MC Jin’s Resurrection ELECTRIFIES Battle Rap Fans

After not battling for 17 years, MC Jin made his epic return to battle rap on King of the Dot’s (KOTD) “Stay Forever” event. The titular event was held in honor of fellow battle rap legend Pat Stay, who was fatally stabbed last September. Jin’s return was a small feature in the third round of ‘Charron vs. Hollow Da Don’. Hollow first brought out Illmac, another veteran rapper, to the stage much to the crowd’s delight. Illmac spat a few introductory and incendiary bars then Charron responded with some quips of his own before he revealed his own trump card, MC Jin.

The venue erupted into thunderous applause and roaring cheers at the very moment when Jin appeared on stage. Some keen-eyed members of the audience might have noticed the display in the background switched to a graphic that read “llmac vs. Jin” just about a minute before Jin stepped on stage. Nevertheless, this didn’t reduce the hype or reaction to his appearance. Here’s why this was a momentous occasion.

The early 1990 to 2000s eras of battle rap are different from their modern incarnation. Battlers performed freestyles instead of using pre-written verses for their competitions. A long-standing belief in rap is that free-styling is more impressive than writing despite being two different skills. However, it is this belief that helped push the scene, and this was the time when Jin began to garner prowess.

Jin started writing verses around the tender age of 12. He had not fully come into himself until high school when he better understood the nature of battle rap and its history. The internet was still in its infancy at this time so Jin had to use primitive forums, blogs, and DVDs to better his understanding. His research exemplified his dedication to the craft and his hunger for the game.

Focused, Jin took on as many battles as he could during high school. A pivotal moment in his career was when he won $1000 at “Grab the Mic 2000”. He was only 18 and a senior in high school. His opponent was RK, a staple in the scene at the time. RK had just come from winning Blaze Battle in Orlando where he would compete in an HBO special. This win was a turning point for Jin in both name recognition and stature. This win allowed for bigger opportunities in the industry,

Jin ruled the mainstream scene in 2005 and was considered by many to be the best battler at a time. He had an incredibly impressive 7-week win streak on 106 & Park’s ‘Freestyle Friday’ where he snapped on every challenger. His very first battle was one where he ended the 6-win streak of the previous champion Hasan. Jin even signed to the record label Ruff Ryders due to his performances.
He even started off strong with his features on Smack DVD and Fight Klub. These were recorded battles from leagues that were made into DVDs as well as uploaded online. His battles against Shells and Verse had left lasting impressions on the community. However, he stepped away from battling after his album flopped in tandem with his crippling defeat to Serius Jones. ocked and ridiculed for this loss by the whole community. Defeated and feeling like giving up, Jin tried his luck in China while submitting a Cantonese Album to labels.

Fame found him once again when Universal Music Hong Kong offered to sign him and he moved to Hong Kong. Jin found himself doing tv and film, along with an array of endorsement deals. He even received awards for his work. Most importantly, he found God and new life there. Jin even got married and had his first child. Few fans followed his endeavors during these years but he often remained out of mind but never forgotten.

Although he wasn’t a part of the battle rap scene, Jin still made an effort to keep up with the current battlers, battles, storylines, and rivalries amongst the battle leagues throughout the years. He kept relatively close and was usually on the outskirts of the industry by being a rap judge at Christian events, doing interviews, and doing some small performances. It was one of these rapping showcase events where Jin met now-famous battle rapper Loso and recommended that he start taking part in battles.

Jin’s most notable return to battle rap up to this point was on ‘Wild N Out’ in 2021. Despite being televised freestyle battle performances akin to ‘106 & Park’, his ‘Wild N Out’ weren’t seen as a proper return. Ironically, fame and notoriety in the mainstream battle rap industry are solidified not by commercial success but rather by battles held within the battle rap leagues. Jin’s performances on ‘Wild N Out’ are seen more as fanfare rather than substantial competitions.

It’s easy to see that Jin had longed to make an official appearance throughout all of these years. It’s why he dabbled in guest freestyles and performances. Although it’s clear that the fans wanted him to make his return because of how influential his run was. Jin said this regarding his potential return to battle in a 2013 interview with DJ Vlad on VladTV:

“I just don’t want to do it for the wrong reasons…So for me to step back into any rematch situation or any league at all, the motivation would have to be proper; and to be honest it’s just not there.”

It seems that motivation came when Jin was asked by KOTD to join the ‘Stay Forever’. As a rapper of the same class, Pat Stay has been around as long as Jin and pioneered the Canadian scene. Jin is all about showing God’s love so what better way to do that than for an event where Pat Stay is being honored with all the proceeds going to Stay’s family?

Jin was met with a 35-second standing ovation after he was introduced and taken to the stage. This was the return that people rallied for in spite of him only participating as a guest in the battle. Many professionals, including Pat Stay, have had to previously remind Jin of who he is by saying “You’re Jin.” Famed battle-rapping legend Dizaster had this to say in an interview with 15 Minutes of Fame;:

“Jin had some good f—ing moments and this is a guy who hasn’t battled for 17 f—ing years. You cannot expect him to sound like Rum Nitty. Like..you know what I’m saying like you gotta know how to judge some s—t like that. Him to keep composure up there is beautiful. It’s monumental to be able to stand there bro. I was looking like I was looking through a time machine.”

Charron, who was also inspired by Jin’s 106 & Park Days, said this about his featured partner:

“..but he’s one of the like Mount Rushmore’s of most important people in Battle Rap. Like I feel like you have to put him up there with [with] like Lux and Mook on [on] the [uh] Mount Rushmore.”

Jin is without question one of the most influential people in battle rap. This is why his return was a monumental occasion.

With a focus on God and his family, it seems that Jin has little intent on diving back into battle rap despite his brief showing and grand reception. In an Instagram post regarding his appearance, Jin thanked everyone who made it possible for him to be there and ended the post with the hashtag #SeeYallin17Years. The community can wait on Jin to make his official return in 17 years but who knows, he may return sooner for the right reasons. #rippatstay