I recently had the pleasure of attending Chinx‘ private listening party for his upcoming EP, “I’ll Take it From Here,” at Chung King Studios. It was a packed house for the Far Rockaway Coke Boys rapper and the response to his new project has been positive thus far.
WHIHH sat down with Chinx the day after his listening party to get the full story behind what’s next and what exactly he’s taking from here. WHIHH wanted to know a little more about the recent drop of “Drugz” from stage name. Chinx explained that it just wasn’t fitting with what he was going for so it had to go. And despite some controversy around Chinx’ name, he explained that it’s simply an acronym: “Coward Hearted Individuals Never Exist.”
The intro “Wake Up,” on his new EP is his favorite song off the project. He explained that it’s personal, but not too deep and it sets the tone for where you’re about to go. As I jotted down my notes during our interview, noting my preference for pen and pad, I asked him his preferred way of working on songs. He prefers not to write at all, working on a couple lines at a time. He heads into the studio, turns on whatever beat he’s working on, and tries to just channel good energy and get a vibe going.
Chinx is no rookie in the studio. He’s been working on music since before his incarceration in 2005, when he first formed The Riot Squad with Stack Bundles, who sadly was murdered while Chinx was serving his time. Chinx used his time in prison to better himself, realizing in a real way how much he could accomplish with his “free” time there. He also realized that freedom and life can be taken away in a second and it gave him the push he needed to make things happen when he got out.
Aside from the push that he got from being incarcerated and losing his dear friend, Chinx says that his children motivate him and give him an added push. Chinx has a son and a daughter, who make him feel responsible as a father and an entertainer. When asked how he deals with the content of his music when talking to his kids, Chinx says that he tells them that what he does is just like what actors do in movies, but with music. “It’s just entertainment,” Chinx says. There’s real feelings and emotions, but it’s just entertainment at the end of the day.
WHIHH asked Chinx to describe himself using only 5 words. His answer, “Humble, soft spoken, arrogant, optimistic, and dedicated.” He’s been quoted on his web site as saying that he’ll change the game by being himself and perfecting his craft. To further clarify, he said that his story is not Jay-Z’s, it’s not Nas’ story. “Your story is your story,” he continued. Everyone has a story and though there may be overlapping parts, no one’s story will ever be just like his.
Why an EP? Chinx talked about the nature of the music industry currently and that it’s more about the quantity of music. He went on to talk about how many wasted songs there are now because only one record can be promoted at a time. An EP allows him to not waste anymore records and the songs will most likely be later placed on a full length project.
When asked if he could collaborate with any artist, Chinx said that Adele was at the top of his list. He said that Harry Fraud “can just capture a moment,” when asked about his favorite producers.
So what’s next for Chinx? He says that any artist can make a song. “How do you make the right song?” WHIHH looks forward to watching the journey of this artist as he figures out the answer to his question. Chinx said that the feeling for the name of his EP came first as he wanted to show his progress as an artist. “I had to make these moves on my own. I’m good. I got this. It’s my turn now.” In other words, he’ll take it from here.
This is what’s hot in hip hop. If it’s not here, it’s not hot.
