Chingy Makes A Decent Return After 13 Years Away On 'Chinglish'

Rapper Howard Bailey Jr., better known as Chingy, saw his career become an early example of gossip helping to derail a career years before cancel culture and screenshotting DMs became ubiquitous in pop culture. His 2010 studio album, Success & Failure, was his first release after being ostracized by the majors following false rumors about a relationship with trans model Sidney Starr that sent his career into a tailspin. Lacking big-budget features or any radio-ready singles, the album dropped without much fanfare, ultimately leaving it forgettable.

Now, the Jackpot MC makes a decent return with his first project in 13 years: Chinglish, a curated assortment of previously recorded material, which the MC says is the first of a scheduled three-album trilogy.

Thirteen years is a relative lifetime if you consider the industry arcs and shared human experiences that have played out since. Content-wise, Chinglish seems to ignore this completely, picking up where he left off with a noticeably renewed focus and an admirably well-aged sound, complemented by solid production — for the most part.

The EP covers a range of topics: from addressing his industry fallout, downfall prayers, and fair-weather ‘friends’ on the searing standout “Can’t Blame Me,” to touching on his beginnings on the streets of St. Louis on “Rewind Time.” Unlike some of his usually-loose street references, the latter provides a vivid definition of the environment that shaped him.

Past criticism of Chingy’s lyrics still holds true on some of the EP’s less impressive moments. For instance, on “Dat Good,” featuring Fresco Kane, he ‘humble brags’ about a female conquest (who calls him “Mr. Wutang pootang/ like Rza”) before dropping a barrage of uninspired sex bars.

Then there’s the sonically outdated “She Do It,” with punchlines that sound generated by ChatGPT, and a questionable “little girl” catcall on the chorus.

Nevertheless, if you ignore the aimless attempts at creating singles, Chingy is at his best when he’s embracing, finding strength in his lows and reflecting on his blessings. The repeat-worthy “Ballen” is a great example of this, as it plays out like a series of therapy breakthroughs, ultimately acknowledging his influence on the generation that witnessed the heights he reached.

While his mainstream dominance had a decline steeper than the Swiss Matterhorn following the platinum success of 2004’s Powerballin‘, it’s hard to ignore how he’s managed to turn his early 2000s run (which culminated in over 50 million records sold) into longevity. If you’re a Chingy fan — one of his 2,686,399 active monthly listeners on Spotify — you may find Chinglish a welcome addition to his catalog. In some ways, it proves that he has yet to lose his footing.

“I don’t really compare myself to nobody,” he noted in a recent interview with BET. “I’m not trying to be better than the next person… I’m just trying to do what I love to do.” This sentiment shines through, and while his formula may need some adjustments, he certainly isn’t lacking in passion.