"Ghetto Story" | |||||||||||
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Single by Cham featuring Alicia Keys & Akon | |||||||||||
from the album Ghetto Story | |||||||||||
Released | 28 June 2006 | ||||||||||
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Recorded | 2005 | ||||||||||
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Length | 4:17 (original version) 4:25 (with Akon) 4:42 (Remix with Alicia Keys and Akon) |
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Writer(s) | |||||||||||
Producer(s) | Dave Kelly | ||||||||||
Cham singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"Ghetto Story" is a dancehall/ragga single performed by dancehall artist Baby Cham signed to Atlantic Records. It was the first single to be released from his album of the same name. The song is most known for its reggae fusion remix called "Ghetto Story Chapter 2" featuring Alicia Keys. The single peaked at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 15 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, and number 13 on the Billboard Rap Tracks chart. It received heavy airplay on MTV2 and BET, and some airplay on Canada's MuchMusic. The song is about growing up in the ghetto and how it was for Cham in his younger years. The video entered BET's 106 & Park at number 9 before peaking at number 5, making it one of the very few reggae videos to reach the top 5 on that countdown. Another remix features singer Akon. Rapper Lil Wayne has freestyled over the instrumental.
These are the lyrics to the intro sung by Alicia Keys. The overall feel of the song is rage and celebration that the two have made it out of the ghetto and out of their early struggles.
The lyrics are very informative as Cham and Alicia Keys explain how it felt to live in the ghetto. Cham says A lot of people like the song for its lyrics and overall feel of the song. These are the first two lines in Cham's opening verse:
In the official remix, which also includes singer Akon, he explains his way of living in the ghetto, and how he made it, the lines in his opening verse: