Chali 2na

Chali 2na

Charlie Stewart, professionally known as Chali 2na (Template:Pron-en), is an American rapper and hip hop artist, formerly associated with the groups Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli.

Personal life

Early life

As a young boy, he moved to South Central Los Angeles, which was the home base of Jurassic 5 since the group's inception in 1993. He was raised by his grandmother and was brought up as a Muslim. His stage name is a reference to Charlie the Tuna, the deep-voiced animated mascot of StarKist Tuna. He and Cut Chemist became friends in high school. Together with Mark 7even, they were part of a seven-man group called Unity Committee. The Unity Committee crew would often spend Thursday nights performing at The Good Life Café, where rappers and spoken word poets showed off their skills in an open mic format. They were, along with another three-person troupe, called the Rebels of Rhythm, routinely chosen as the crowd's favourite performers. The two crews also appreciated one another's styles, and they teamed to record a 12" single, "Unified Rebelution", in 1995. The Rebels of Rhythm were MCs Akil and Zaakir (also known as Soup); the men banded together to form Jurassic 5. In 2006, Cut Chemist elected to split from the group to pursue a solo career, and the Jurassic 5 group split up altogether in 2007.

He is a founding member of the activist salsa funk band Ozomatli; although no longer an official member (having been replaced as resident MC by Jabu of 4th Avenue Jones), he continues to collaborate with them on occasion and maintains his friendships with them. Along with salsa, his music and theirs have been influenced by reggae and soul music; he is also a fan of house music.

Near-death experience

In 2000, while heading to Nashville, Tennessee as a stop on the Warped Tour, Jurassic 5 were involved in a tour bus crash when the driver fell asleep at the wheel and sent the vehicle careening off into a six-foot ditch. Chali 2na and two of his colleagues were injured and hospitalized, with 2na sustaining the gravest injuries. He was treated for a fractured skull, and as a result, a titanium plate was implanted into his head.

Muslim references and expressions

Chali 2na has made references to his Islamic faith in his lyrics for Jurassic 5 and his solo work.

From "Quality Control" by Jurassic 5 (Chali 2na's 1st Verse)

• "While you cramming to understand these contraband lyrics, my fam submits to pray, 5 times a day. Climbing into your mind with live rhyme display". This is an obvious reference to "Salah", one of the five pillars of Islam, in which Muslims must perform a ritual or prayer five times a day.

From "Get Focused" by Chali 2na

• "Try to compete and catch a fair game beating. But I send my salams if you share the same greeting." Salam is the Islamic greeting for peace in Arabic.

Chali 2na also has a large portrait of 20th Century Muslim Icon, Malcom X, tattooed on his right shoulder. [1]

Career

Solo album

Welcome to the Fish Market was compiled and released in order to whet 2na's listeners' appetites for a solo album, tentatively titled Fish Outta Water, whose release date has been pushed back several times. On the album, 2na will reputedly delve into some of the formative experiences that have molded and affected his nature, including an unspecified tragic incident that occurred when he was eight years old. Prospective collaborators include Beenie Man (with whom he recorded the single "International"), Raphael Saadiq, and his longtime friend Rakaa Iriscience.

The mixtape is called the Fish Market, and basically it's just an accumulation of a bunch of songs that I did with other people man, that a lot of people might not have heard or might have, but might not have wanted to buy that album just to hear that song or whatever. So people could just pick it up, and it can kind of be like a little hand book on Chali 2na, before he actually comes out with a actual solo album. It's a series as well, because there is gonna be a Fish Market Part II with a bunch of other stuff that didn't make it.

"Don't Stop", the would-be first single off Fish Outta Water, appeared in January 2006. It showcased 2na's familiar rapid-fire flow; in its lyrics, 2na professed his unwavering dedication to hip hop culture, insulting rappers who neglect to pay proper respect to pioneers like Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa. He also spoke deferentially of the beloved late rapper Tupac Shakur. This is a notable decision because Jurassic 5 are frequently criticized by a certain segment of the hip hop community, who believe they are preachy and too-traditionalist.

"Don't Stop"'s chorus was sung by neo-soul artist Anthony Hamilton. It was featured in the soundtrack of the video game NBA Live 06. A second Chali 2na solo song, "The Anchor Man", is to be featured on the Dan The Automator-curated soundtrack to the latest installment in the game series, NBA 2K7.

Collaborations

Chali 2na collaborated several times with fellow MCs. Many, but not all of his featured guest appearances, are catalogued on Welcome to the Fish Market, a mixtape he released in 2004. The mixtape is meant to be a warm-up, or perhaps a prequel to his solo debut album, Fish Outta Water.

Fish Outta Water features collaborations with Beenie Man, Talib Kweli, Anthony Hamilton, Damien Marley and others.

He is a good friend of and frequent collaborator with British hip hop star Roots Manuva, having worked with him as a tag team on a number of songs (including "Revolution 5", which appears on Welcome to the Fish Market and Dub Come Save Me, and "Join The Dots", which appears on Roots Manuva's second proper album, Run Come Save Me). He has also referenced his friend in rhyme.

He has worked with Linkin Park on the song "Frgt/10" on the album Reanimation. He worked with Ozomatli on their first album and toured with New Orleans funk band Galactic. Chali 2na and rapper Ditch recorded a track together called "All Comes Down to Money" which will be featured on Ditch's album Public Intoxication which was set for a 2008 release.

Chali 2na was also featured on Lyrics Born's Everywhere at Once album, performing on the Hott 2 Deff. Lyrics Born was also the MC for The Deadliest Catch Tour 2009. This hip hop tour featured Chali 2na, Gift of Gab and Mr. Lif

On K'naan's 2009 album, Troubadour, Chali was featured on "America" together with Mos Def.

On Long Beach Dub Allstars 2001 album Wonders of the World Chali was featured on "Life Goes On" also featuring Half-Pint, Ives (of Delinquent Habits), and Tippa Irie

Further more Chali 2Na recorded a track together with Dutch rap artist Jerome XL in 2008. The track "King Sh#t" will be released on JXL's solo debut album"The last day" in the first quarter of 2010.

Chali 2na recorded vocals with rapper Ditch on the 2009 release "Public Intoxication" on the song "All Comes Down To Money"

Film

Chali 2na is featured prominently in the award-winning documentary This is the Life, chronicling the music movement that was birthed at The Good Life Cafe in South Central Los Angeles. The Good Life is the open-mic workshop where he first performed with Unity Committee in the early 1990s and founded Jurassic 5.

Chali 2na appears painting a graffiti mural in Melbourne, Australia including a short interview in 2004 in feature documentary RASH, (2005) (73 mins) Rash - Scratch it and it Spreads

Chali 2na is also featured in the documentary: "Freestyle - Art of Rhyme"

Discography

Albums

• Baby Loves Hip Hop by Dino 5
• Fish Market By Chali 2na (2004)
• Fish Outta Water by Chali 2na (2009)

External links

• Official Chali 2na myspace
• Chali 2na Interview - La Famiglia
• Chali 2na article July 2009
• Davey D: interview
• MV Remix: interview
• Woodstock.com: article
• Style43: review of "Fish Outta Water"