His big break came when the BET program 106 & Park began inviting local rappers to hold battles in a segment known as Freestyle Friday. Ready for the national exposure, he auditioned and again was underestimated due to his ethnic background. After winning for seven weeks straight, Jin was inducted into the show's Hall of Fame. That same night of his Hall of Fame induction, he announced that he had signed a deal with the Ruff Ryders. His first single under Ruff Ryders was titled "Learn Chinese". The album was originally scheduled to be released in the summer of 2003, but was delayed for over a year by the label. In October 2004, Jin released his debut album, The Rest Is History, which reached number 54 of the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Both of his singles, "Learn Chinese" and "Senorita", failed to be major mainstream successes. Due to the long delay on the album, sales and where the contract was going to lead him, he decided with his manager to leave. When he left the Virgin label, he also left the Ruff Ryder label. Ruff Ryders is still active to date and Jin is in good terms with them.
On May 18, 2005, Jin revealed that he would be putting his rap career on hold in order to explore other options. After signing with an independent label, CraftyPlugz/Draft Records, Jin released his second album, The Emcee's Properganda on October 25, 2005.
Jin released two albums in 2006. The first one, 100 Grand Jin is a mixtape/album that was released on August 29, 2006. The single released off the album is "FYI", for which the rapper shot and released a music video. The second album released in 2006 is Jin's third LP, I Promise. Instead of releasing the album in stores, Jin released it on November 1, 2006 through his MySpace, with the first batch being autographed by himself. It was then sold on CDBaby.com with limited copies being pressed and not autographed for people who were unable to purchase it before. The first single for this album is titled "36-24-36 ( Apple Bottom Jeans )", a song in which Jin gives praise to Asian girls.
During the end of 2006, Jin worked on another album called ABC. The album was recorded almost entirely in Cantonese. Jin officially launched his ABC Jin website on January 10, 2007. Jin premiered his music video for the first single, "ABC" on MTV Chi on January 26, 2007. The album was produced entirely by the Far*East Movement and features guest appearances from Hong Kong actor Daniel Wu and Ken Oak Band.
After staying independent for 3 years, Jin landed a deal with a major record company. Universal Music Hong Kong added Jin as one of four artists that are being promoted in the new deal that is called the Universal Spends 8-Figures on 2008 Newcomers. Universal Music Hong Kong signed these four artists to promote their music, Jin being the top of the four. Jin has already gone to work with his next Cantonese album and plans to release it on the label by 2008. Jin has also re-released his ABC (American Born Chinese) album but with the new packaging. The re-release is a Hong Kong edition which includes a bonus track with new music videos which 3 of them was shot in Hong Kong itself.
Jin has found success in Hong Kong, winning a Chik Chak 903 Radio Top 10 Songs award for the song ABC and recently releasing a free mixtape in Cantonese, known as the Meen Fai Rap Mixtape. He is currently working on his next Cantonese album.
Glow
MC Jin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watch the dead come to life in this Valley of Bone
We'll light a fire in this darkness below
And the whole world will start to
Glow (oh x4) Oh Whoa (oh x3)
Glow (oh x4) Oh Whoa (oh x3)
Yo, just an adolescent with a dream
I projected on the screen
And the storyline's borderline tragic
So many plot twists
I wonder how I got casted
Then it got drastic
Not to be sarcastic
when I say I found new life
inside a casket
I had to bury myself
my ego
No shame in crying for help
a hero
is what they wanted
I just wanted to deliver
Didn't mean to disappoint
No point in crying
you a river
So I'm sticking to the lakes that
I'm used to
Tender-loving care
for the world
and my future
It's like I see it in a whole
new light
I been clingin' onto what hurts way too tight
I do have a choice
learned to listen
with my heart, not my ears
and I heard a voice
what was it sayin'
Let go of every sorrow you hold
Watch the dead come to life in this Valley of Bone
We'll light a fire in this darkness below
And the whole world will start to
Glow (oh x4) Oh Whoa (oh x3)
Glow (oh x4) Oh Whoa (oh x3)
Yo, at times
the glow can get so dim
Things are flawed
and the walls they just close in
And I know home
feels like the worst place
Don't wanna stay there
for long like first base
It's like a soap opera
seein' your folks drama
thinkin' why even get
married in the first place
On the flip side
You feel so lonely
waitin' for Mr. Right
keep meeting Mr. So Phony
He says he'll treat you like a queen
Yeah, barely knows what that means
You're a father of three
and hard workin'
Tryin' to make a honest livin'
but not certain
Worried ‘bout tomorrow
‘cause you're broke today
They can take your job
but never your hope away
You do have a choice
Learn to listen with
your heart, not your ears
and you'll hear a voice
sayin'
Let go of every sorrow you hold
Watch the dead come to life in this Valley of Bone
We'll light a fire in this darkness below
And the whole world will start to
Glow (oh x4) Oh Whoa (oh x3)
Glow (oh x4) Oh Whoa (oh x3)
I'm not sayin'
that the pain can
be avoided
It's part of the ride
might as well enjoy it
and it's okay to stumble and fall
as long as you pick yourself up
It humbles us all
A million-and-one stories
under the stars
Hopefully I can
be the one that you call
Through our trials
We can grow together
C'mon
We can make
the world
Glow forever
Whoa Oh Oh
We let it Go Oh Oh
We'll make it * Glow Oh Oh
* We'll light a fire in this darkness below
And the whole world will start to
Glow (Whoa Oh Oh
We let it Go Oh Oh
We'll make it Glow Oh Oh) )
We'll light a fire in this darkness * below (*Keep that glow alive) And the whole world * will start to (*Yeah) Glow (oh x4) * Oh Whoa (oh x3) (*If we glow together, we'll glow forever) Glow (oh x4) Oh * Whoa (oh x3) (*If we glow together, we'll glow forever) Glow (oh x4) * Oh Whoa (oh x3) (*I said we glow together, we'll glow forever) Glow (oh x4) Oh * Whoa (oh x3) (*Watch us glow together, and glow forever)
The song "Glow" by MC Jin is all about finding hope and light in the midst of darkness and struggles. The first verse is about the rapper's personal journey, where he talks about his life being projected on a screen like a movie and how the storyline has been borderline tragic, with many plot twists that he didn't expect. However, he found new life inside a casket when he buried his ego and learned to listen to his heart, not his ears. The second verse talks about common struggles that most people face, such as feeling lonely, being stuck in a bad relationship, or worrying about the future. The chorus urges the listener to let go of every sorrow they hold and watch the dead come to life in this Valley of Bone. They are encouraged to light a fire in the darkness below and make the whole world glow.
The song's title and theme were inspired by a sermon by Pastor Albert Tate, which the rapper heard at a conference. He felt compelled to write a song that captured the message of the sermon, which was all about the valley of dry bones in the book of Ezekiel in the Bible. According to Jin, the valley of dry bones represents a place where things seem dead and hopeless, but where God can breathe new life and make everything come alive again.
Line by Line Meaning
Let go of every sorrow you hold
Release all your emotional burdens and pain.
Watch the dead come to life in this Valley of Bone
Experience rejuvenation and rebirth in a world that seems lifeless and hopeless.
We'll light a fire in this darkness below
Ignite a sense of hope and light in the face of despair and darkness.
And the whole world will start to Glow (oh x4) Oh Whoa (oh x3)
In doing so, the entire world will begin to radiate with positivity and light.
Yo, just an adolescent with a dream
The rapper recalls his younger self and asserts his desire to achieve his dreams.
My life's a movie / I projected on the screen
He envisions his life as a production, and he is the main character in that cinematic story.
And the storyline's borderline tragic / So many plot twists / I wonder how I got casted
Acknowledging the challenging and unpredictable nature of his life, he reflects on his role in this narrative.
Then it got drastic / Not to be sarcastic / when I say I found new life / inside a casket
Despite the gravity of his situation, he found hope and renewal within himself.
I had to bury myself / my ego / No shame in crying for help / a hero
He had to undergo a humbling and challenging process of shedding his pride and seeking support, realizing the value in vulnerability and asking for help.
is what they wanted / I just wanted to deliver / Didn't mean to disappoint / No point in crying / you a river
He feels pressure to meet others' expectations, but also acknowledges his own disappointment when he falls short of his own goals. He encourages others to avoid dwelling on these setbacks.
So I'm sticking to the lakes that / I'm used to / Tender-loving care / for the world / and my future
The rapper expresses the need to focus on what he knows best and take care of himself and the world around him.
It's like I see it in a whole / new light / I been clingin' onto what hurts way too tight
Through this process, he experiences a newfound perspective and realizes the destructiveness of holding onto toxic emotions and negative experiences.
I do have a choice / learned to listen / with my heart, not my ears / and I heard a voice / what was it sayin'
He emphasizes his own agency and reflects on the importance of listening to his intuition to navigate life's challenges.
At times / the glow can get so dim / Things are flawed / and the walls they just close in
The brightness and hopefulness that he references earlier can dim and fade, leaving him feeling stuck and helpless.
And I know home / feels like the worst place / Don't wanna stay there / for long like first base
He confesses a sense of discomfort in his own environment and uses a baseball analogy to express his desire to move on quickly.
It's like a soap opera / seein' your folks drama / thinkin' why even get / married in the first place
Through vivid imagery, he describes the dysfunctional relationships and family dynamics that can leave one questioning the value of commitment.
On the flip side / You feel so lonely / waitin' for Mr. Right / keep meeting Mr. So Phony
He shifts gears to describe the emotional toll of dating and seeking a genuine connection.
You're a father of three / and hard workin' / Tryin' to make a honest livin' / but not certain
He describes the financial instability that can compound these emotional struggles, leaving one feeling trapped and uncertain about the future.
Worried ‘bout tomorrow / ‘cause you're broke today / They can take your job / but never your hope away
Despite these daunting challenges, he urges people not to lose hope and reminds them that their strength isn't limited to their job status or financial means.
I'm not sayin' / that the pain can / be avoided / It's part of the ride / might as well enjoy it
He acknowledges that hardship is an inevitable part of life, but encourages people to embrace it as part of their journey.
and it's okay to stumble and fall / as long as you pick yourself up / It humbles us all
He emphasizes the value of resilience and the lessons that we can learn through overcoming challenges.
A million-and-one stories / under the stars / Hopefully I can / be the one that you call
Reflecting on the diverse realities and experiences of others, he expresses a desire to connect with people and offer support.
Through our trials / We can grow together / C'mon / We can make / the world / Glow forever
He emphasizes the power of unity and support in overcoming hardships and spreading positivity.
We'll make it * Glow Oh Oh / * We'll light a fire in this darkness below (*Keep that glow alive) And the whole world * will start to (*Yeah) Glow
Repeating the earlier sentiments, he emphasizes the importance of keeping hope and positivity alive even in the darkest of times.
If we glow together, we'll glow forever
He drives home the importance of working and supporting each other to create a positive legacy.
Watch us glow together, and glow forever
In a final message of unity and perseverance, he encourages people to keep shining and spreading positivity indefinitely.
Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.