Bio
April 30th, 2008
Ever notice that when you listen to New York radio the rotation of rappers you’re listening to hasn’t changed since the year 2002? The airwaves are still dominated by Jay-Z, Nas, Diddy, 50 Cent, Dip Set, and Fat Joe, just to name a few. Meanwhile, the Big Apple is stuck in a rut of monotony, and most New Yorkers are convinced that the game isn’t what it used to be. But maybe the game isn’t the issue at all – perhaps it’s the players. It’s time for some new blood. Time for the emergence of fresh talent to identify with a new era of hip-hop fans. It’s time for Maino.
Having used the mixtape circuit to cull a strong following, Brooklyn, NY native Maino is no longer his borough’s best-kept secret. The swagger-rich MC is now in a position to present a brand-new look to hip-hop with his debut Hustle Hard/Atlantic album, If Tomorrow Comes… “I don’t want to say let’s bring New York back, but let’s bring New York forward,” he says. “And the only way to bring it forward is to breathe new life into it. That’s how you keep hip-hop alive, you give birth to the new. I want to be the one bringing that new life.” Surely bold proclamations from rappers are nothing new, but with Maino it’s his captivating approach that’s refreshing. “I’m not trying to be the next anybody,” he says. “I can’t do what Jay-Z does. I can’t do what Diddy, 50, or Wayne can do. I can’t do what Big or Pac did. I can only be me and master what I do.”
And what Maino does is blend gritty lyricism with riveting street flair, combined with a magnetic confidence that’s both hard enough for the fellas and appealing to the ladies. It’s a proven formula that all the greats utilize, and it has come through in his music, starting with buzzworthy mixtape joints like “Rumors,” “All Eyez On Me,” and “The Diary.” “I come to the people as one of them,” he says. “I’m not Hollywood. I’m coming from the ground up, trying to get to the top.”
Able to overcome a daunting ten-year incarceration, Jermaine “Maino” Coleman made the transition from nobody to somebody look relatively easy. However, the journey was anything but trouble-free. Raised in the heart of Bed-Stuy Brooklyn – Nostrand Ave to be exact – Maino developed an affinity for hip-hop during the genre’s classic ’88 era. Legends such as Rakim, KRS-One, and Brooklyn’s own Big Daddy Kane were some of his early inspirations. In fact, Maino’s fondest memories were the late-night radio mix shows that he’d record. “I’d make my lil’ tapes so I could have something to play for me and my friends,” he recalls. “I wasn’t really writing rhymes yet; I was doing it because I was such a fan.”
Unfortunately for Maino, the golden era of hip-hop coincided with the crack epidemic in America’s urban communities. Music was unable to shield the tough Brooklyn kid from the effects of the plague. As a youngster he saw both his parents succumb to drug addictions. “I watched my dad go from being a good father to a fiend,” he says. “My mom developed her own little habit, but she never let herself get to the point where she was in the streets.” Barely a teenager, Maino was forced to fend for himself and his younger brother. Committing petty crimes became a means of survival, which snowballed into ‘bigger problems. By the early ‘90s Maino found himself in the middle of a “drug related kidnapping” that led to a 5-to-15 years prison sentence. “We didn’t really know what we were doing,” he recalls. “We had a great idea, I guess, but we wound up getting caught.”
During his decade-long prison term Maino caught the emcee bug as a result of boredom. “I’d be in the box for twenty-three hours a day,” he recalls. “I just started rapping as something to do. I feel like hip-hop kept me alive.” While listening to DJ Clue mixtapes featuring some of “Brooklyn’s Finest” – Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim – the vibe only got stronger. Maino adopted the “no writing” technique of emceeing. “I was never comfortable writing my raps down.” Upon his release in 2003, Maino immediately launched Hustle Hard Entertainment. A chance meeting with DJ Kay Slay that year led to Maino’s first appearance on the radio. “It’s been a helluva fight,” he says. “I went through every step a rapper could take to build his name up, and that was the first.”
Through that radio appearance and through pure hustler’s ambition, Maino garnered a ground swell of attention via various mixtape appearances. However, it was an unforgettable appearance on the Smack DVD Vol. 12 that put him on the map for good. Dubbing himself “Brooklyn’s Future,” the determined upstart proved he wasn’t afraid to put his neck on the line to get results – or a nice buzz. Armed with a label deal from Universal, and a show-stealing effort on Lil’ Kim’s “Gimme That,” Maino added to his rapidly rising appeal. Unfortunately he soon learned the price of being on a label that wasn’t quite sure how to push “New York rap” during the height of the South’s dominance. Maino and Universal split in 2007, and just like that he was back to square one. But with a drive as aggressive as his music and with a vital ally in T.I. – who saw some of himself in the self-assured New York rapper – Maino quickly inked a deal with Atlantic Records. “Universal was on-the-job training,” says Maino. “I appreciated the opportunity, being signed at a time when New York rappers weren’t really getting deals, but being at Atlantic I feel like I can go to another level.”
Before Maino gets his opportunity to ascend to hip-hop’s elite echelon, If Tomorrow Comes… is going to have to acquaint him with the masses that might not be familiar with the hard work he put in under the radar. And he’s already begun the process with the hard-charging “Be Me.” Not an official single, the
Nard & B produced track is a fitting introduction to a rapper who’s been known to
attract some controversy every now and then. “I don’t want to scare the money away,” says Maino. “But I’m not about to shy away from who I am. And this record speaks to that.”
You can expect more of the same unadulterated candor throughout If Tomorrow Comes… It doesn’t get any more straightforward than the Alex Da Kid-produced “Role Model.” Toying with the staccato flow made popular by Brooklyn rapper Smooth Da Hustler, Maino offers a disclaimer to fans of all ages: “I’m bad company; don’t look up to me.”
As unruly as that may sound, one listen to the vibrant clubbanger “Hi Hater” and you’ll see why it’s easy to root for the bad guy. Produced by newbie Mista Raja and Maino, with a classic Jimmy Spicer sample (most recently made popular via Mary J. Blige’s “Be Happy” remix), the track is the quintessential anthem that’ll help Maino crack the repetitive rotation on hip-hop radio. “You got to make records that compete,” he says. “I see what I have going on as a movement. This is the type of song that pushes a movement ahead.”
To ensure that Maino makes a serious push to become the “new life” in hip-hop, If Tomorrow Comes… is stacked with a broad spectrum of bangers. From the raunchy southern-tinged bounce of “Dump Dick” to the introspective “Back 2 Life,” Maino piques your intrigue on many levels. Along with collaborations with B.G., T.I., and Cool & Dre, Maino’s debut leaves an indelible mark on first impression. “Nothing can compare to what I’ve been through,” he says. “Dudes in jail used to tell me ‘when you get your shot make it work.’ Now that I got it, I want to make it work.” And for our sake, if it does, what we hear on the radio won’t be more of the same. It’ll be something new.
49 Responses to “Bio”
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May 20th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Yeoo Maino I love hip hop…
I hear your music and it reminds me of when Hot 97 used to play the real hip hop
nowadays its pop [Rihanna]
Chris Brown’s tracks and Southern ring tone music…[no offense to them because i respect their hustle] and I’m an artist on the come up and I said the same thing to my self…what you expressed in “Be Me”…when Record Labels want you to be some one your not only increase the monotony and kill genre’s….My favorite genre is Reggaeton[And no it's not all about the "Gasolina"] Like hip hop it has it long history comin all the way from puerto rico…the monotony in the beats has killed the people’s desire to continue hearing it on the Station’s…La Kalle 105.9 would play reggaeton 24/7 when it first opened…it was intended at the beginning to play only reggaeton and now it only plays that really really really old spanish music and maybe a reggaeton song every 2 or 3 hours…that’s why I don’t even bother to listen to that station no more[DJ Kasanova I know you love reggaeton plz do something!!!] The monotony in the rythyms and artist trying to be other artist have dented the genre so like what you’re trying to do in hip hop I’m trying to do in reggaeton and spanish/english in hip hop. People need to stop accepting the little that stations limit us to hear…It’s ridiculous when a track gets replayed 4 to 5 times an hour…Maino stay stong ma due because sometimes I feel like some artist sometimes give up just to eat…I hope you hold your ground!! Danny Freshhh
_Union City, NJ
June 4th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
YO I LOVE THIS SONG,YOU HOT DONT LET NOBOBY TELL YOU DIFFERENT I BE BLASTING YOUR SONG IN MY TRUCK CAUSE ME AND MY BROTHERS GOT SO MENY F****** HATERS I STILL GOING TO DO ME AT THE END OF THE DAY SO I GUESS THEY GOING HATE ON ME FOR EVER
KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:39 am
Maino dog, keep up with the sick ass music, and doing what you know best. It’d be real tight if you could collaborate on a track with the bay area bully, Ya Boy.
June 29th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
If everything with your parents still the same and if they were(or are) in the right frame of mind- they should and would be so proud. Congrats!
July 10th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
heard you comin to n.c. for summer jam. need to knock the streets been good. that and definition of a thug are my shit!!!!!
July 14th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
hi maino i really love ya songs i also love u
July 24th, 2008 at 1:12 am
You mention you raised your brother… did you have any sisters???
July 24th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Maino -
Keep doing what you do and don’t get distracted. You have been given a second chance, and you have to make good on it. The rap game can be a blessing and a curse - make yours a blessing. You have lived through the street life - let that go. You made it through that fire, don’t get burned reaching back on some dumb street beef. Focus on your goals, and the better you become as a rapper, and as a man, the more you’ll have to offer.
Make good on your second chance - don’t let the devil distract you.
Keep making good music, make better choices and just keep Hustling Hard.
July 28th, 2008 at 10:53 am
I’m from the D and yo shit is tight. Stay hungry and keep murking
July 29th, 2008 at 2:01 am
your shit is wack as hell nigga…fuck yoo hood nigga…this aint no internet nigga…NIGGA GO KILL UR SELF…SOULJA BOY IS WAY BETTER THAN U…UR SHIT WACK…U DONT GOT SHIT ON SOULJA BOY NIGGA..KILL UR SElf Maino KILL UR SELF…SOULJA BOOY STACKS ON DECK
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:12 am
I hope this is open to criticism
Cause we the public clammering, hoping for lyricsism
Me personally, I’m a beast, i’m a dog, $&@*ing rap tyrant
I said I’m a dog, treating wack emcees like $&@* rap hydrants
Hey that’s just a “sample” old school diddy… Take that, take that.
Maino you some shit… Hi hater WTF is that, seems like any old joe could get a deal… Weezy u saved hip-hop
August 2nd, 2008 at 5:46 pm
“the real are outnumbered 99 to 1″ tru story…ya life is a movie lights camera action homie. keep it up,
-comin from upstate to the dmv,
Brikx
August 3rd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
showing some East New York love!!
August 4th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I LOVE YOUR MUSIC Mainooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU ROCK !!!!!!!
August 4th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
MAINO U DA SHIT UR SONG IS TRUE YA DIG SHIT WHEN I C DEM HATAZ I BE LIKE HI HATER! LOL SOULJABOY IS A HATIN ASS NIGGA TRUE SOULJABOYTELL EM IS KOOL BUT U KOOL AS SHIT YA DAMN SELF I THOUGHT U WAS DAT NIGGA FROM GIRLFRIENDS SHIT YALL SOUND ALIKE AND KINDA LOOK ALIKE IS DAT UR BROTHER OR SOMETHING? BUT U A GOOD RAPPA U GNE TKE OVA BABE!
August 6th, 2008 at 5:31 am
Maino real talk homie i aint no hater but you are you think a mf gone buy that shit hi hater wtf step yo game up you hatin on Rick Ross he got it you want it my nigg that wack ass nursery ryhme sound like some shit my lil sista would sing sell a milli records homie then talk shit you want need my respect homie cuz you will have da streetz then until then shut the fuck up now bye hata ha ha
August 15th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Yo Whats Poppin Gangsta. It’s bout time A real Gangsta stepped on the scene. Show these Fakers how to do it G. Black Flags everywhere supportin you my G. Hi Haters make way cause the real comin through.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Hey maino,desde colombia te escuchamos.tu musica es super kool.Y ojo con esa mierda…tu sabes..
August 17th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
August 18th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
That boy Maino is real. Chi-Town got love for you. Wild 100’s in the building. You need to come over to the House of Blues…
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