Hurricane Chris is back and better than he’s ever been. Hailing from Louisiana but currently based in Texas, you may recognize the multi-Platinum rapper from his viral smash hit “Ay Bay Bay,” which quickly became a worldwide phenomenon.
The record itself had people all around the world screaming “Ay Bay Bay!” in the clubs.
Fast forward to 2021, Travis Scott even shouts him out in Don Toliver’s “You,” with the line “A lil’ brown skin hurricane, a bay-bay, bring the wave.”
After a 4-year hiatus, in which Chris shifted his focus to his family and starting new business ventures, he now returns with his newest bop titled “Keep Movin,” another club banger that’s been picking up steam since the #UpDownChallenge.
Last year in summer 2020, Chris was in his home state when someone tried to rob him and take his car at a gas station. The incident resulted in murder charges, but Chris was let go on claims of self-defense.
AllHipHop: How was your time in LA?
Hurricane Chris: It was good, gotta stay active man. Chillin’ out there, I did a show at the Globe Theater. Smoke a bunch of that real deal Cali gas.
AllHipHop: How did it feel to perform, post-pandemic?
Hurricane Chris: Man, it was crazy! Everybody came out. It was sold out. It was stupid. The hood, the suburbs, everybody came to see Hurricane. It was lit.
AllHipHop: That’s a bigger venue too right?
Hurricane Chris: Hell yeah, it’s a theatre. It’s probably the biggest show I’ve ever done since Corona. I just been in the house chillin’, trying to stay safe. When my city got COVID, a lot of people I knew got COVID. I knew a lot of people that died from COVID. It made me pay a lot of attention to it. I would just stay in the house. I would walk around with a big gas mask on! I don’t know what’s going on, but hey! Give me the shot!
AllHipHop: A lot of artists get sick of their hits. Do you get sick of performing or hearing “Ay Bay Bay”?
Hurricane Chris: Hell nah, that’s some s### I love to do. That’s my passion. I’ma tell you any rapper that tells you that b#######, is trying to make themself look like they’re fly or some s###. You have thousands and thousands of people together screaming with you, who gon’ get tired of that?
AllHipHop: I know you took a little break. What led to the 4-year hiatus?
Hurricane Chris: I guess just me wanting to learn how to do business, outside of the music industry. Music is one thing, but I was signed to a major label so I kind of wasn’t in control of my future.
AllHipHop: What label were you signed to?
Hurricane Chris: I was signed to Polo Grounds with Bryan Leach, but he got me distributed through J Records. That was Clive Davis.
AllHipHop: They were trying to dictate what you could do?
Hurricane Chris: I wouldn’t say dictate, but they had the wrong artist for what they’re trying to do. They had one thing on their mind and I was focused on actually rapping. They were more focused on putting out catchy singles and repetitive songs. I was trying to bring what I had to the table.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to now be releasing independently?
Hurricane Chris: Like a real boss! I look up in the morning, decide what I want to do and make a final decision. It’s a way better position for me with the knowledge that I’ve obtained. I know what to do now. You got to find somebody else to treat like a little boy. I’m not reporting to nobody, I’m calling the shots.
AllHipHop: I respect that. I know you got your new single “Keep Movin.”
Hurricane Chris: Yeah, I got a single called “Keep Movin.” I dropped a video called “Back to Back.” I got a new video called “Hennessy” finna drop. I got one of them from the block joints finna drop, with the mic hanging out of the sky. So I’m working right now, got a lot of heat on the way.
AllHipHop: The #UpDownChallenge is going up How’s TikTok been treating you?
Hurricane Chris: It’s something new for me. I just got to pay attention to it and learn. My kids showed me what TikTok was, I didn’t even know what it was. My son, my little sisters be showing me.
AllHipHop: Aw, how old is your son?
Hurricane Chris: I got an 8-year-old. They showed me that, I just made a song and put it on there. Everybody started doing it. I really make music, so I ain’t gon’ tell you I’m a TikTok artist or nothing like that. It’s cool. But most of it, I’m gonna be focusing on dropping that real deal dope. You’re gonna catch most of my content on my Youtube page. I’ma give you that real deal dope, that real rap.
AllHipHop: What are your thoughts on the current state of Hip Hop?
Hurricane Chris: I like it. We got a lot of dope artists out. I’m not gonna hate on nobody, I’ll never be a hater. We got a lot of rappers saying they don’t like this, they don’t like that. I don’t do any of that hating. I’ma keep it all the way one thousand with you. Lil Durk, Lil Baby, all them boys are hard. I ain’t fake on nobody. Ain’t doing no faking. If you’re doing your thing, I’ma tell you you’re doing your thing. No hating, no faking!
AllHipHop: That’s love. I f### with that energy for real.
Hurricane Chris: We can not even like each other. But if you jamming, you doing what you’re doing like you’re supposed to be doing, then I’m gonna pay respect where respect is due.
AllHipHop: How did it feel to have Travis Scott shout you out on the Don Toliver song?
Hurricane Chris: Yeah, Travis Scott shouted me out on Don’s album. Hell yeah! I was just at the house, in the bed and somebody sent it to me. I’m like “Okay, bet bet bet.” I got to put him in one. It ain’t nothing but love. I like Travis Scott, he makes good music.
AllHipHop: Do you guys have a relationship at all?
Hurricane Chris: Nah, I ain’t never met him. I never seen him, ever. I like his music though, he’s definitely a superstar. He’s one of those people that could probably stop making music and still make money off his albums.
AllHipHop: What was your first reaction when you saw Halle Berry dancing to your song?
Hurricane Chris: Man, I went crazy! I lost my mind when I saw Halle Berry dancing my song. That was a major accomplishment for me. If Instagram was out, I’d been all in the DMs and everything!
AllHipHop: I ask a lot of artists their celebrity crush and a lot of them say Halle Berry, that’s hilarious.
Hurricane Chris: That’s crazy, and she way too old for them. [laughs] It probably be young rappers saying that too. That’s when you know you did your thing. She’s a real legend. These rappers talking about Halle Berry, she probably could be their mama or grandmama.
AllHipHop: How does cannabis improve your life?
Hurricane Chris: Appetite, things of that nature. Getting sleep, nausea, it helps with that. Since I was a baby, I always had nausea. I was born with running stomach issues, so it does a lot.
AllHipHop: I’m sorry. Does that mean you got to be picky with what you eat?
Hurricane Chris: I’m supposed to be picky, but I don’t follow it. I wake up in pain. [laughs]
AllHipHop: Shoutout to weed being medicine for real!
Hurricane Chris: Straight up!
AllHipHop: What you got going on next?
Hurricane Chris: I got a video shoot coming up. I’m finna shoot a video in Louisiana to a song I got called “Slide.” I’m just in the studio man. I’ma keep dropping video, after video, after video. Go to my Youtube, you gon’ be able to get all that dope right there. You dig!
AllHipHop: You got any collabs? You working with anyone?
Hurricane Chris: Nah, I ain’t working with anybody. It’s all me. Like NBA Youngboy, it’s just me. YoungBoy ain’t have no features. He’s #1, so we taking that approach. It’s all about me right now. Your fans don’t really want to hear too many people on your music, they want to hear you! If I buy a Lil Uzi Vert or Lil Baby album, that’s what I want to hear. I’m not really buying Lil Baby’s album like that.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know?
Hurricane Chris: Make sure you keep God first, keep your family safe. Keep God first, you and your family safe. Make sure you stay prayed up. Thank the man above every morning when you wake up, ain’t nobody had to wake us up. Focus on smiles, there’s a lot going on in the world. Love everybody, that’s what I’m on.