After moving from the dreary Cleveland winters out to L.A., Ohio-native Chip Tha Ripper is finally seeing what it’s like to live like a rapper—even if he’s really not sure how. In the past four years, he’s released three mixtapes—including 2009's The Cleveland Show and last years Gift Raps. However, he's still probably best known for occasionally playing wingman to fellow Ohio-native Kid Cudi.
Chip's hook on Cudi’s “Hyyerr” off Man On The Moon may have earned him a gold plaque, but now it’s his time. His new mixtape, Tell Ya Friends, dropped earlier today right here at Complex. Plus, he's gearing up to drop his full-length debut sometime this year.
The new mixtape has his son's face gracing the cover and features songs like “25 Wives” (which boasts a guest spot from Wale) and the Lex Luger–produced “Out Here." We figured it was the perfect time to get on the horn with the 25-year-old to talk about Tell Ya Friends, being unsigned, and what Kanye West told him at SXSW.
Interview by Lauren Nostro (@LAURENcynthia)
