| Chi-Ali | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Birth name |
Chi-Ali Griffith |
|
Born |
May 27, 1976 |
|
Genres |
|
|
Occupations |
Rapper |
|
Years active |
1989-present |
|
Labels |
Relativity |
|
Associated acts |
The Beatnuts, Black Sheep, De La Soul, Fat Joe, Native Tongues, The Legion |
Chi-Ali Griffith (born May 27, 1976), better known by the mononym Chi-Ali, is an American rapper. He made his debut appearance on De La Soul's 1989 single "Say No Go" on the song "The Mack Daddy on the Left". He later made an appearance on the 1991 album A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing by Black Sheep on the posse cut "Pass the 40". Through his connection with the groups, Chi-Ali was inducted into the Native Tongues collective.
Soon after the release of "Pass the 40", Chi-Ali released his debut solo single, "Age Ain't Nothing but a #", which was a moderate hit, with its video getting a good rotation of music video shows. His debut album, The Fabulous Chi-Ali, was released in 1992 on Relativity, which received mediocre reviews. After appearing on albums by The Legion and Black Sheep, Chi-Ali seemingly disappeared from the hip hop industry for most of the late 1990s. He returned in 1999 on the song "It's Going Down" from Black Sheep member Dres' solo album Sure Shot Redemption.
On 14 January 2000, Griffith shot and killed Sean Raymond in the Bronx, New York. At the time, Griffith was dating Raymond's sister. He was charged with first-degree manslaughter, as well as various lesser charges. An extensive manhunt resulted, with Griffith twice being featured on the television program America's Most Wanted. He was apprehended on 5 March 2001 and was subsequently convicted of the killing. He served an 11-year sentence at Sing Sing Correction Facility in New York. He was released from prison in September 2012.
Discography[]
- 1992: The Fabulous Chi-Ali