Life is never always going to be easy, and oftentimes, we get knocked back down by its many challenges. However, as the old saying goes, it doesn’t matter how many times you fall, what matters is that you always get back up. As someone who has gone through quite a struggle in his life, Cha$e Mill$ knows the feeling of being knocked down many times, and through his songs, he aims to inspire people to get back up and fight like he did.
Jamal Harris, more popularly known as Cha$e Mill$, is an up-and-coming songwriter, brand ambassador, host, and hip-hop/rap artist from Maryland. A talented rapper known for his constant wordplay, clever metaphors, raw sound, and a unique backstory, Cha$e Mill$ aims to inspire many people to live their best lives through his music and story.
Gifted with a good heart and an even greater talent for writing and rapping, Cha$e Mill$’s music tells the story of love, loss, and redemption that the 27-year old artist has gone through in his life. With powerful, hard-hitting songs like “Let Me In”, “You Can’t Relate” and “Living Legend” on his The Growth, Vol. 1 mixtape, the Litty Music Group-signed Cha$e raps about his pain and struggle as he shares with his audience a story that is truly unique yet fully relatable.
Born Jamal Harris on September 29, 1992, this rapper on the rise has gone through quite a roller coaster ride in his life, describing his story as one “filled with pages of laughter, grief, and unforgettable memories.” As a child, Jamal Harris was raised in several areas of Maryland which reflects how diverse his style is in general. He grew up alongside his two younger siblings and was caught between two divorced parents. His dad was active but wasn’t always available, and so Cha$e and his siblings grew up with his mom, who remarried and moved them to Frederick, Maryland, where he also went to high school.
Amid all the struggles he was facing, the young Jamal always had refuge in the form of music. While his mother never really listened to music, except for ’80s and ’90s R & B, it Cha$e’s dad who was so into the underground rap culture that had Cha$e interested. Growing up, Cha$e was inspired by Lil Wayne, Three 6 Mafia, 50 cent, Tupac, Nas, and many more. He first tested his musical talents at 13 years old, writing lyrics in a composition book every night before going to bed. By the time he was 15, Cha$e formed a group called DC Connect, with his cousin recording music on an MP3 player in their basement. At the time, Cha$e never took music seriously, only playing around with it for fun.
It wouldn’t be until 9 years later that Cha$e decided to take his talent for writing music seriously. In those 9 years, he had gone through quite a lot in his life—going in and out of jail by the time he was 18 years old, being homeless for 2 years, losing his child’s mother and the custody of his son, as well as losing friends and family. However, despite these struggles, he was always persistent and chased his dream, inspiring his eventual rap name Cha$e Mill$.
Despite facing many challenges in his life, Cha$e Mill$ has always gone through everything with a smile in his face. As he says, “I have an opportunity to get my foot in the door of music and make an impact on millions of people’s lives with positivity.” Ultimately, Cha$e Mill$ aims to create songs that inspire people, encourage them to be themselves, and tell them to always strive to be better versions of themselves—just like he did.
To know more about Cha$e Mills, you can check out his website, stream his music on SoundCloud, or follow him on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.
