About Me
Chuck Taylor is the original and only rapper whose real name resembles the Converse ALL-STAR shoe that marks the identity of the west coast. For almost as long as the west coast scene has been around Chuck T (as most people call him) has been circling venues and helped to spearhead the widely publicized west coast underground. Before working with other known artists however, Chuck Ts previous ventures into show business landed him the most unusual set of allies early in his career. Working as Kaos the first rap group Chuck Taylor ever recorded with, the band came into contact with Pat Charbonet, and ICE-CUBE who offered a deal to the Street Knowledge camp of the early 90s ( Yo Yo, Cam, Del the Funkyhomosapien, and Cubes Lynch Mob). At the time Kaos was being managed by Suge Knight of Death Row fame, and somehow Kaos made the decision not to sign with Ice-Cube and went on to a deal at PRIORITY records. In the days of the old NWA VS CUBE rivalry, Chuck Ts Band changed to the name Socialistik and tried to emerge as a Hip Hop solution to the only sound that the west coast seemed to have at the time.
The deal with Priority records eventually went sour, and forced the Sacramento native to return home and re-evaluate things. Over the course of the next 12 years Chuck T and crew managed to be a part of the now famed West Coast Underground alongside legends like Planet Asia, Rasco, Living Legends, and Blackalicious. Releasing Singles and LPs independently their FSKO brand label became a recognizable force in the west coast scene, but the group failed to continue for long after their 1999 release Ghettoguerillatactiks. Chuck Taylor championed the record labels ideals for 3 more years, putting out Verbatums debut LP, and The Capitals Best Lp featuring many West coast Emcees coupled with Sacs finest. Budget failures produced a poor version of the final LP and Chuck and his crew split for good. After going solo in 2003, Chuck T spent the next 3 years calling upon his musical knowledge and getting in touch with old and new friends, until a phone call about a track led him to producer Supa Dave West. Over the course of Chuck Ts career in hip hop, the ever elusive success story has been all but at his finger tips on more then one occasion. Chuck Taylors story is one of the most unique forays into the music business to mention every detail, everything from appearing on Nia Peeples Show, to doing the flier for the show where Dr. Dre caught the assault charge on MTV,Chuck Taylor was there.
The main difference in Chuck Taylors career had been the loyalty and un-willingness to ditch his crew but when the chips fall you gotta go for what you know. Recalling what he was once told by Will Smith if you got friends who aint with it, you gotta cut em loose and go for it alone, you cant expect people to see your dreams. Solo and un-reckonable is how the new sound of Chuck T comes across, maybe from years of bottled talent, maybe from not being able to release as much material as he creates. Whatever the reason the drive is there and Chuck Taylor brings lyrical heat with the new west coast sound, a sound that reaches back to Hip Hops roots in the east, but has all the bite of keeping it gangster. So Put your tees on, go grab some Chucks at the store, and rep where you from, cause Chuck Taylor is only getting laced up.
