Biography

Discovered and signed at age 16 by music impresario Rick Rubin, Derek Barbosa was born in New Jersey to a Puerto Rican father and a Black mother. Performing with the stage name "Chino XL", he was often referred to as "the Lyrical Messiah", coined from a song off his 2006 album "Poison Pen". After releasing his 1996 debut album, "Here To Save You All" (with chart topping singles and top rated videos aired on MTV), he took a decidedly different journey in making his follow up and subsequently parted ways with Rubin's American Recordings label to sign to Warner Bros. Records. However, as a result of Prince's public legal battle and departure from WB, the Black Music department was folded and Chino realized he, too needed a new home for his music. The long awaited follow up "I Told You So" - produced while at Warner - was released independently and become an instant classic, despite its release date of September 11, 2001 ( or "9/11" - the day of the attack and destruction of Manhattan's World Trade Center).

Barbosa took a hiatus from writing and recording and turned his sights and creative inspiration to acting. Over the next 4 years, he would appear in film roles as varied as low budget indie films to both comedic and dramatic guest appearances on network television to co-starring opposite Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson in director Rob Reiner's "Alex & Emma"; a Warner Bros. release.

His manager, Stacey Castro decided it was time for Chino to return to making music and the duo worked for two years to create his third and longest awaited release, "Poison Pen", which arrived to critical acclaim and followed suit in attaining cult status as did his previous two albums. Copies of 1996's "Here To Save You All" still sell to this day. Barbosa has toured with a range of artists as diverse as Alanis Morissette to Pitbull and Faith Hill to Snoop Dog He signed with Universal Music from 2007 - 2009.

He is a member of MENSA and his uncle is funk maestro Bernie Worrell.
- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous