Last year hip-hop heads turned and looked as a sturdy 21-year-old Clevelander called Chip Tha Ripper drove onto the scene in his lime-green '87 Cutlass. Rapping in an endearingly marble-mouthed cadence about getting rims from the chrome Big & Tall store and meeting girls at the gas station, Chip soon scooped up the Ohio Hip-Hop Best Artist Award and upgraded his ride to an Infiniti coupe. Now, poised for breakout national success with his forthcoming DJ Hi-Tek-produced debut album, Tha Ripper keeps repping for his city: "I talk a lot about Cleveland in my raps, especially how it is in St. Clair," he says. "I try to get people aware of the life over there, and then at the same time get the people on St. Clair to see what's with the life in say, Mentor, somewhere in a suburban area. I wanna bridge any gap I can with the music." Having recently sold out the Grog Shop with his all-live backing band Shakedown, Chip Tha Ripper performs a benefit concert at the Rock Hall this week. — Peter Relic

How'd you get your name, Chip?
Chip's my father's name. I grew up as Lil' Chip my whole life. I never used it as a rap name. That's just what even my teachers called me. I was going to these little rap battles and I told this guy Suave Gotti my name was Chip and he said, "Man, you comin' in here rippin' cats! I'ma call you Chip Tha Ripper!" I hated it at first, but I rode with it. It's a memorable name.

You and Al Fatz just dropped the hottest mix tape in Cleveland, double trouble. How fat is Al?
Well, he's not really that fat. He's just big. A little bigger than big. There was two Als that went to Glenville High, one was skinnier and Al was fatter so they called him Fat Al. He's not ever as big as any of the Fat Boys. Don't be too concerned.

Who is your favorite Bone in Bone Thugs N Harmony?
Krayzie Bone. Then Layzie Bone. I never had a chance to meet either of them. I met Bizzy Bone though. I was coming out of Peabody's backstage. I had just opened for him. I had did one song, "Fitted," right before he went on. I'm leaving out the back door and he's pulling up in a Benz. I said "wooky-woo" and we shot the one-two. Then I jumped in the car and left.

On the Hi-Tek track "Ohio All-stars" you say: "My Cincinnati girls talk like they from down South."
They do, they do! Because, see, they're right above Kentucky.

How many times a day do people come up to you and say: "Chip, nooo! Chip, don't do it!"
All the time. DJ E-V sampled it from this Dave Chappelle stand-up routine and put it on my Money mixtape. In the stand-up routine where he got it from, Chappelle was talking about a white dude and black guy smoking weed, and the white guy is named Chip, and Chip goes to ask a cop for directions and his friend is like, "Chip, no! Chip, don't do it!" Heh-heh.

What's the new Chip Tha Ripper slang?
"Bum." Now a regular person might think of a guy begging for change out in the street. In our circle of friends if we call you a bum, we think highly of you. What's doing, bum?

You a bum, Chip!
Nonono, I wouldn't even say the person's name. I replace it with bum. Like, "Hey bum, pass the sauce!"

When you're cruising the lakeshore, what are you listening to?
Boney James is lovely.

When you were little did you ever dress up as your favorite rapper for Halloween?
When I was in sixth grade at Forest Park Middle School in Euclid, I did a talent show where I performed 2Pac's "Do For Love" with a bandana on like I was 2Pac. The girls were screaming it.

Where did you go to high school?
I went to Euclid High, then I went to Life Skills. I never graduated though. I had 20 points and you needed 21. I didn't get that elective but I passed my proficiency so I'm smart enough!

Your folks are both teachers?
Yeah, my father, my mother and my uncle all have their master's degrees.

So what do they think of you not finishing high school?
I'm trying to make up for it right now with this music.

Chip Tha Ripper: 7 p.m. Saturday, May 10 at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216.781.ROCK. Tickets: $55-$500.