Jin

Originally from Miami but based out of New York, Jin got his first taste of the limelight thanks to a lengthy, undefeated run on 106 & Park's "Freestyle Fridays" on BET. His razor-sharp rhyme skills devastated opponents week after week and eventually earned him a deal with the once-mighty Yonkers rap collective Ruff Ryders. Jin's Chinese-American heritage brought him plenty of media attention, with countless "it's an Asian rapper!"-style articles published from coast to coast. In 2003, he had a bit part in the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious, and released his long-awaited first single "Learn Chinese." Unfortunately, it was horrible, suffering from a typically unimaginative Wyclef beat (a recycled version of Das EFX's signature hit "They Want EFX") and cringe-inducing, stereotype-reinforcing rhymes about stir-fry, kung-fu, etc. His second single "Senorita" was a formulaic love jam that further chipped away at his buzz. After many delays, Jin's solo album The Rest Is History finally dropped in the fall of 2004. With guest spots from Twista, Kanye West and Styles P, it featured some solid cuts ("I Got a Love" and "Cold Outside" are highlights) but failed to generate big sales numbers. Regardless, Jin remains a very talented emcee, who would benefit greatly from better production and a better label. Time will tell if he can live up to the initial hype that surrounded him.