You have probably heard of Chingy, one of the infamous rappers in the industry. His real name is actually Howard Bailey Jr., an American actor, record producer, and hip hop recording artist. The actor and musician now goes by his stage name Chingy, with many awards and achievements that have led to his success and current net worth.
But who is Chingy and how exactly did he build his career, and what is his net worth? Read on to find out who Chingy is, his career, how much he is, and be inspired!
Early Life
Chingy was born on March 9, 1980, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was born in a neighborhood that he referred to as “Bad Blocks.”
At age 9, he began writing lyrics, then recording raps when he was 10 years old. During this time, he was known as H Thugz, part of ‘Without Warning’, the St. Louis’ group (with Mysphit and MGD) that was part of 49 Productions. The group recorded “What’s Poppin Off”, which was a local hit after its release, as well as the music video.
H Thugz then changed his stage name to Chingy, known as the slang term for cash.
Chingy did not attend college after his music career soared. He chose to focus more on his career instead, which turned out to be a great success for him!
Chingy also attended high school in McCluer North High School in Missouri, with his friends calling him Howie. Until now, he prefers that this name be used, but only among family and close friends.
Chingy’s Career
Chingy began with a music career, with his music hitting off thanks to Ludacris and Chaka Zulu, his manager. They signed Chingy into Ludacris’ label, Disturbing The Peace. After the release of the hip hop track “Right Thurr”, it quickly gained popularity, reaching number 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 List.
This then followed with Chingy’s debut album, Jackpot, which was released on July 2003, distributed through Capitol Records. There were many great names and guest appearances on the album, including Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, and more! This was his most famous album, as it sold two million copies.
It was there when Chingy peaked, continuing to do so with his next albums and songs. However, Chingy left Capitol Records due to his dissatisfaction with how the company promotes its urban artists. Even after he left, his next songs continued to be featured in the Billboard 200, though not part of the top 10 compared to his previous albums.
In fact, one of his songs, “Watch The World”, became one of the most popular ones in Australia and New Zealand! What’s unique about Chingy is that he became a practicing Black Hebrew Israelite and chose to follow a more moral agenda, denouncing mainstream rap and following his values.
Even then, he still continues to create music and has a substantial following. He is now signed with Bungalo Records, a Universal Music Group distributed label.
Chingy also has other ventures, such as the Full Dekk Music Group, which he founded with his manager Stan Wright back in 2004. This music group is part of the Universal Music Group and continues to stay active, with many current artists including MC, DJ Noize, Young Swift, and more.
Furthermore, Chingy also has an acting career, making his debut in 2005 with the TV comedy series, “My Wife and Kids”. He has also dabbled in movies such as “Scary Movie 4”. However, he has not starred in any films or series since 2016.
Chingy’s Age, Height, and Weight
Today, Chingy is 40 years old and stands 6’0 tall, or 1.82 meters, weighing 77 kilograms.
Awards and Achievements
Chingy has been recognized as one of the top rappers in the US, thanks to his hits like “Watch the World”. This song was also the second most popular one in Australia and New Zealand!He also won the Soul Train Music Award in 2004 and performed in the Vibe Awards in the same year. These are his most popular albums (by order):
- Jackpot
- Powerballin’
- Hoodstar
- Success & Failure
- Dead Rose
It is said that Chingy will have a new album coming up, which is scheduled for release in 2021.
Personal Life
In 2005, Chingy married Adrienne Anderson Bailey, and they now have two sons together, Alzea and Mykael. He still resides with his family in St. Louis, Missouri, continuing his career as a rapper and producer.
Chingy’s Net Worth and Salary
Chingy’s net worth this 2020 is a whopping $11-12 million, thanks to not only his music career but his flourishing ventures as an actor and record producer. His major sources of income come from music, film, and TV, as well as his musical group with 11 artists part of it.
Plus, with his new projects this year, we can expect his net worth and earnings to rise!
Here are some of his estimated earnings from 2003-2006:
- His estimated earnings and record sales from Jackpot in 2003 was $2,145,000! It was certified platinum TWICE by the RIAA, gold by ARIA and Music Canada, and silver by the BPI.
- His estimated earnings and record sales from Powerballin’ in 2004 was $1,000,000, which was certified as platinum by the RIAA. The same goes for his earnings from Hoodstar, again certified platinum from RIAA.
Chingy’s Favorite Quotes
Here are a few of our favorite quotes from Chingy, so we can feel inspired:
“Some people think it’s just fun and games and others don’t know how much I pushed to get here. They have to be in my shoes, but by listening to my music they can find out.”
“I want to invest and have my own record label and artists. I want to have a business where my kids, kids, kids will still have something going on long after I’m gone.”
Now you know even more about Chingy, as well as his net worth! Take a look at the other celebrities’ net worth and learn more about them on our website.
