Baltimore’s own Chino is adding rapper to his repertoire after being known for his affiliation with the DreamChasers team and work as the ultimate dirt bike rider. Chino is dropping his first mixtape, Dreams II Reality on Aug. 4. He recently spoke with rolling out to share what he endured growing up in Baltimore, the unfortunate murder of his brother, and what it takes to turn your dreams into reality.
Your mixtape is called Dreams II Reality. What does Dreams II Reality mean to you?
Chino: I felt like I wanted to name it Dreams II Reality because all the stuff I’ve been through to reach my goals. And with my brother getting killed, that’s what inspired my cover art to the mixtape. And I also rap about the up-and-coming rappers that my brother managed such as Scooter.
Has being apart of the DreamChasers team influenced you to drop this mixtape?
Yea, Meek really inspired me to rap really because we was in the studio one day and they were like, ‘Chino get in the booth.’ And then I had came up with this song called “The Shiners” and after that song I felt it. Everybody kept telling me that you got to feel it, tell you story. So after that I start getting into the studio like everyday, recording different songs.
Do you feel like that’s why you fit right in with the dream chasers team? Because the bike life culture is huge in Philly as well?
The whole DreamChasers camp, we’re connected with bikes because that is something Meek loves to do and I was like one of the popular riders. Meek found me on YouTube, so when we connected in Baltimore we linked and I signed with him like a year or two later.
How much of an influence does riding bikes have on you?
Bikes influenced me because I used to see people riding through my city and it was something I always liked. I just took full control over it and started riding more and it became my focus. My whole family came up in the streets, but I found a different lane and put my mind to something that I really love, riding bikes. Then I thought riding dirt bikes would never pay off until Meek came and got me and started getting sponsors. And that’s when it really opened my eyes that it can be something serious.
Do you participate in any bike competitions or bike rally or races?
When I was sponsored by Monster, I was doing shows for them, opening up in Las Vegas, Atlanta, and New York.
What can we expect from the mixtape? Who are some influences and different people you worked with?
It’s really going to just inspire your to chase your dreams and stay focused. It’s really going to explain everything I went through while chasing my dreams and trying to get to where I am today and all the ups and downs I have went through in my life.
Your brother was murdered last year. How have you been doing since then and how has it changed you?
I’ve been doing good, but that’s when I took rap seriously. I wanted to take full advantage of it now just because this was something my brother was doing before he got killed. And he would love to see me rapping now.
Any songs dedicated to your brother on your project?
Mostly every song I talk about my brother, but one song that is fully dedicated to him is called “Take That S–t.”
–written by milan cassell
