One of Sin's idols, Kanye West put it best with the line, "Ain't no tuition for havin' no ambition" on "We Don't Care" from The College Dropout. Sin is definitely an artist who has ambition and the entrepreneurial spirit to achieve it.
I've received countless promotional emails related to Sin, his mixtapes and assorted projects, and though sometimes it gets tiresome sifting through these emails, you have to admire the determination and persistence that he and his camp have.
Through networking, relentlessness and sheer drive, Sin has managed to collaborate with big names worldwide (Lil Wayne, Dipset, DJ Khaled and more) and his name continues to get out there. What's more impressive is the man is just 22 and to top it off, he's an artist thriving in Belgrade, Serbia - not an area many (if any) would associate with Hip Hop.
MVRemix: For those that are now hearing about you for the first time, tell us about yourself.
Sin: My name is Sin I was born in Belgrade, Serbia, my favorite colour is olive green and I'm gonna take over the rap game in 2009
MVRemix: You've done a lot of promotional work both on and offline, is there a particular brand or artist that inspired this method of marketing?
Sin: I first want to thank everyone on my street team who contribute a great deal to my promotional effort - love you guys. I also have the best visual artist in the game 4AM, who does everything from my videos, to my websites, to my photo shoots, to showing me how to lace my air max's the Queens way. Tasana too, she set this interview up. In terms of image we're inspired a lot by Kanye West and how everything he does is original and done in a high quality way.
MVRemix: You seem to work on a global basis, entering different markets and aligning yourself with prominent artists in their respective countries. How did you initially go about doing this?
Sin: Well I actually got this idea from Akon when he did global remixes for "Locked Up" but besides the English speaking countries my secondary market is obviously Serbia since me and most of my team are originally from there. However, I also got people from Hong Kong to Kuwait, I do business with everybody - I'm like the UN.
MVRemix: You've been rapping for a couple of years now, how did everything begin?
Sin: I took on rap as my full time job in 2005 when I put my education on hold, so I did the whole college drop out thing which is in now. I figured music was a better way of getting my ideas out than raising my hand all the time and irritating the fuck out of my professor. I was right
MVRemix: Do you remember the first song you wrote?
Sin: The first serious song I wrote was "Sinovi" off Sizzerb Mixtape Vol. 1. I had a line on there which is still one of my favorites "only man I fear was born in Nazareth, killed in Jerusalem by Hebrew savages" I think this is why I don't have a deal with a major yet [laughs] but fuck it I kept it real since day 1. Come to think of it, that track also had a Serbian sample; I'm kind of amazed looking back how I always kept it 100%
MVRemix: How did growing up in Belgrade, Serbia shape your attitude towards music, art and culture in general?
Sin: I was actually only born in Belgrade, and spent most of my early childhood in a little village called Korenica. I think just coming from that area in general defines who you are, I had a huge adjustment period getting used to how people do things here. I'd have to say we're a lot more primitive and straight to the point. We don't sugar coat nothin’, Serbs tell me I'm wack all the time. We also got this sense that no one is better than us no matter if they got more money, nicer cars, or whatever. However, I also grew up in Canada and feel the system here instills better discipline and even though I hated it at first I'm glad I could learn from it. But yeah you won't see people in Serbia walkin’ around with doggy bags picking up dog shit, that's still funny as fuck to me
MVRemix: How did the name Sin come to be?
Sin: From Nas' character in Belly, short for “Sincere.” I just liked the way it sounded. No religious connotation
MVRemix: Tell me about the mixtape, "If He's King, Then I'm God." How did the title come about?
Sin: It's a mixtape/street album I'm trying to drop in January 2009, I'm finalizing a deal with Lil Wayne's team for him to host it. I've been working on it since the summer, it's perfect. I know what I needed to improve on from before and want this to be considered my first real project. I'm predicting this is the tape that "puts me on" - people need to know the effort put into this, the beat selection alone took half a year of experimenting with samples and shit. I also re-did some of my biggest hits like “Boom” and “Blood in My Eyes,” I'm a perfectionist and I never stop improving my product which is music.
MVRemix: You've released a good number of mixtapes, when's your official album coming out and will it be independently released?
Sin: I'm working on two official studio albums, one is called “Design & Origin of Stars” and the other is for the Balkan market and is called “Vavilon.” I'm going to drop them both on the same day and God willing if I find some Tuesday when no one else is dropping I'd like to simultaneously debut at #1 in the US and in Serbia. I'd like to drop in May or June of 2009. I'll begin recording in January as “If He's King, Then I'm God” is being released.
MVRemix: Any videos planned?
Sin: I'm going to shoot 2 or 3 videos for “If He's King, Then I'm God.” Most likely for “Boom,” “Perzijska Princeza” and “Mandolins Cry.” I'm really feelin’ this track I'm working on called "Learn To Fly" as well.
MVRemix: What separates you from other rappers? Why should I opt to listen to your music above others?
Sin: My music will be different and better, I study 24/7 on how to make good music and I feel I can create it with this next project to the satisfaction of the masses as well as critical acclaim.
MVRemix: In a sentence or less, what do you do to relax?
Sin: I don't relax I'll sleep when I'm dead
MVRemix: Have fun with this one, a la "Fight Club" - "If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight"?
Sin: I'd like to knock Bill Maher the fuck out for his irritating anti-religion crusade.
MVRemix: Would you win?
Sin: As long as he doesn’t cheat.
MVRemix: Do you have any non musical aspirations?
Sin: Movies and politics, but I won't elaborate.
MVRemix: What next do we have to look forward to from you?
Sin: New music, new videos, new clothing line - The Cartel Argentina, and perhaps a political party.
MVRemix: Any last words?
Sin: Thank you for the interview, shout out to everyone who has helped me - you know who you are, and Sarah Palin 2012