Charles Hamilton

Charles Eddie-Lee Hamilton, Jr. (born November 10, 1987) is an American rapper from Cleveland, Ohio.

He first signed with the independent record label Demevolist Music Group and released a series of mixtapes titled The Hamiltonization Process, which led up to the release of his debut studio album, The Pink Lavalamp (2008).

June 16, 2008 saw the release of Hamilton's debut mixtape Crash Landed; a week later, on June 27, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape Outside Looking.

On August 14, 2008, Hamilton announced he was officially signed to Interscope Records, after well known artist/producer/songwriter Pharrell introduced Hamilton to Interscope Records CEO at the time, Jimmy Iovine.

Later in August, Hamilton would announce that he would release a series of 8 mixtapes entitled "The Hamiltonization Process"; it would be titled after his former personal blog at the time.

On September 2, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape Death Of The Mixtape Rapper, which would be the first release in "The Hamiltonization Process": a series of mixtapes written and produced by Hamilton which would lead up to the release of his debut album, The Pink Lavalamp.

On September 16, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape And Then They Played Dilla.

The mixtape was a dedication to producer J Dilla, and the mixtape cover was based on J Dilla's critically acclaimed album Donuts.

On September 30, 2008, Hamilton and Demevolist Music Group released their mixtape Staff Development.

Then, on October 15, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape It's Charles Hamilton; the mixtape cover was based on Nas's critically acclaimed album Illmatic.

On October 28, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape The L Word.

A few weeks later, on November 11, 2008, Hamilton released his mixtape Sonic The Hamilton.

That same year, he signed an undisclosed multi-million dollar recording contract with Interscope Records, and was selected as part of XXL magazine's 2009 Freshmen Class the following year.

Hamilton was due to release his major-label debut album for the label titled This Perfect Life; however, he became a frequent source of controversy and public scrutiny for his conduct on social media and in public settings throughout 2009—stemming from Hamilton's undiagnosed and alleged bipolar disorder at the time—leading him to be dropped from the label.

In 2010, Hamilton signed with NewCo Records and was due to release the album My Heart, which was also shelved.

Hamilton instead released a number of independent mixtapes through personal blogs from 2011 to 2014.

Much of his unreleased material had become leaked online.

In early 2015, Hamilton signed Republic Records and released the single "New York Raining" (featuring Rita Ora) for the television series Empire.

The following year, Hamilton released his second album and major-label debut, Hamilton, Charles (2016) to positive reception despite minimal commercial response.

In addition to his solo career, he was part of The Chosen Few, as well as Lupe Fiasco's alternative hip hop collective All City Chess Club.

His music and public image contained frequent tributes to the video game series Sonic the Hedgehog.

Charles Hamilton was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio.

He was exposed to music at an early age: "My mother was an entertainment journalist for the Cleveland Call and Post, so she would take me with her to events when I was just a baby."

Hamilton stated his mother always made sure he had an instrument around him.

His mother put different kinds of instruments in the basement of their Cleveland home, but he naturally gravitated to the keyboard.

Hamilton has stated, "At first, I was just playing the rhythm of the songs I would hear... The older I got, the more proficient I got at hearing the notes."

For most of his life, Hamilton was self-taught.

Picking up the lead and bass guitar in his teenage years, as well as the drums and harmonica.

Hamilton has stated that listening to other genres of music, being exposed to different cultures and experiencing life helped mold his musical sound.

Hamilton would leave from his mother's home at the age of 18 and would at times be homeless spending his nights at his friends' houses.

Hamilton would later utilize a studio built at the Frederick Douglass Academy.

Hamilton would spend countless hours in the studio, developing his craft and his own signature sound.

Hamilton stated, "The Lab (FDA's studio) means so much to me, because when I literally didn't have anywhere else to go in the world, I can just go into my beloved alma mater and purge myself creatively."

The studio in the Frederick Douglass Academy is where most of Charles Hamilton's music is made.

Hamilton has also stated, regarding FDA's studio, that "[I] can do my thing in other studios. It's just something about home that makes my music breathe."

Hamilton attended Rice High School in Harlem, where he would also participate in freestyle rap battles.

Hamilton would later meet his future manager Le'Roy Benros after offering to help with a music event that he was organizing.

When Benros eventually heard his music he was "blown away" and arranged a meeting at Hamilton's high school in Harlem.

Benros set about promoting his first client in any way that he could, burning CDs, putting him on at showcases and securing his first appearance on the influential blog "You Heard That New".

He also managed to introduce Hamilton to Theo Sedlmayr, one of the most powerful entertainment lawyers in the music industry.