Chingy Discusses ‘The Purge,’ Says ‘People Put Me on a Pedestal’

Chingy's back! The rapper may have generated controversy with his Trump "endorsement" and clarification, but political commentary isn't where his heart is at. He's fresh out the lab with new music, and looking to put St. Louis back on the map. But if you do anything, don't call his resurgence a comeback — it's only a comeback if you've left. And as Chingy tells it, "I’ve still been around and still making music."Alongside up-and-coming St. Louis rapper M.C, the Midwest-bred rhymer is working on his fifth studio LP, independently of course, titled The Purge. The project is kicking off with a new single, "You," which is reminiscent of today's beat-heavy trap sound that booms in the club. Unlike past tracks, "You" channels a themed concept that let's Chingy's fans know "we have our own lane." So stop hating, stop the chatter, and let Chingaling speak for himself. He's not making a comeback, he just understands there's more to success than the mainstream.

"[The music is] about we have our own lane. We not in your business, so why be in our business? Stop hating on us, we not hatin’ on you. we just doing us," says the 35-year-old rhymer. "That’s what the song 'You' is centered around. The [upcoming] project is called The Purge. I kinda gave it that name because in this music industry you just sometimes feel like you wanna put it all out there and just takeover, and sometimes you wanna get aggressive with the competition as far as business and getting to the top. And when I say getting to the top, [I mean] just making your mark. So The Purge kinda solidifies us in making our way."

Chingy's last No. 1 single, "Pullin' Me Back," topped the charts as the Midwest's sonic craze took a note from Amy Winehouse and faded to black, but now he's working independently to help bring the attention back so fans can return to bustin' out a good ol' Midwest Swing.

"St. Louis used to be heard on a bigger level than it is right now and Nelly came out and me J-Kwon and a lot of people, but it’s kinda died down so we just trying to build that back up."

But when it comes to the music overall, Chingy is using his next project as a means of emotional expression and letting his fans feel all that his music has to offer. People tend to confuse the music industry's smoke and mirrors with reality, and don't understand the real definition of success, though it differs for every person in entertainment. Chingy wants his following to know his next project address all aspects dealing with his personal life.

"It’s gonna be a little bit more filled with emotion [and] feelings," says Chingy. "I’ve encountered a lot of hate, and just people who don’t want to see me succeed. So this project is gonna be real emotional and filled with a lot...feeling from dealing with this industry and dealing with a lot of fake people and greed."

As far as comebacks are concerned, the rapper has made one thing clear: "It’s definitely not a comeback!" In a passionate phone conversation, he continue, "I’ve still been independently putting my music out there, but I think what people associated me with was my mainstream set. I had a lot of big records – NO. 1 records – all throughout the radio world and a lot of No. 1 videos. At some point people...put me on some sort of pedestal, and they associated my career with being big and huge and if it’s not a hit record on the radio and the video’s not big then what is Chingy doing and where is he at?"

And in a time when mixtape talent is at the forefront, Chingy admits, "I’m not a mixtape rapper. I didn’t come from the era of coming up off the mixtapes. People don’t associate me with being a mixtape rapper...they’re used to me being heard through the radio [and]...my image and my music being put out there in a more dynamic and huge way. So to the average person out there in the public and society, a comeback from Chingy is a hit record on the radio and getting a big video out of it."

While Chingy is mum on a release date for The Purge, he isn't keeping any secrets about who's on the project. In addition to himself and M.C, his fifth studio album will feature Kyjuan and Murphy Lee from the St. Lunatics, Twista, Mia X and Vega, who produced half of the project. Times may be different, but when it comes to Chingy and his music he still likes it when you do it right thurr!