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Derek Keith Barbosa (April 8, 1974 – July 28, 2024), better known by his stage name Chino XL, was an American rapper and actor. He released five solo studio albums. His album '' Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary'' (2012) won the 2012 HHUG Album of the Year Award.
In addition to his music career, Barbosa acted in numerous films and on television and subsequently appearing as a guest star on the
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...
series '' Reno 911!'', and CBS series '' CSI: Miami''. His feature film credits include a co-starring role opposite Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson in director
Rob Reiner Robert Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and liberal activist. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael Stivic, Mike "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitc ...
's '' Alex & Emma'' ( Warner Bros. Pictures) and several indie films, including Brandon Sonnier's ''The Beat'', which premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...
. Barbosa was the nephew of Bernie Worrell of the music group Parliament/Funkadelic, and was also a member of
Mensa International Mensa International is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test. Mensa ...
.


Early life

Born in
The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
, New York, Derek Barbosa grew up in
East Orange, New Jersey East Orange is a City (New Jersey), city in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 69,612, an increase of 5,342 (+8.3%) from the 2010 United States ...
.. He was raised by his single mother (African American) and his father was of Puerto Rican descent.


Career

After co-founding the duo Art of Origin with Kerri Chandler, "Chino XL" (as he was called from then on) was signed at age 16 by music impresario Rick Rubin to his American Recordings label, at the time a member of the Warner Bros. Records family. Barbosa released his debut album '' Here to Save You All'' in 1996, to critical acclaim. The lead single " Kreep", which featured an interpolation of the
Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...
song " Creep" received major airplay by radio and MTV. "Kreep" charted on the
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
Bubbling Under R&B Chart for a record 23 weeks, from July 1996 to January 1997. '' Here to Save You All'' was A&R'd by '' Dan Charnas''. Chino was released from his American Recordings contract when the label switched distributors from Warner Bros. Records to Columbia Records in 1997. Warner then signed Chino in the fall of 1997. His second album was due to come out in April 1999 but numerous delays prevented this. In early 2001, when the album's lead single "Let 'Em Live" featuring
Kool G Rap Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Cr ...
was about to appear, Chino was dropped by Warner, as they folded their Black music department, allegedly due to the public legal battle with
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
. The album was eventually released in 2001 by Metro Records under the title '' I Told You So''. In 2000, Chino signed with Hollywood manager Stacey Castro to pursue an acting career. He found success, making guest appearances on multiple popular television series, indie films and Warner Bros. PicturesAlex & Emma” by acclaimed director
Rob Reiner Robert Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and liberal activist. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael Stivic, Mike "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitc ...
. Castro and Chino executive produced '' Poison Pen'' his long-awaited 3rd studio album (2006). The album introduced the iconic classic “ Wordsmith”, and featured appearances by Proof of D-12, Killah Priest and hip hop duo The Beatnuts, all likewise managed by Castro at the time. In 2007, Chino signed a contract with the Universal Latino label Machete Music. In 2009, Chino's fourth album ''RICANstruction'' was released via his own joint venture CPR/Universal. It featured appearances by
Immortal Technique Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), known artistically as Immortal Technique, is an American rapper, activist and songwriter. His lyrics are largely commentary on issues such as politics, religion, institutional racism, and govern ...
,
Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper and singer. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold ...
, and Bun B and was produced by
DJ Khalil Khalil Abdul-Rahman Hazzard (born October 16, 1974), professionally known as DJ Khalil, is an American music producer and disc jockey, DJ from Los Angeles. The son of National Basketball Association, NBA player Walt Hazzard, he signed with rapp ...
, with 5x Grammy winner Focus acting as executive producer. On August 19, 2011, a song titled "N.I.C.E.", produced by Nick Wiz, was released. On September 25, 2012, the album '' Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary'' was released as a double disc through
Immortal Technique Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), known artistically as Immortal Technique, is an American rapper, activist and songwriter. His lyrics are largely commentary on issues such as politics, religion, institutional racism, and govern ...
's Viper Records. It won the 2012 HHUG Album of the Year award On June 15, 2013, Shanghai :30 Entertainment booked a show with Chino XL for him to play alongside local, on-the-rise hip hop artists. 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. In 2015, he was featured on UK singer/rapper RKZ's single 'They Don't Know Nothing'. In late 2019, Freemusicempire wrote that Chino XL is "The greatest name-checker in rap history" Dan-O wrote "Chino XL has a career full of jaw dropping name drops that don't benefit him at all. In 1996 he was clowning OJ Simpson, in 2012 he was making fun of Muhammed Ali's brain stem. If you are going to drop the name of someone important do 2 things for me A.) don't walk it back and apologize B.) make it heinous. Do it out of an unparalleled fearlessness. Shake the world up so the people who feel safe don't anymore….and when the consequences come take them like a seasoned criminal takes a sentence. Or don't do it at all." In December 2020, he released a joint extended play "''Chino vs. Balt''" with Balt Getty, under Purplehaus Records. In 2022, it was reported he was working on a new album, which would include a collaboration with R.A. the Rugged Man. In 2023, Chino XL reunited with Stu Bangas to release the LP ''God’s Carpenter'', a 12-song album featuring
Vinnie Paz Vincenzo Luviner ( Luvineri born October 5, 1977), better known as Vinnie Paz (formerly known as Ikon the Verbal Hologram), is an Italian-born American rapper and producer behind the Philadelphia underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. He ...
on the single "Murder Rhyme Kill". Additional singles included "AMBImonsterous" and the title track "God’s Carpenter". Shortly before his death, he, along with KXNG Crooked, Canibus and La the Darkman, contributed to
Rakim William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim (), is an American rapper. He is one half of Golden age hip-hop, golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, with whom he released four albums: ''Paid in Full ...
's album ''G.O.Ds NETWORK: REB7RTH'' on the song "Pendulum Swing".


Death

Barbosa died at his home by suicide through ligature hanging on July 28, 2024. He was 50. Chino's first born daughter Chynna was appointed on March 20, 2025 as the Administrator and Personal Representative of The Estate of Derek Keith Barbosa. Chynna is also the namesake of 4Chynna Music, Chino XL's music publishing company throughout his entire career.


Discography


Solo albums

*'' Here to Save You All'' (1996) *'' I Told You So'' (2001) *'' Poison Pen'' (2006) *'' Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary'' (2012) *''God’s Carpenter'' (with Stu Bangas) (2023)


Posthumous releases

*''Darkness and Other Colors'' (2024) *''Map of Bones'' (with DJ Fokus) (2025)


Collaboration albums

*'' Something Sacred'' (with Playalitical) (2008)


Extended plays

*''Chino vs. Balt'' (with Balt Getty) (2020)


Singles

* "No Slow Rollin'" (with Art of Origin) (1992) * "Un-Rational" (with Art of Origin) (1993) * "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) Vs (1998) * "What You Got / Let 'Em Live" (2001) * "Don't Run from Me / Warning" (2006) * "Poison Pen" (2006) * "Messiah" (2006) * "Jump Back" (2007) * "Lick Shots" (with
Immortal Technique Felipe Andres Coronel (born February 19, 1978), known artistically as Immortal Technique, is an American rapper, activist and songwriter. His lyrics are largely commentary on issues such as politics, religion, institutional racism, and govern ...
and Crooked I)
(2008) * "Chow Down" (with Playalitical) (2008) * "N.I.C.E." (2012) * "Arm Yourself" (with DV Alias Khrist, Sick Jacken and Immortal Technique) (2012) * "Kings" (with Big Pun) (2012) * "They Don't Know Nothing" (with RKZ) (2015) * "March of the Imperial" (with D.CrazE the Destroyer) (2016) * "Under the Bridge" (with Rama Duke) (2018) * "Ascending to Mytikas" (with Fuzzy Ed) (2022)


Notable guest appearances

* Tha Mexakinz - '' Tha Mexakinz'' * Main One - ''Bring the Drama'' 12" * Saafir - ''Not fa Nothin 12" * Sway & King Tech - ''The Anthem'' * RA the Rugged Man - ''Slayer's Club'' * Immortal Technique - ''Lick Shots'' *
Kool G Rap Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Cr ...
- ''Come See Me''


Filmography

*''Barrio Wars'' as Osirus (2002) *'' Vatos'' as Vargas (2002) *'' The Beat'' as Crazy 8 (2002) *'' Crime Partners'' as Finesse (2003) *'' Alex & Emma'' as Tony / Flamenco Dancer #2 (2003) *'' Playas Ball'' as Tico (2003) *''
The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in the fictional Genoa City (named after the real-life Genoa City, Wiscon ...
'' (TV series) as Buzz (2004) *'' Reno 911!'' (TV series) as Hymning Perp #3 (2004) *''Gang Warz'' as Ro Conner (2004) *'' CSI: Miami'' as Juan Carlos (2006) (Episode: " Death Pool 100") *''El show'' (TV Series) as Professor xl (2008) *'' Zane's Sex Chronicles'' (TV series) as Syndicator (2010)


References


External links


Chino XL
on
Discogs Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...

Chino XL
on
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*
Chino XL: 'I'd S**t On Shakespeare by Han O'Connor (Allhiphop)
{{Authority control 1974 births 2024 deaths 2024 suicides African-American bodybuilders African-American male rappers 21st-century American male rappers Hispanic and Latino American rappers American male bodybuilders American actors of Puerto Rican descent Rappers from New Jersey Five percenters Underground rappers Mensans 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century American sportsmen American musicians of Puerto Rican descent Male suicides