Artist Profile: CHIN

CHIN used to play in a band called Bass Is Base, out of Toronto and now resides in Vancouver. He did the whole record deal thing, sold a lot of records, saw himself on TV, won a bunch of awards, did a ton of touring, and shared the stage with the likes of, James Brown, The Fugees, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Nelly Furtado, The Marley Family, and the list goes on.

As a producer and writer, he's worked with and for some of the greatest artists he's ever known. Dr. Dre, Talib Kweli, Hot Hot Heat, Bedouin Soundclash, DJ Khalil, K'naan, and a few more.

He has a bass collection in his studio, which is his first instrument, some vintage keyboards and guitars, a few eclectic pieces like the harmonium and tablas. But for this record he stepped away from it all and armed himself with some coffee, a vivid memory, a pad, a pen and a used guitar he got for fifty bucks.

He doesn't consider himself a poet, and wouldn't really call himself well read, but somehow songs come to him naturally. For the first time ever, he has found the courage to put his life on display. So D'tach yourself, listen, learn, judge if you have to, but most of all try to find the truth.

Lyrics from CHIN:

D'tached from everything, separated myself, cutting off these strings.

Detached myself from the tools of my trade.

Separated myself from my anxieties.

Cut myself from the fear of self.

I live on the west coast/the fresh coast/the wet coast.

I left the comfort of my surroundings in the east, all my history, and everything that shaped me into WHO I AM today.

Who I am is a creative entity, who is not afraid to expose myself any longer.

I will expose my weaknesses, my strengths, my short-comings, my spirituality (or lack of), my disability, my ability, my triumphs, my defeats, my losses, my gains, my tears, my joys, my darkness, my light, my prayers, my curses, my dreams, my nightmares.

Who I was, who I am, who I'm going to be, where I've been, where I'm going, all that I know, and all that I don't.

Essentially I've detached myself to bring forth the truth.