Hitmaka’s career seems more like a fictional novel or movie than real life. Starting his journey as a rap-obsessed teen in Chicago, the artist born Christian Ward found himself rubbing elbows with the likes of future Grammy winners Kanye West, No I.D. and Lupe Fiasco before he could legally drive. He even snagged beats from Kanye and No I.D. for his demo tape, which triggered a bidding war between DMX and Jay-Z.