Miami-born rapper Jin Au-yeung became the first Asian inducted into the Freestyle Friday Hall of Fame in the United States after he won seven rap battles in a row on 106 & Park, a popular show on America's Black Entertainment Television network. That landed him a contract with major hip hop label Ruff Ryders and he released the album The Rest Is History six years ago.
Known by the stage name MC Jin, he relocated to Hong Kong after releasing his Cantonese-language album ABC (for American-born-Chinese) here in 2007. The title song was named one of the Top 10 songs in Commercial Radio's Ultimate Song Chart Awards the same year. He has since found a niche in the city, getting a role in the new kung fu comedy Gallants and hosting TVB programmes such as talk show Big Boys Club and weekly music show Jade Solid Gold (JSG).
You are doing everything from rapping, acting to hosting TV shows now. Did you ever think your Hong Kong career would develop so well?
I arrived in Hong Kong in June 2008 thinking I would be here for three or four months to promote my album, maybe do some shows and a couple of events, then go back to America. I never thought that in such a short time, I would have so many opportunities to do so many different things: product endorsements, films and television jobs. In the States I wouldn't get the chance to do all those things.
What does your family think about your career here in Hong Kong? I don't think they thought it was going to take off like it did. When I found out I was going to Hong Kong, my parents gave me a piece of advice: 'Be yourself. If there is anything you don't understand, just say so or you'll get into trouble.' I still keep those words in mind. They know what I'm doing here; if it makes them happy, it makes me 10 times happier. It's just amazing to see how things have worked out. They used to be really against me following my dream of being a rapper. They thought I was wasting my future. When I told them, 'I'm not going to college. I'm trying to be a rapper,' they were upset. I didn't understand their feelings at the time. I even blamed them for not supporting me. But now, I think I was wrong. I know it was because they love me. Today, we have all changed, which is the best part of the whole thing.
You've directed a number of music videos and shorts which are posted on your YouTube channel. What inspired you to make those videos?
After Gallants, I started making videos by myself and with some of my friends. It's fascinating. I plan the shoot and visualise how I would edit the scenes. It's so much fun. When I watch movies now, I think 'How could they get that angle?'