Live & Die for Hip Hop (Chris Kelly 1978-2013)

Warm it up Chris! "I'm about to! Cause that's what I was born to do!"

In June of 1990 I met an 11 year old kid named Chris Kelly who was the nephew of my very 1st professional mentor, a beautiful lady named Delanie.  As we became more like family by April of ‘91, I remember going by the house one evening after work and Chris telling us that he and Smitty (Chris Smith) met this guy named Jermaine Dupri at the mall that afternoon that was going to make a record with them. 

A few weeks later as I sat at the dinner table at their house this Jermaine cat came over with a guy named "Joe the Butcher" who was the owner of Ruff House Records to explain to his mother Donna how they were going to market & promote her baby boy! Now me being the G that I am, I looked out of the window to see what this young 19 year old Jermaine dude was driving. There was a 500 SEL Benz parked in the driveway. So I said, "Hey man is that yo ride?" He said, "Yeah it's mine." I said to myself, “Well I guess this IS legit.” So I sat back down and kept eating.

 In February of '92 this Jump record came on the radio and the rest is history. That joint went on to sell 4 million copies and the city of Atlanta at that point was officially on the map as a viable hip hop option. Don’t get it twisted playboy, it was Kris Kross that started the Atlanta renaissance. There would be no Excape, OutKast, Goodie Mob, Ludacris, T.I., Young Jeezy, Bow Wow, 2 Chainz and the dozens of other hip hop and R&B groups that call Atlanta home without the Chris'. Now I realize that LaFace was in the works at the time but Chris and Smitty kicked in the front door while boyz were still thinking about it. 

It was Chris that discovered the Da Brat in the Chi at the Arie Crown Theater when she ripped the mic before their show. It was Chris that wrote her biggest hit “Funkafied” that propelled her to superstardom.

No other rap group in history has been able to tour the world alone and be their own headliner with their very first record. Normally it takes 5 or 6 groups to fill an arena and these little kids sold out major venues by themselves bruh. These cats also toured with Michael Jackson just months after Jump hit the streets! Wheredeydodatat? Michael Jackson???!!

It was the little homie that made the “A” what it is today. More professional athletes make Atlanta their home in their respective off-seasons than any other city in the country. Why because of the swagger that Kriss Kross put into the minds of people about the city 21 years ago bruh! Now boyz can't wait to move to the "A."

 So understand that this kid was and will forever be a legend in the hip hop game. The world knew him as Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly. To me he was just Chris, Donna's baby boy and Jim’s step-son, Del and Robert, Lamar, Stephen and Sandra’s nephew and LaToya’s cousin. Well...Toya's brother because they grew up like siblings. Now there are many more family and friends that loved him dearly that I just don't have time to name but you get what I'm sayin' playa.

As I joined my extended family these past few days for his wake on Wednesday, funeral on Thursday and private burial today.  I'm reminded that God is God all by himself. That it is only by his grace and mercy that any of us are here today because on some real talk playboy, none of us are saints. We’ve all been with, been to and done some things that should have ended our lives too but for some reason God has chosen for us to be here today.

Every life has a purpose and when that purpose is complete God calls us home!  It’s not for us to question his authority or his power. We just thank him for the 34 years that Chris was able to make an impact not only on his friends and family but on the world as well. God’s grace is sufficient and he’s always in control. So we'll continue to praise his name and Chris, I'll see you on the other side playboy!  R.I.P. Chris!

Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Get @ me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport