Chingy — born Howard Earl Bailey Jr. — caught many fans by surprise after speaking candidly about his family during a recent sit-down on The Jason Lee Show.
The “Right Thurr” hitmaker shared that he is a proud father of four children, including two sons and two daughters, and revealed that his youngest son is none other than actor Isaiah Russell-Bailey.
“Actually, my youngest son, Isaiah, is a big actor out here in California,” Chingy said, noting that his son has appeared in Disney projects and other major productions.
Moments later, he made the connection clear for viewers, saying his son’s full name: “Isaiah Russell-Bailey.”
Isaiah, 19, is best known for playing Shaka McKellan on Netflix’s Family Reunion. He also starred as Caleb Channing in the Disney+ film Crater and appeared in Netflix’s We Can Be Heroes.
The father-son connection came as a surprise to many viewers, but Chingy has actually spoken about Isaiah before. During a 2023 interview in St. Louis, the rapper proudly told listeners that the actor who played Shaka on Family Reunion was his son.
Chingy’s family revelations didn’t stop there.
Earlier in the interview, he shared that his oldest son, Mykael, is approaching 30 and once attended school with fellow St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red.
“I started young, man,” Chingy said after Jason Lee expressed shock over his son’s age.
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Later, the conversation turned more serious when Lee asked how Chingy tried to keep his children from experiencing some of the same challenges he faced growing up.
Chingy revealed that Mykael is currently incarcerated for shooting at someone.
“I’m real in that way. Like, I don’t got nothing to lie about,” he said. “But he is locked up.”
The rapper added that he recently spoke with his son and said Mykael has been exploring Buddhism while incarcerated.
“He’s a smart little dude, man,” Chingy said. “And you know, I always instill wisdom in him. But he one of them kids that got to go bump his head on his own.”
Chingy also revealed that Mykael has a son of his own, making the 46-year-old rapper a grandfather.
Just don’t call him Grandpa.
“Don’t call me that. Call me Pops,” he joked. “I ain’t no granddaddy.”
While the latest interview has introduced many fans to another side of Chingy, his role as a father has long been part of what keeps him motivated.
In his 2023 interview, Chingy said of his four children, “They keep me motivated.”