“For some albums I’m very specific with my vision, message and plan,” MC Jin tells Apple Music. “<i>Roller Coaster</i> is the first project that’s the opposite.” Borne out of creative energy drawn from his participation in the 2023 edition of <i>The Rap of China</i>, the album reflects life’s twists and turns on tracks that overflow with the rapper’s competitive spirit and love of hip-hop. These include a remix of his statement-making 2017 Mandarin rap “HipHopMan”, with Nana Ou-Yang contributing the hook and cello accompaniment. “I think it’s the only song on Earth that has two Ou-Yangs on it,” says the rapper known formally as Jin Au-Yeung. Another reality-show cut, “我愛人也喜歡 HIPHOP” [“My Lover Loves Hip-Hop”], is a tribute to his wife of 10 years and their shared love of the genre. “I thought there was something special about writing it in Cantonese,” he says. “Because my partner loves hip-hop but she also loves ’90s Hong Kong pop. Cantonese pop was definitely a big part of my childhood and hers.”
On more personal cuts like “我是誰” [“Who I Am”] and “Beat Kune Do”, the rapper considers questions of identity and belief, while others like “古靈靖怪” [“Crazy Times”] and “慢慢來” [“Take It Easy”] take aim at the fast pace of modern life. “When you think ‘roller coaster’, you think of ups and downs—but hopefully you think of fun,” Jin says. “You go on a roller coaster for the thrill, for the ride, for the experience.”
The album is also a linguistic roller coaster—songs slip seamlessly between English, Cantonese and Mandarin. “What makes it special to me is that it’s really the first project where organically—but also intentionally—I captured these three specific elements of me when I write and create now,” he says.
Below, MC Jin gives Apple Music an inside look at how the album was put together.
<b>How did you build a narrative for the album using tracks from a reality show?</b>
“Although quite a few of the tracks came about in the context of a reality show where I knew there was a competition element, in my creative process I still felt that what I brought to the stage was going to be something dear to me. So in that sense, I didn’t have to do too much to fit into the narrative of an album. Although I don’t specifically reference the show at any point, when I’m a 60-year-old man thinking about the time in 2023 when I went on that reality show, I’ll pop on the <i>Roller Coaster</i> album and right away the memories will come back. So in a way, I guess the narrative just kind of created itself. Which is why I say it’s special to me.
“In previous works of mine, I think there was more of a strategy to the story I wanted to tell. My last formal English album was very calculated. I had a full idea of how the tracks would flow. So the cool thing about <i>Roller Coaster</i> as an album is that it’s exactly like a roller coaster ride. And although I go in a lot of different directions, there’s a cohesiveness to it. And I’m excited about that.”
<b>After 20 years in the business, how do you feel about hip-hop’s competitive nature?</b>
“I think there’s two sections to this topic. I’ve grown up and I hope I’ve become more mature. But at the same time, no matter how I grow, I want to feel that what I fell in love with in hip-hop will always be there. And I think that’s the balance. Front-page-news rap beefs are exciting to watch as a hip-hop fan, but I will say that as a 40-year-old young man, there’s an extra element after I listen to these songs: the energy and the messaging.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that there’s this idea that when we talk about flow, freestyle and skills, the default mindset a lot of people—even younger rappers or people just picking it up—is that it’s all about how fast you are. I grew up listening to all type of rappers back in the ’90s, anyone from JAY-Z to Nas to Busta Rhymes to Snoop Dogg. I listened to everyone and I can appreciate fast. But I think the message is also important. With the song ‘慢慢來’, what I’m trying to convey is the idea, ‘You could rap fast—but let’s not just think fast is everything.’
“That’s the heart you have to have as a rapper, as an MC. You have to feel like you could beat everyone, that nobody is your competition. But I think the biggest thing now is I have no desire to beat anyone anymore. Not because I’m greater—it’s just that the passion is in a different direction.”
<b>Is it easier to be introspective at this stage in your career?</b>
“I don’t know if it’s easier. You can only be introspective if there’s something to look back on. What comes with life experience and age are more opportunities to be introspective. But here’s the interesting thing: When I look at my first album, there are moments where I’m pretty introspective. I’m just a young man still finding my way, but I listen to those songs and I’m like, ‘Good for you, Jin. You’re 22 years old and you’re already looking at your life.’ So I think the instinct to reflect has always been there. Those introspective-type thoughts come more naturally now. I think my biggest challenge as a creative is how I harness it, streamline it and focus it, because it’s just everywhere.
“‘我是誰’ was originally titled ‘Who Am I’ in English but I rephrased it to be more definitive. This song is very different from anything I’ve done before. It’s the first time that I’ve done something that’s more melodic—I’m actually singing the chorus. In this song I’m talking about my life journey. I turn 42 in 2024. In the chorus, I say [in translation], ‘When I was a teenager, I felt like I could fly/In my twenties, I don’t think I was ready for it/In my thirties, I started to find the beauty again/And here I am now…’ I think the big difference between Jin now and Jin 10 or 20 years ago is that it’s definitely more clear to me who I am, as an artist or as a person. I’m still seeking, so I’m not saying I have it all figured out now. But definitely there’s a lot more clarity.”
<b>How did your collaboration with producer Dansonn come about?</b>
“Dansonn is someone I’ve worked with for many years, but this is probably the first full album where he handled a lot of the production. The beauty of having a built-in chemistry is that once I have the idea for a topic or sound in my head, it’s so easy for me to just say to him, ‘This is what I hear.’ He’ll ask me to describe the emotions of the song, not just the idea. I wanted ‘Roller Coaster’ to feel like you’re riding a roller coaster, with a fun carnival element. And I wanted it upbeat, because even though I’m talking about ups and downs, I didn’t want a depressing song. I wanted it to feel like, ‘This ride is wild but let’s keep riding!’
“So when I lay all this out to him, he’s efficient at capturing the feelings and emotions. And there are references—they’re not always hip-hop songs, either. I might say, ‘Hey, remember this movie?’ And I’ll tell him about a scene and ask him to give me something that matches that scene. The scene is really more of just a feeling, but he’ll know what I’m trying to convey. And he’ll come back two or three days later with a skeleton [arrangement].”
