What's up?
I'm doing great, better than ever. I just had a birthday on June 4. Shout out to all the Gemini's. Angelina Jolie has the same birthday as me. Holler at your boy! (laughs)
Are you going to adopt some kids?
I might have to go to Africa because she's got it popping over there. If I were to adopt a kid, I'd probably go to China. There are a lot of orphaned children over there.
You've been tearing it up lately. What's your mind-state been like the past couple of months?
I've been doing this whole mini-campaign I created myself. I'm leaking my own songs. Basically, I've been in the studio making my music and a lot of times people record for a certain project, but I've just been recording and putting the songs out. I'll record it and get the urge to share it with everybody. Much love to y'all for supporting it. I'll post it on my MySpace and get some feedback on it. It's been great. I've been getting a lot of positive feedback so far. It's been a lot of love. The MySpace is popping so that's a good thing. I've had my profile up since '04. It's not an overnight thing. There are a few people who have me on smash as far as views and friends. I use my MySpace as a platform for getting feedback on my music and for interacting with the fans who want to give their two cents on whatever I'm doing.
It seems as though you actually enjoy interacting with your fans.
Let me break it down like this: This whole MySpace phenomenon has gotten so crazy that labels and artists are finally starting to see it as a good promotional tool. I guess for me, it's kind of like second-nature because I've been doing the whole chatting and message board thing since way before. I'm a message-board baby. I was registering and posting threads ever since I was a teen. As I evolved as an artist, I think that whole process evolved with me, from logging on to AIM and more.
That's a new generation of MC.
Yeah, it is. Everyone's doing the blogs now, even the journalists. It's cool, but it's tricky. There are a lot of journalists who approach it differently. Some are interesting and some are idiots who go about it however they can just to create a buzz for themselves.
Controversy sells.
Yeah, which brings us to the "Fuck Jay-Z" joint.
Did people think you were dissing Jay-Z at first?
Here's the irony. I was on my YouTube grind. Every now and then I might go on a YouTube binge and for two or three hours just look for shit to watch. I started coming across some wild diss videos. They were dissing known rappers, unknown rappers, and some were even dissing me. Then I noticed that this whole beef thing was turning into a platform for people to get on. Hip-hop is competition. It's always been a competitive sport. I'm talking about the people who just diss out of the blue and know they are just trying to use it as a tool. When I did that, I was like, "Let me do a record about that." I knew if I said "Fuck so-and-so" it would get a crazy reaction. I wanted to put in somebody who I knew would get a reaction. That's why I mentioned Jay. Jay was just a variable. It could have been anybody with that title. He just happens to be one of my personal favorites. The listeners proved my point that diss tracks spark interest. People love that kind of shit. They'll listen to that song just for the sheer fact they're dissing somebody. It's dope, though. Someone sent me a link to a chatroom at DefJam.com and somebody asked Jay if he heard the song and he responded, "It's clever." That's cool. It is what it is. It was me trying to be creative, which is what's lacking in today's music.
Why do you think creativity is disappearing?
People have different agendas. People approach the whole rap thing differently now. For some people, they're just trying to make a dollar and cake up while they can, which is respectable. You're trying to do something positive as opposed to something stupid you could be doing in the streets. I'm trying to make a dollar too, but I guess people have different formulas. Their formula is making music that doesn't challenge the listener. That's not a bad thing because some of the first hip-hop records, like the Kurtis Blow records, weren't exactly mind-challenging. Those may not be the most lyrically mind-blowing joints, but they are still considered classic records. It just seems those types of songs are what radio and TV wants to push severely over anything else these days. Nine times out of ten when you turn on your radio, you're hearing the "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" joints. They're not horrible records by any means, but that's what they want to play. If people really wanted the shit to change, they could make it change. People are all complaining about the state of hip-hop and the direction it's going, but they can make a change if they want. They're the ones who buy the CD's, listen to the radio and watch the videos. If the masses truly felt that Hot97 was playing garbage, all they have to do is turn it off for an hour. That will make their programming change drastically. It's on the people. It's partly the artists' fault and partly the people.
What's your relationship with the DJ's now?
I've always had ill relationships with DJ's. There are a handful of DJ's who support me, but even then, a lot can only support my shit to a certain extent. DJs are in a tricky position sometimes. There might be joints they don't want to necessarily play, but their boss is saying they have to play these ten songs in the next hour. I give the DJ's who try to incorporate their own sound into their mix credit because some don't even do that. Some will say I'm not in their radar or on their list so they can't play it. A lot of people don't understand it. People will tell me my song with Kanye was crazy and ask me "why wasn't it on the radio?" The reality is there are lists for radio stations. If you're not on that list, no matter how hot that record is, you're not going to get played. There are a lot of hot records you may personally love but will probably never hear them on the radio because they're not on the list.
Did you get more love from the radio when you were Ruff Ryders-affiliated?
That's a good-ass question. Being a part of that collective was crazy and I have no regrets about that. No matter how you cut it, Ruff Ryders is in the history books. My agenda was always to be a part of it and add my own little chapter to the books. It's weird because now that I'm doing Jin and I'm in my own lane making my music, people are like, "This is you. The Ruff Ryders sound was never you." I don't think the Ruff Ryders were trying to turn me into something I wasn't. I think at that time in my life I was trying to figure out stuff for myself. On one side, they were telling me they needed a certain joint to be a single, and then the partner, Virgin, would want me to go another way. I'm trying to transform that whole process into my music so people know what really happened. "Long Winding Road" probably got the most positive response out of all the songs I've ever put out. That song has gotten a lot of positive feedback. I think it's mainly because it's from the heart and there are no other intentions other than me letting this shit out. I appreciate all the people who gave me positive feedback on that record.
It's been a year since the "I Quit" statement. What are your thoughts on that statement today?
You got the ill questions left and right. I can never regret that. I had to go through that to evolve into who I am now. The "I Quit" thing, not just the record, but everything I said in the song, at that point in my life, I felt there was so much I wanted to remove myself from in order for me to find the purpose and direction I wanted to go. I don't mean just the Ruff Ryders situation, but the game as a whole. The rap game was crazy and I needed to step away from it. In me stepping away from it and me doing the "I Quit" shit, when I was going through that, Properganda wasn't even on my radar. I still had a passion for making music, so I had to go in and record that shit. It was a great experience because I ended up doing that project without any influence from any labels or A&R's. I didn't need or want anyone telling me something wouldn't get spins on the radio. I was getting a lot of love from that project. Some say that Properganda was one of the iller albums to come out that year and I'm super-proud of that.
Sometimes MC's need a coach to push them in the right direction. Do you need a coach to be successful?
I don't think I need a coach, but producers can make a big difference. Dre and RZA are great producers. I don't know why more people don't say RZA when talking about incredible producers. Sometimes MC's can have the illest concepts, but it takes a producer to transform that into a hot record. Let's look at Eminem. He's arguably one of the illest MC's, but you better believe Dre killed that shit on the Slim Shady LP as far as the way he constructed it. Not to take anything away from Em, but I'm saying Dre did a lot for that project. You can tell Dre put a lot into that. Even if you listen to both Chronic albums. They're both classics and the production was crazy in how it was put together. I don't necessarily need a coach, but if you put an artist together with a producer together, it could be magic. Imagine if I hooked up with Dre. This is not a plea for Dre to sign me, but I don't think anyone is better than Dre in brining out the best in an artist. Look at what he brought out of 50. Put Dre and Phonte together or Dre and Lupe Fiasco. You catch my drift. The people around you when you're recording and writing can totally change your perspective on things.
Are you looking for your own Dre?
I'm at a crossroads. I don't wake up every day like, "Fuck, when is this deal coming?" I think when you have that mentality, it clouds your creative thinking. These records I'm putting out are records I'm making at leisure. The hunger is still there, but it's a different type of hunger. I think once you say, "I need to get signed," you lose sight of what the goal is, which is making dope music and building your fan-base up.
What's your main focus right now?
I'm finishing up this Chinese album. I'm going to be in Hong Kong for a minute to see what type of opportunities are out there. Hip-hop is growing all over the world, especially in Asia. I'm going to try to be the bridge for the cats out there trying to get up on the hip-hop scene but they don't have a thorough knowledge of the culture and what it's about. They don't have an identity out there. There are cats who rap in Chinese but it only gets to a certain level because I guess people don't see it yet. I'm going to go out there and just try to do what I do and bring something different to the table. I've been blessed to live in a household where I spoke Cantonese frequently so I am able to speak it now fluently. People look at Asia and think its nothing to sell a shitload of records out there because of its huge population, which is actually a huge misconception. In reality, the market for consumers who purchase music is actually not that large. I think it will be an interesting just to see what type of feedback I get with the project. Meanwhile, I have wild joints in the stash just joints to hold my US fans over. I'll send them to HipHopGame every two weeks just for the hell of it.
Do you see yourself as a role model for kids?
Certainly. Whenever somebody becomes a public figure, you become a role model and you put yourself out there to be criticized and judged. How you deal with that is on you. Artists might say, "I'm not trying to be no role model. Parents, take care of your kids." That's just a cheap excuse to get out of it. I believe parents need to keep an eye on their children, but we all know these kids are not listening to their parents. They'll be quicker to do what their favorite rapper tells them to do. That's the way it is. I don't try to front like I'm a perfect saint, but I'm going to attempt to pass something positive on to the next generation. I'm going to tell them it's not cool. I'm going to tell them I wish I could stop drinking and that shit is not a good feeling. I'm not an alcoholic, but I'll get twisted sometimes. I'll tell kids they didn't need that in their life.
Moderation is key.
Exactly. You need to know how to control whatever your vice is.
Do you see yourself battling anymore?
That's a whole 'nother chapter right there. The battling scene ain't what it use to be no more. They're showing the Serius Jones Fight Klub battle on MTV now. We had battled in October of '05 and now they're showing it on TV. Everybody's hitting me like, "What happened, Jin? You need to reclaim your crown." I already had when we went to the Bahamas a month after that battle. That's another story. I won that one. When I won that one, I re-established to myself that I still had it. People are telling me today to not let the loss get me down. I guess the reality is they don't realize that I already bounced back. You win some, you lose some. You can't win them all. The same way people are saying, "You got ate at that battle. That dude killed you" is the same way they'd say, "Jin, you killed it" at another battle. What does it say about me if someone can make a name and career off of beating me in a battle? That says more about me than them.
You knew Serius Jones was going to come with a Chinese joke at some time in the battle. Does that bother you at all?
Not at all. I blame myself because I feel I didn't handle it like I should have handled it. People will tell me that I got jerked and he only won because of the racial jokes. I don't feel that way. I think he won fair-and-square. He's not the first person to hurl racial jokes at me. I heard racial jokes when I was battling in the 7th grade. That night, I let it get the best of me and he walked away with the $10 g's, but a month later I walked away with the $50 g's. It's cool. I know my own accomplishments and I know my own worth.
Serius Jones can make Asian jokes and get away with it. What if you flip it around and make a Black joke to Serius Jones. How does that go down?
That's an issue that's bigger than hip-hop like dead prez would say. That's the reality of the world. I choose not to because that's not my steez. It's not because I feel a certain way like if I say that, this might be the consequences. Of course there will be consequences. There will always be consequences for what you do. What I'm proud of and what I think people like about me is I've never had to go there and I've always managed to find my way out of the hole without going there. I choose not to go there and I don't need to. I've heard the most creative Asian jokes to the most idiotic ones. It's just not a part of my style. There can be double-standard at times, but I don't think it's limited to just battling. I think it's the world. Everybody wants to be respected in a certain way, but they have to respect other people in that same way. It's not a Black and Asian thing. There are a lot of Asians who don't want to be called racist names, but they'll be the first ones to say something racist about someone else. It's like that for every race.
How do you feel about what went down in the Bahamas a month later?
I feel great about it. I went into that battle coming off of a highly publicized loss so there was a lot of speculation as to how I would perform. I went in with a specific goal and that was to walk away with 50 grand, which I did.
How many times do you get asked to battle each day?
Oh my God! Sometimes I don't even want to leave my house. People come up to me all the time asking to battle or saying their man wants to battle me. It's funny. The way I see it, the day that people want to stop battling me is what I need to worry about because that means I don't matter anymore. That's not the case right now though. Now, it's, "My man will eat you. My man will battle you right now."
What would it take to get you in a battle tomorrow?
It's not about finding something to get me back into battling. It's not about me battling somebody for prize money. If you want me to get in a battle, you better cut me a check off top. I'm not trying to sound cocky, but I know my own worth. Let's say MC Joe Schmo is in the battle. Let's say he beats Jin, which is not impossible because I'm not invincible. I win more than I lose, but I have lost before. Still, if the public doesn't know anything else about me, they know my repertoire when it comes to battling. That's why I never had to brag about my skills as a battler. Anyhow, If Jin beats Joe Schmo, it is what it is. Nobody will probably even acknowledge it. On the other hand, if MC Joe Schmo wins that battle, he's launching a press release, dropping a single, telling people to check out his website, the whole nine! I refuse to let somebody use me as a launch for their career. I'm just simply looking at it from a business standpoint. At the end of the day, I'm still an MC and that MC nature is still in me. It may not be a good career move, but if someone comes up and wants me to battle or my manager is like, "You have to serve this kid," I will. I'll win these battles and nobody cares because it's just not interesting. You're not going to see a headline on HipHopGame that Jin beats MC Get Busy in North Dakota. On the other hand, if I lose, you'll be writing an article about it, YouTube link included.
Are you happy with how Properganda did?
Yeah, I really am. I had a concept for an album and I just executed it. I wanted to do an album of that nature, going back to dope beats, dope rhymes, and dope concepts. That's it. The feedback I got from it was more special and more important than anything else. It was a very generic process for me. I was vibing to the beats and just writing. I wasn't worried about first-week sales or radio spins. To shoot the video for "Top 5 Dead or Alive" and to have Kool Herc in your video co-signing you, that's special. You can have Michael Jackson or anyone else, but at the end of the day, we're talking about the godfather of hip-hop, the dude who played the first record in the park. In my mind, if I have his approval, I'm happy, I'm content.
Looking back on The Rest is History, would you do anything differently on that?
Good question. I'm a different person. It's hard to compare a 24 year-old to a 22 year-old. My whole mind-state was different then. Let's say I had a time machine and I went back to 2002, I would probably leave it as it is. Going through what I went through and getting the feedback I got, that was a stepping stone for myself. It took me going through all of that in order for me to find out, "Oh man, that's not what it's about. These are the types of records I should do. These are the types of beats I should rock on." In no means is that record not reflective of me. Nobody made me do a certain type of record. There was nothing on The Rest is History I was forced to do. Everything was laid out how it was supposed to be.
Is the Emcee still rhyming?
(laughs) I was born as Jin and I'm going to be Jin. I always tell people the name thing is just such a miniscule aspect of everything. If someone calls me Jin while I'm walking by them, I'm not going to turn around and say, "Please call me the Emcee." I might turn my name into a symbol like Prince did. (laughs) I might have a microphone with a snake wrapped around it.
What's the next move for Jin?
Between now and the end of the year, I'm going to definitely put all my time and effort into launching this ABC project. "ABC" stands for "American-Born Chinese." You have certain Asians born in China that view us differently because we weren't born in China. They look at us like we're not full-Chinese. Others may think it's more beneficial that we were born over here because the goal is to ultimately immigrate to the US at some point. The immigration process is very uncertain. This project is me breaking it down and explaining things. The album is recorded in Chinese. Basically, I'm spitting in my native language. As of now, it's looking to launch back in Asia. If there's interest for it in the US, I'll bring it back and share it with everyone. There's a website for it, http://abcjin.com, so people can go there and check it out. I feel music is all about the sound and the vibe. Look at salsa music or reggae, it's more about the feeling you get when you listen to it as opposed to actually understanding what they're saying. My goal is to have people who don't speak or understand Chinese feel the vibe off what I'm doing with this project.
I'm also trying to get my acting on. I have a couple independent films I'm working on. The Hollywood shuffle is a hard hustle. The shit moves slow, but I feel that once I get this opportunity, there's going to be something big on the table. I don't want to say what it is, but I'm pursuing a couple projects in particular. It's just a matter of them being developed. They're developing the script and I'm trying to find the right roles. There's definitely some shit on the horizon. I love that. The movie world is another world. Granted, I haven't been in it like that, but to be involved with something on the major production level, that's crazy. It's crazy when I see 2 Fast 2 Furious today. I wanted it to be where the shit that I do pop up in is crazy instead of it being some wild, random shit. You don't really accomplish anything in that. I didn't want to be the same guy in seven movies. That's why I'm trying to be selective with what I do next.
What do you want to say to everyone?
In closing, thank you. I've always been real humble about everything and I think that's what's gotten me to the point I'm at now. No matter how much work I put in and no matter how good the music is, it doesn't mean anything if the people don't check it out. Thank you to everyone who checks out the songs on HipHopGame and leaving honest feedback, positive or negative. I'm trying to step my five-star game up! (laughs) Check me out on the MySpace page also. There are a lot of fake pages. The only real one I have is http://myspace.com/therealjin. Peace.
http://abcjin.com
By Brian Kayser
http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3?page=tracks1
imi zice si mie cineva ceva despre el?nu mai pot sa mai citesc nimic pe net.nici macar un amart de articol de 10 randuri.
chiar tare suna chinezoiul asta.abia acum am aflat de el cand a devenit si el the artist of the month
