Early years
Chinga Chang Records was founded as a boutique hip hop label in 2003, [3] by Philadelphia native Dan Herman, also known as DMAK. [1] Herman, then only 18 [3] eventually established offices in Pennsylvania, New York, and Florida. [4]
In July 2006, the label released its first single, "Meal of the Day", by company artist Temp, which became popular in Bollywood. The label then released the mixtape Chang Gang Vol. 1: Stackin' Euros, which included then unheard tracks from artists including KRS-One, Ras Kass, Big Pun, and Sean Price. Each track from the album had a video made along with it, including one for Price's song "Ground Wit Ur Niggazz", shot in Brownsville, Brooklyn. [3]
Also in 2006, CEO Herman signed Kool G Rap. [5] According to Hip Hop Weekly , Chinga Chang "helped resurrect the career of Kool G Rap by backing the hip hop icon’s first studio disc in nearly a decade". [1] Kool G Rap's album Half a Klip was produced by DJ Premier, who is associated with the label, and had vocals by actress Haylie Duff. A month later Herman signed a distribution deal for the album with Koch Entertainment. [3]
In June 2007, the label released the mixtape The Official Joints LP via digital download, which included unreleased music by artists such as Rakim, Masta Ace, J Live, Guru, Beatnuts, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, and Big Pun. The first single off the album, Rakim's "Original Style", was also made into an unreleased cartoon. [3]
Later signings
In June 2013, it was announced that former Nickelodeon actress Amanda Bynes had been offered a record deal by Chinga Chang, after Herman cleared the idea with The Orchard and Sony Entertainment. [2] According to Herman, he retracted the offer after Bynes failed to show up to a meeting with Wyclef Jean. Herman instead signed the artist D Rock Starr, [6] who had previously provided the hook for the track "I Feel Bad for You Son" on Half a Klip . [7] D Rock's first single on Chinga Chang was "Sour Patch Kid", a diss track to Bynes. [6]
In October 2013, Chinga Chang signed the rap group G4 Boyz, [8] with distribution provided through Sony Entertainment. [9] Also that month Chinga Chang signed Philadelphia rapper Cassidy, [4] with Wyclef and DJ Premier slated to help with Cassidy's next album; however, a few weeks later the deal fell through, with Herman quoting artistic differences. [1]
Herman instead signed Atlanta-based rapper Lil' Scrappy [10] on November 1, 2013. [3] Scrappy's first single, "They Hate Me" featuring Young Buck, was released on December 5. His solo album Reparations is meant to be released in Spring 2014, [4] with a distribution deal by Sony. [11] Another early single from Reparations, "Juicy On My Mind", was also released in December 2013. [4]
A new album by Drock Star was announced for September 15, 2014, titled American Dream. [12] Atlanta-based rapper 9Gotti signed to the label on May 20, 2014, [3] after releasing a single on the label a week earlier. [13]
Around July 2013, TMZ reported that Michael Lohan had brokered a deal with Herman for a recording contract for Ali Lohan. The deal had ended after Michael Lohan allegedly threatened Herman with violence. [14]
