Local firm signs on US rapper

PETALING JAYA: Local entertainment company CMG Absolute has proven its mettle with the signing of American rapper Jin. 

Through a partnership between the company and American producer-cum-artiste Brooke Hale, Jin is now managed under their New York-based label Absolute Entertainment Inc. 

International tie-up: (From left) Adrian, Jin and Hale posing during an interview inPetaling Jaya recently.

Its partners are CMG Absolute's Wong Chee Meng and Adrian Wong, and Hale. 

Describing the partnership as a win-win situation, Adrian said the tie-up was a catalyst to strengthening the relationship between the entertainment scenes of two worlds. 

“With Hale in the picture, the likelihood of bridging the two scenes together and gaining more recognition for American and European artistes in Asia is more substantial as Hale is highly connected to the producers and artistes,” he said. 

Citing Jin as an example, Adrian said that with Hale's connections the company would be able to reach into the Western entertainment world. 

“A lot more doors have now opened for us,” he said. 

Jin, a 25-year-old Chinese-American rapper, became the first Asian-American rapper to be signed to a major record label. 

He has worked with various American big names as well as Hong Kong singer Lee Hom. He has also appeared as a supporting cast member in the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious. 

Born in Miami, Florida, and raised by his Chinese immigrant parents who ran a restaurant, Jin’s big break came in 2001 when the BET programme 106 & Park began inviting local rappers to hold battles in a segment known as “Freestyle Friday”. 

He won for seven weeks straight and was subsequently inducted into the show’s Hall of Fame. 

Adrian said that although there were opportunities now to represent international artistes, he felt that he should start off with talents that would make it in Asia. 

“This is also the stepping stone of a local outfit to possibility manage and represent American and European artistes in the future, not just Asian-Americans,” Adrian said. 

Hale said this was his first collaboration with his Malaysian partners and “Jin is the bridge.” 

“With this partnership, it is now more possible to expose Asian-American artistes to the Asian market. It is like bringing them back to their roots and creating a name for them in this part of the world,” he said. 

Jin’s first Canto-rap album ABC is slated for release in Malaysia this month.