2 Chainz, the multi-platinum, Grammy Award®-winning MC returns with “Money Maker” feat. Lil Wayne, the first new single from his forthcoming sixth studio album via Def Jam Recordings. The song samples Louisiana’s HBCU Southern University world-renowned marching band, Human Jukebox, which are also featured in the artwork. 2 Chainz previewed the song last night during his Verzuz battle with Rick Ross where the King’s of the South celebrated their legacies and iconic catalogs. “Money Maker”is the first new music from 2 Chainz since his January single + video “Dead Man Walking” featuring Future.
2 Chainz’ most recent Def Jam album, Rap Or Go To The League (released March 2019), was described as his most personal, most lyrical, most soulful record to date. It challenged the notion that the only way out of the inner city is either to become a rapper or a ball player. The album flipped that trope, celebrating themes of black excellence, the power of education, and entrepreneurship. A&R’d by LeBron James, Rap Or Go To The League spun off two smashes: the MTV VMA-nominated “Rule The World” featuring Ariana Grande, which boasts nearly 22 million YouTube views to date; and the RIAA platinum “Bigger Than You” featuring Drake and Quavo which has amassed over 62 million combined YouTube views to date.
Rap Or Go To The League was 2 Chainz’ first new studio album since Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, his RIAA gold #1 release of 2017. That LP netted over 2 billion streams after racking up three consecutive RIAA multi-platinum hits: “4 AM” featuring Travis Scott; “It’s A Vibe” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, Trey Songz and Jhené Aiko; and “Good Drank” featuring Quavo and Gucci Mane.
In addition to music, his wildly popular tv show Most Expensivest on VICELAND wrapped up its third season in 2019 with 20 new episodes; view the series trailer HERE. His “Chain Reaction” sneaker collaboration with Versace hit stores in the spring 2018, and was their most popular shoe of the year. His cannabis brand, GAS Cannabis Co. is available throughout California HERE. And he starred with Adam Scott in the 2019 Super Bowl LIII Expensify tv spot, “the world’s first Super Bowl commercial you can expense.”
Following his run as a founding member of Def Jam duo Playaz Circle from his native Atlanta, 2 Chainz’ name was on everyone’s lips in 2012, when he stole a verse on “Mercy,” fellow Def Jam artist Kanye West/G.O.O.D. Music’s RIAA triple-platinum #1 R&B/#1 Rap hit (from Cruel Summer). In August 2012, Chainz arrived as a Def Jam solo artist with Based On A T.R.U. Story, his debut album. B.O.A.T.S. entered Soundscan at #1 and was certified RIAA gold. Its success was fueled by the RIAA platinum #1 “No Lie” featuring Drake, the double-platinum “Birthday Song” featuring Kanye West, and double-platinum “I’m Different.” “Mercy” was subsequently a Grammy® nominee for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance, while B.O.A.T.S. was nominated for Best Rap Album. Chainz’ dominance was extended when the sequel, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Timeentered the Soundscan hip-hop chart at #1 in September 2013, and spun off the RIAA gold single, “Feds Watching” featuring Pharrell.
In 2016, Chainz brought it back to his essence with a series of mixtapes that dominated the streets: Felt Like Cappin, Daniel Son; Necklace Don, and Hibachi For Lunch. Also in 2016, he released the lauded collaborative album ColleGrove with New Orleans hip-hop luminary Lil Wayne. Critics agreed that 2 Chainz conquered 2016, with the New York Times proclaiming “all hail our greatest punch line rapper, 2 Chainz.” The year was capped off with his first Grammy Award, Best Rap Performance for his verse on Chance The Rapper’s hit song “No Problem.”
With momentum on his side, 2 Chainz released his first solo album since 2013: Pretty Girls Like Trap Music (June 2017) was accompanied by a 35-city tour of North America through September. Chainz’ TV appearances included visits with Jimmy Kimmel (HERE), Jimmy Fallon (HERE), and Trevor Noah (HERE). 2018 brought the EP releases The Play Don’t Care Who Makes It(February, with the RIAA gold “Proud” featuring YG and Offset), and Hot Wings Are A Girl’s Best Friend (November), pointing to the March 2019 release of Chainz’ fourth solo album, Rap Or Go To The League. Chainz’ impact on popular culture encompasses not only music but his Most Expensivest cable tv series on VICELAND, his “Chain Reaction” sneaker collaboration with Versace, his GAS Cannabis Co. brand, and his 2019 Super Bowl LIII Expensify tv spot with Adam Scott. TheRinger.comwas inspired to write: “Forget Mount Rushmore – 2 Chainz deserves his own national monument. This year dude is top five humans of all time.”
