Home Boy

East Asia's fledgling hip-hop scene could have asked for no better boost than the arrival of Jin Au-Yeung. The 26-year-old Chinese-American rapper relocated to Hong Kong from New York City this summer in a move either born of frustration at a flagging Stateside career or of a wish to connect more strongly with his roots (his parents are from Hong Kong) — or both.

Whatever the reason, MC Jin, as he's known professionally, has lost no time making his mark. In August, Universal Music released the Cantonese-language ABC — an exploration of Jin's experiences as an American-born Chinese. The album's launch was held at a Hong Kong teahouse.

"If you put me in the market in the States, I would be another rapper, one in a million," Jin says. But in fact there is no rapper quite like him. Jin first came to prominence in 2001, after he won seven consecutive freestyle rap battles (live improvisation contests) on Black Entertainment Television. That led to his becoming the first solo Asian-American rapper signed by a major label (Ruff Ryders). His debut album, The Rest is History, featured big names like Kanye West and Wyclef Jean, and included the taunting single Learn Chinese ("When the pumps go off/ y'all gon' speak Chinese") plus serious tracks that delved into the Tiananmen killings and migrant life ("Think we open restaurants 'cause we cook good?")

After peaking on the charts at 54, History fizzled into oblivion. Jin, it seemed, was not the sort of performer who could win mainstream U.S. acceptance. Part of that might have been to do with race, with rivals quick to play that card. During a battle in New York City, one quipped, "You squint your eyes and look deceitful/ That's why God hates Chinese people." But Jin, who uses Asian stereotypes to his own benefit, often had the last word: "Yeah I'm Chinese/ Now you understand it/ I'm the reason why his little sister's eyes are slanted."

Although Jin's Asian-American following is significant, his use of Cantonese has also helped him get "very big" in Hong Kong, says DJ Tommy, a founding member of Cantonese rap forefathers LMF. "People are excited," Tommy says.

Jin has no regrets, describing his Hong Kong move as "growth" and "going forward." Hopefully the chance to win fresh converts, target new Chinese-speaking markets and play a formative role in an Asian rap scene that yearns for someone of his experience will keep him content for a long time to come. "I might not have been the guy who sold a million records," he says, "but you can't accuse me of not properly representing hip-hop and Asian culture."