The Kwin MD Story/Bio

Born in Philly, Kwin MD moved around the eastcoast many times. In 3rd Grade moved to Wilmington, DE. Lived in Richmond, Va from 4th to 5th. Lived in Allentown, Pa from 6th grade to 8th grade. Moved back to Richmond half way through 8th grade. In 9th grade Kwin began to write and record rap. In 11th grade, Kwin got into trouble at school and was sent to school in Atlanta. When Kwin turned 18, he was legally able to cross the Georgia State line & moved back to Philly. This is where he met Champain and Splash City. Champain and Kwin had never been to a studio to record, boom box recordings was all they knew before Kwin & Pain went to Germantown (a part of Philly) to record with Splash City. Pain was originally from Jacksonville, Florida and he brought Kriminal from Darby, PA along for the studio too. Pain and Kwin went back to G-Town to record with Splash City a few times. Kwin knew God Father Geek from Virginia Beach and recorded down there with Lost Elements (aka L.E.P.) as well. Many of these songs Kwin was recording in 1999 were written in 1998 in Atlanta while he was at that school. This is where Dungeon Rapper or D.R. Kwin comes from. Pain brought an MC who was originally from Virginia named Trig (who lived in Yeadon, PA) along one time to Splash City. Pain knew a guy named Maurice in West Philly who had a studio and used to record there by himself and brought Kwin there a few times. Most of this was ameture stuff for everyone to get expirience in a studio. The game stepped up a noche in year 2000. This is when Kwin MD moved back to Richmond, Va. He met Shallow (aka Nvisible Beats). The last 3 songs Pain recorded with Kwin were in Richmond, Va. From 2001-2003 Pain was locked up in Jacksonville County Jail. He has been free since 2003 but living in Florida ever since and not keeping a phone turned on much, he and Kwin don't keep in touch.

Most of Kwin's beats came from Shallow from year 2000 on. Shallow was never a hip hop producer until Kwin and him recorded together for the 1st time. Kwin lived in Richmond from 2000 to 2002. In 2001 Kwin met 2 MCs who ended up performing shows with Kwin. Metaphysik from Emporia, Va and PL (Paul Love) from Lahnam, MD (P.G. County). Metaphysik and Kwin did a show in Portsmouth, Va. PL met Kwin from the Greenguy vs. Rinx beef on the BBS (on Garageband) and they performed in D.C., Baltimore, Philly, and Blacksburg, Va (where Virginia Tech is).

In 2003, Kwin Moved back to Philly and met Omega Redd from Chester, Pa. Redd began to introduce Kwin to Sal Graci and Va'Les (both from North Philly). Up until this point, most of the recordings Kwin was doing were with Shallow using Shallow Beats. Va'Les and Sal Graci both made there own beats (in Philly) and they were glad to meet Kwin who had a Roland 880 EX (a portable studio recording device, same one Pain's friend Maurice in West Philly used to use). Kwin had a deal with PL & Shallow for 1 album, Shallow would supply PL & Kwin Beats and get 34% of the royalties, Kwin would get 33% and PL would get 33% of this album called "Double up, Double Down". That album was a long time in creation because PL stayed in Maryland and Kwin lived 3 hours away (both Richmond and Philly same distance away). That was started in 2001 and completed in 2004. Kwin made an agreement with Sal Graci too, Sal gave Kwin instramentals for his services recording his songs and his cousins and brothers songs....So Kwin would mix down and record a few songs for Sal, and get Sal Graci's beats as payment.

Omega Redd and Va'Les were a duo. They were partners, they rolled together. Va'Les made beats, freestyled, and he used to sing as well. Redd was very impressed with all of Kwin's abilities when they met. Website building, Freestyling, Producing, Mixing, Writing songs, and a great deal of knowledge on the music business (rules and royalty statutory #'s)...Va'Les was very impressed with Kwin's freestyle upside when Kwin battled J.T. in the hood and his ability to record and mix songs. Kwin didn't ever charge Va'Les or Redd money to record, they started up a movement called the "S.O.A.z" or Self Owned Artists and then called themselves a group when the 3 of them did a song together (the 3 Kwin MD, Omega Redd, and Va'Les called themselves:) Common Ground.

In 2005, Kwin MD slowed down significantly as an artist. He still would once in a while go to a studio, but he sold the Roland 880 EX in 2004....His main focus has been on promoting the music since 2005. His screen name on garageband.com GREENGUY has been highly active in promoting this music that was recorded (mentioned above). When the BBS was still open (the 2nd ERA of ownership in yesterday's post) Greenguy used to promote this music nonstop. In thr summer of 2007, Common Ground (including Kwin) recorded a song together which will be Jan. 2008 S.O.A.z flavor of the month. That may have been the last time Redd or Kwin would ever record with Va'Les again. Not because of any beef, that's another story for another day.

Next Segment: The PL Story/BIO