SOUTH PADRE ISLAND - Close to 3,000 people showed up to Louie's Backyard Monday night to catch rapper Chamillionaire perform live.
The charismatic Houston rapper quickly won the crowd over, playing a number of hits and leading crowd members through the story of his career.
"People used to say that all I rap about is bling and money and nothin' good," Chamillionaire, sporting a baggy gray sweat suit and a platinum chain topped off with a golden "C," told the crowd. "Four million ring tones later, they standing in the front row."
The rapper, backed by one DJ, a skinny hype man and a few members of his enterouge (who seemed happy just to sit on stage and watch), ripped through countless fast-paced, bass heavy tracks from his endless arsenal of releases and mix tapes.
"This'n might be too gangsta for ya'll," Chamillionaire told the crowd before the opening bars of one of his more obscure selections.
The crowd, mostly males in front, a mix of young women and a few geeky "Office Space" Michael Bolton clones, seemed to know every verse of every song, even the more obscure tracks and choruses from collaborations with regional artists.
The breezy weather and expected showers didn't hamper the show at all. The only person who got wet was an afro-sporting fan who jumped in the bay in an attempt to swim to Chamillioanire's floating stage. Security guards quickly ejected the man from the show, even though Chamillionaire seemed eager to meet him.
"Bring him up here. I want to see that dude," he said.
The MC instead met three aspiring rappers from the crowd who he invited on stage. One, who said he was a student at Texas State University, made the crowd and Chamillionaire laugh while reciting most of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby." Two others delivered surprisingly impressive rhymes about partying and their sexual exploits.
"Nobody gave me a chance when I was a face in the crowd," Chamillionaire said, "That's why I want to invite people on stage."
Chamillionaire pleased the crowd with hits like "Ridin," Get Up" and the anthemic "King Kong." This, judging by the crowd reaction, is the music of Spring Break 2008.
Just to make sure he left with a good impression, or possibly just to boast, Chamillionaire and crew ended the show by tossing wads of dollar bills at the crowd.
After that, when he said "Jump," they reached for the moon.
