Rapper Chino XL Dies at 50

Rapper-actor Chino XL died Sunday at his home, according to a statement from his family. No cause of death had been announced at the time of this article’s publication; he was 50.

The Bronx-born rapper, whose real name was Derek Keith Barbosa, is survived by his children, Chynna, Bella, Lyric and Kiyana; stepson Shawn; five grandchildren; his mother and his longtime partner Stephanie.

In a joint statement, his daughters wrote: “Our father had many titles — King of Punchlines, Puerto Rican Superhero — but the most important one was Girl Dad. And what he gave us most in that role was his strength, straightforwardness, and ability to be super realistic. The main thing we are feeling now is that our Dad is at peace, and so we are at peace.” 

Throughout his career, the rapper known as the “Lyrical Messiah” built his cachet as a respected emcee, releasing four solo albums and several collaborative projects. Along with standout freestyles on Sway and King Tech’s Wake Up Show and a short stint on Rick Rubin’s American Recordings, he forayed into acting with roles in Rob Reiner’s “Alex & Emma” and on “Reno 911!”

Born in 1974, Barbosa grew up in East Orange, New Jersey, where he became a rapper in school and took on “Chino” based on his childhood nickname. In the late 1980s, he joined forces with producer Kerri Chandler to form the duo the Art of Origin. They signed with Rick Rubin’s Def American Recordings via Warner Bros. in 1991 and after releasing singles, Chino XL embarked on a solo career.

He released his debut album, “Here to Save You All,” in 1996, and followed with “I Told You So,” which featured collaborations with Cypress Hill’s B-Real, Kool G Rap, and J Dilla, among others; he later gained the rights to the album and re-released it independently. A series of albums followed over the next 20 years: “Poison Pen” (2006), “Something Sacred,” a collaboration with Playalitical (2008), “Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary” (2012), “Chino vs. Balt” with Balthazar Getty (2020), and “God’s Carpenter,” a collaboration with Stu Bangas (2023).

Chino most recently made an appearance on Rakim’s latest project “G.O.D.’s Network (Reb7rth),” which released on July 26. He’s featured on the track “Pendulum Swing” featuring Kxng Crooked, Canibus and LA the Darkman.

Notably, Chino became embroiled with Tupac Shakur prior to his passing due to a line he included on his 1996 song “Riiiot!” Shakur namedropped Chino on his classic diss song “Hit ‘Em Up,” prompting Chino to release his own response diss. It was unclear if the two settled their differences before Shakur’s death.

He signed with Hollywood manager Stacey Castro and started working as an actor in the early 2000s, appearing in Reiner’s “Alex & Emma” as a flamenco dancer opposite Luke Wilson and Kate Hudson. He also acted in Brandon Sonnier’s 2003 hip-hop film “The Beat,” which premiered at Sundance and counted Coolio and Brian McKnight in its cast. On the small screen, he appeared on “Reno 911!,” “CSI: Miami” and “The Young and the Restless.”

More recently, he branched out as an author of graphic novels, including “Black Mass,” “Lucy” and “Skin and Bones: The Descent of the Holy.”