Chino XL

Chino XL
Chino XL performing at Toads Place in New Haven, Connecticut, in March 2012.
Background information
Birth name	Derek Keith Barbosa
Born	(1974-04-08) April 8, 1974 The Bronx, New York, United States
Origin	New Jersey
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper, lyricist, actor
Years active	1992–present
Labels	American Recordings Warner Bros. Records Metro Records Activate Records Bungalo Records Machete Music/Universal Records Viper Records
Associated acts	Rebel Armz, Ras Kass, Immortal Technique, Kool G Rap, Saafir, Kool Keith, Killah Priest, Proof, Tech N9ne, Roc Marciano, Playalitical, KJIVA, Canibus, Bun B, B-Real, RKZ, Miilkbone.

Derek Keith Barbosa (born April 8, 1974), better known by his stage name Chino XL, is an American rapper and actor, known for his "technically" accomplished style, consisting of self-consciously over-the-top punchlines, exaggerated egotism, complex rhyme schemes, and use of multiple similes, puns, metaphors, and word play. He has collaborated on various projects with some of the most well known in Hip Hop. Chino is also an avid bodybuilder. Chino started rhyming in 1986, as said in his song "Don't Say A Word". He has released four solo studio albums, in which his most recent – Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary - won the 2012 HHUG Album of the Year award ^[1]

Aside from music, Chino also forged a career in acting, appearing in several films and making guest appearances on the Comedy Central series Reno 911! and the CBS series CSI: Miami. He has starred in films alongside Kate Hudson, Luke Wilson, and Rob Reiner and had a solo project debut at Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival.^[2]

He is the nephew of Bernie Worrell of music group Parliament/Funkadelic.^[3] Barbosa is also a member of Mensa.^[4]

Early life

Chino XL was born in The Bronx, New York, United States, and is of Puerto Rican and Black ancestry.

Career

After co-founding the duo Art of Origin, the emcee was signed at age 16 by music impresario Rick Rubin to Rubin's American Recordings label, which was once part of the Warner Bros. Records family. He released his debut album Here to Save You All in 1996, which was released to critical acclaim. The lead single "Kreep" which featured an interpolation of the Radiohead song "Creep" experienced major airplay by radio and MTV. Kreep charted on the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B Chart for a record 23 weeks, from July 1996 to January 1997.

Chino was released from his American Recordings contract when American Recordings switched distributors from Warner to Columbia in 1997. Warner Bros. Records then signed Chino in the fall of 1997. His sophomore album was due to be released during April 1999 but numerous delays prevented the album from being released.^[5] Although in early 2001 when the album was about to be released and its lead single "Let Em' Live" featuring Kool G. Rap was nearing early pressing stages Chino was dropped by Warner. Although the album titled, I Told You So, was eventually released in 2001 by Metro Records.^[6]

Chino released his third album, Poison Pen, in 2006 which featured appearances by Proof of D-12, and rap group The Beatnuts.

In 2007, Chino signed a contract with the Universal Latino label Machete Music.^[7]

In 2009 during a controversial interview with Allhiphop.com writer Han O'Connor, Chino revealed that his fifth studio album The RICANstruction was to be released soon. The album was released via his own joint venture CPR/Universal and featured Immortal Technique, Tech N9ne, Ras Kass, Crooked I, and Bun B. The RICANstruction also featured an unreleased collaboration with and a song with Big Pun. The album featured production from DJ Khalil and Focus served as executive producer.

On August 19, a song titled "N.I.C.E." that was produced by Nick Wiz was released.^[8]

In an interview in 2012, Chino XL revealed he would be releasing his album as a double disc through Immortal Technique's Viper Records. The album was released on September 25, 2012 called Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary, which won the 2012 HHUG Album of the Year award ^[1]

On June 15, 2013, Shanghai :30 Entertainment booked a show with Chino XL for him to play alongside local, on-the-rise hiphop artists.^[9]

In 2014, he formed a hip hop supergroup along with rappers Vakill, Copywrite, Tame One and producer Stu Bangas called Verse 48. They started working on an EP.^[10]

He is currently working on his new album, which will include a track with R.A. the Rugged Man.^[11]

Discography

Studio albums

• Here to Save You All (1996)
• I Told You So (2001)
• Poison Pen (2006)
• Something Sacred (2008) (with Playalitical)
• Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary (2012)

EPs

• Here to Save You All in '96 (1996)
• Wake Up Show Exclusives! (1998)

Mixtapes

• Warning (2006)

Singles

• "No Slow Rollin'" (1992) (with Kaoz, as Art of Origin)
• "Un-Rational" (1993) (with Kaoz, as Art of Origin)
• "Purple Hands in the Air / Dark Night of the Bloodspiller" (1994)
• "Kreep" (1996)
• "No Complex / Waiting to Exhale" (1996)
• "Thousands / Freestyle Rhymes" (1996)
• "Deliver" (1996)
• "Rise / Jesus" (1997)
• "Let 'Em Live" (2000)
• "Last Laugh" (2001)
• "What You Got / Let 'Em Live" (2001)
• "Don't Run from Me / Warning" (2006)
• "Poison Pen" (2006)
• "Messiah" (2006)
• "Jump Back" (2007)
• "Lick Shots" (2008) (with Immortal Technique, Crooked I)
• "Chow Down" (2008) (with Playalitical)
• "N.I.C.E." (2012)
• "Arm Yourself" (2012) (with DV Alias Khrist, Sick Jacken & Immortal Technique)
• "Kings" (2012) (with Big Pun)
• "They Don't Know Nothing" (2015) (with RKZ)

References

External links

• Chino XL on Discogs
• Chino XL on ITunes
• Chino XL at the Internet Movie Database
• Chino XL: 'I'd S**t On Shakespeare by Han O'Connor (Allhiphop)