Howard Bailey, Jr. (born March 10, 1980), better known by his stage name Chingy, is an American rapper.

Chingy grew up in the Walnut Park section of St. Louis, a neighborhood he's referred to as the "Bad Blocks." The middle child with two older brothers and two younger sisters, Chingy became a music fan at an early age.
Chingy began writing lyrics at age 9 and was recording raps at age 10. He originally considered the stage names H. Thugzy and H Thugs before settling on Chingy, a slang term for money.

Chingy's debut album Jackpot was released on July 15, 2003 on Disturbing tha Peace. Unable to secure a distribution deal through Def Jam, Ludacris negotiated a deal to distribute the album through Capitol Records. Guest appearances included Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Murphy Lee, I-20, Tity Boi of Playaz Circle, Trina, and Jermaine Dupri. Fueled by "Right Thurr," Jackpot produced the hit "One Call Away" featuring J-Weav and "Holidae In" featuring Snoop Dogg and Ludacris. The album was produced by St. Louis production crew The Trak Starz. The album was received well by critics. Within a year of its release, Jackpot would be certified RIAA 3x Platinum.

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