory" delivering on point rhymes backed by some tight production. Chamillionaire delivers another impressive album with "Ultimate Victory" an album I recommend checking out.

The only thing that's holding this cd back is the bad timing of it's release (around the same time that Kanye's and 50's cds dropped). This cd is actually better than his previous effort("Sound of Revenge"), "Graduation", AND "Curtis".

Definitely one of hip hop's best in 2007