Young Chris

Young Chris and Neef Buck (born Hanif Muhammad) had been friends since they were young boys on the block (C-Ave).[4] On "Takeover", a track from his 2001 album The Blueprint, Jay-Z announced the duo as "Chris & Neef".[5] In 2001, the duo performed on the State Property soundtrack album.[5] Young Chris and Neef starred in the titular movie.[6] Also during this period of their career, Young Chris appeared throughout Dame Dash's Dream Team compilation, and Beanie Sigel's The Reason.[7] The duo performed together on guest appearances for albums like Jay-Z's The Blueprint 2, Freeway's Philadelphia Freeway, State Property's The Chain Gang Vol. 2, and Memphis Bleek's M.A.D.E.; all while recording their album.[8] The Young Gunz scored their first hit with "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", the lead-off single from The Chain Gang Vol. 2 album.[1] Its song and video received major airplay on hip-hop radio, MTV2, and BET and reached No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.[1]

After the success of their single, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", the label jumped and was ready to release their debut album, Tough Luv.[9] It included the remix to "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", which featured St. Louis rapper Chingy.[9] Singles included "No Better Love" featuring former Roc-A-Fella Records crooner Rell and the Just Blaze-produced "Friday Night".[9] Tough Luv debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 3 after selling 128,000 copies in its first week.[1] That week, the album at No. 2 was labelmate Kanye West's debut album The College Dropout, which was released just two weeks earlier.[10]

After a brief hiatus, the duo returned with Swizz Beatz produced "Set It Off" from their second album, Brothers from Another.[11] It was the second release from the "new" Roc-A-Fella Records, referencing when Jay-Z became president of Def Jam Records, the first being Memphis Bleek's 534.[12][13] The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 15, and included guest features from Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Slim of 112 and John Legend.[14][15]

As early as March 2006, Young Chris thought about recording a solo album. He initially titled it Now or Never.[16] He stated to XXL magazine that he wanted to release a solo album by the end of 2008 and had been "95 percent done" by June 2008.[17] In this article, Young Chris also states that he himself up there with Lil' Wayne and Juelz Santana.[17] Since this time, Chris has taken to the internet to solidify himself as a top solo artist, with his YoungChris.com Social Network, hitting the remix circuit, and his much anticipated "The Network" Mixtape series, hosted by DJ Don Cannon.[18][19]

In December 2010, Young Chris signed with Division1, a label started by songwriter/producer Rico Love, under the Universal Motown umbrella.[3] Love considers Young Chris his flagship artist, working closely with Young Chris on his debut album and pre-album/mixtape.[20] The mixtape, called "The Re-Introduction", was released on November 20, 2010.[21] The aptly titled mixtape gives the spotlight to a newly signed Young Chris, as a solo artist, and also, re-introduces the combination of DJ Drama and Don Cannon, the former "Affiliates" partners, hosting their first mixtape together, in several years.[22]

On January 28, a song called "Philly Shit (Mega Mix)" featuring Young Chris, Eve, Black Thought, Money Malc, Fat Joe, Fred the Godson, Diggy Simmons, Jermaine Dupri & The Game was leaked.[23] On March 22, 2011, Young Chris' single "A$ets" was commercially released.[24]

In late 2013–2014, Young Chris began releasing a slew of freestyles, the latest being a reworking of Wale's "LoveHate Thing", released on May 6.[25] He's currently working on a new studio album titled Alive.

On May 6, 2014, he released a mixtape on Datpiff called Gunna Seazon.[26]

• The Network 3 (2014)
• Gunna Season (2014)
• Vital Signs EP (2013)
• Young Christmas (FrEP) (2011)
• The Revival (2011)
• L.I.F.E (Ladies in for Free) (2011)
• The Re-Introduction (2010)[27]
• The Network 2 (2010)[27]
• 30 Days 30 Verses (2009)[27]
• The Network (with Don Cannon) (2009)[27]
• Campaign for Change (2008)[27]
• Now or Never (with DJ Drama) (2008)[27]
• Young Chris-Mas (2007)[27]
• The Newprint (2007)[27]
• Politically Incorrect (2007)[27]
• Murder Capital (with Pooda Brown, Neef Buck and DJ LRM) (2007)[27]
• Hired Gun (2007)[27]
• Killadelphia – More Bodies Than Days (2007)[27]
• Young Chris (2007)[27]

• Back to Business (2010)[28]
• Rapid Fire (2008)[28]
• Get In Where U Fit In Part 2 (2005)[28]
• Get In Where U Fit In (2004)[28]
• Brothers from Another (2005)[28]
• Tough Luv (2004)[28]

• The Chain Gang Vol. 2 (2003)[29]
• State Property (2002)[29]