Chalie Boy

Emerging from Central Texas as a Southern rapper and singer, Chalie Boy secured his major-label breakthrough in 2009 through the breakout hit single "I Look Good." Born Charles Williams between Calvert, the hometown of his father, and Hearne, the hometown of his mother—two modest communities in Robertson County, Texas—he began performing in his church choir at age three. His cited influences range from foundational rappers UGK, Run-D.M.C., and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five to blues legends Bobby "Blue" Bland, B.B. King, and Johnnie Taylor. As a rapper he entered the roster of Dirty 3rd Records in 2000, building an initial following on the mixtape circuit as part of the Freestyle Kingz. Standalone releases such as Making My Way (2004) and Versatyle Child (2006) led to a recording contract with Battery/Jive. His first single, "I Feel Good," first caught on at Houston’s KBXX and Dallas outlets KBFB and KKDA before reaching national radio. A remix featuring Slim Thug, Juvenile, and Bun B appeared once the track gained momentum, and it ultimately reached number 20 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Although no album appeared on Jive, he continued issuing independent mixtapes such as Life of an Entertainer (2010), the third volume of his Versatyle Child series (2011), and Chalie (2014).