Author Topic: jin signed by dmx (Read 233 times)

STILLDRE IS THE GODFATHER · « **on:** March 29, 2003, 01:00:46 PM »

Success has come quickly for Jin. A little over a year ago, the Asian-American rapper was freestyling in front of a New York record store. A heartbeat later, he won seven freestyle competitions in a row on BET's "106 & Park," which led to a deal with Ruff Ryders Records. And Jin's triumph doesn't look to be short-lived.

His self-titled debut drops this summer, he'll appear as a mechanic in John Singleton's "2 Fast 2 Furious" flick in June, and he already has offers from other directors who want in on the action. Not bad for a 20-year-old who grew up working in his family's Chinese restaurant.

"It's just crazy," Jin said, thumbing a diamond-and-platinum "R" pendant dangling from his neck. "I had always thought in my head that I was going to get to a certain point by a certain time, but it's totally beyond my imagination how much can come so quickly."

Jin
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Many have compared Jin to Eminem, and the analogy isn't a bad one. Both are quick-witted and cocky, both had to prove themselves to skeptics on the freestyle circuit, and both spout complex verbal rhythms with what seems like little effort. Jin even has a similar flow and nasal tone to Em.

"I would hate to sit here and compare myself to him because we're two different individuals," Jin said. "The comparisons are eerie, but I didn't set out on a path to be just like him. Like, 'He battled his way to the top. I'm gonna do that, too.' We both ended up feeling it was our way to get recognition because battling is a true show of talent."

He stopped for a moment and took a swig of bottled water, then clarified his take on Eminem.

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Jin
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"If I was wack, I wouldn't be compared to him. So from that manner, I appreciate it. But my whole goal is just to do my music and separate that line so at the end of the day, when people really find out who Jin is musically and as an individual, they'll realize, 'Yo, Em is Em, Jin is Jin.' " He smirked and added, "Still, I'd love to battle him."

Eminem comparisons notwithstanding, Jin has gotten lots of love from the hip-hop community, which sees him as an exciting and creative new voice in a sometimes stagnant scene. Wherever he goes, he's greeted by people who recognize him from his BET showdowns and want him to sign autographs or break into a freestyle. Still, there are those who remain skeptical that a kid who doesn't come from the streets could be embraced by Ruff Ryders, home of DMX, Eve and the LOX. And there are others who think the label is plugging Jin merely because of the novelty factor.

"Some people are like, 'Oh, they only gave it to him because he's a Chinese kid,' he said. "That's something that bugs me, but I see where it comes from. The biggest thing people react to is the visual. You see me, and I'm this Asian kid. But I definitely don't like to exploit it, and I don't intend to."

Jin grew up in Miami, where his parents owned a Chinese restaurant. He discovered hip-hop through the music of Naughty by Nature, LL Cool J and House of Pain, and as he grew up and heard the Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die, he learned how to blend beats and lyrics together. In junior high school he started freestyling and quickly found he had a knack for combining witty wordplay with flowing rhythms.

"If there was anything involving rapping going on, you could be sure Jin was there," he said, smiling. "I went to talent shows and battles. That was the foundation, really. Then, when I was in high school, I was at the mall, the park and the arcade battling everybody. I did lots of underground battles, and it wasn't about fame or fortune, it was about just trying to get a rep."

Realizing that staying in Florida would only get him so far, Jin started saving up his money so he could fly to New York on weekends and battle in the big leagues in front of Fat Beats Records in the East Village. It was there that he met his manager, who hooked him up for the BET "106 & Park" freestyle competition.

Once Jin secured a record deal, his whole family moved to New York to be with him, which solved one problem, but he had another obstacle to overcome: He knew he was a pro when it came to making up rhymes on the spot, but coming up with lyrics and musical hooks was a new challenge.

"They're definitely two different worlds," he said. "When you're freestylin', you're goin' off at random about everything and anything, but with an album there's a lot more focus. You gotta stick with a certain topic and come up with some real hot music. It was really hard, and at times I was like, 'What have I gotten myself into?' But it's worked out real cool."

Jin's self-titled debut will feature various Ruff Ryders in-house producers including Swizz Beatz, Elite and Mahogany (who has worked with Dr. Dre). The first single will likely be "Oh No!." Other tracks include "Chinatown," about growing up in a Chinese neighborhood, and "Dumb Ones."

Musically, Jin's songs might be reminiscent of Eminem and Notorious B.I.G., but his lyrics have more in common with Will Smith. There's no cursing, no gangsta violence and hardly any bling.

"We got enough killers out there," he said. "We need a guy that can put a smile on people's faces. That's not to say that everything I do is lighthearted, but the general vibe of it is more about fun stuff."

Dj Eskimo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2003, 02:56:38 PM »

when does Jins album drop? should be dope.

Now_Im_Not_Banned · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2003, 12:45:19 AM »

Yea, he's coo...No cursing? WTF is that?...LoL

Navigator · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2003, 03:10:55 PM »

Yeah This guy got sum real heat.His face don't match his voice thou,not 2 be racist.However,Peeps comparin his STYLE to Eminem,they couldn't be nearer to the truth.Jus wait til u check this guy out! much success to the young lad.