No Sleep til Shanghai
Encyclopedia
No Sleep til Shanghai is a 2007 documentary film. It stars Jin
and was directed by Todd Angkasuwan.
(Ruff Ryders
). The film follows Jin and his crew as they tour Asia to promote Jin’s debut album, The Rest is History
. Along the way, we are treated to a fascinating glimpse into the life of a rapper, as well as the rapidly growing hip hop communities in Asian cities such as Hong Kong
, Shanghai
, Taipei
, and Tokyo
. The film gained wide acclaim and some shock from screening audiences at the Atlanta Film Festival as they reacted to the startling visage of Jamaican-American promoter Andrew Ballen
speaking fluent Chinese on the Shanghai leg of the tour.
Jin (rapper)
Jin Au-Yeung , who performs under the stage name MC Jin, is a Hong Kong hip hop rapper, songwriter, and actor. Growing up in the Miami, Florida area, and later living in New York City, he decided to reside permanently in his motherland, Hong Kong...
and was directed by Todd Angkasuwan.
Plot
Riding the notoriety of winning the weekly Freestyle Friday rap battle on BET’s 106 and Park for seven consecutive weeks, Jin shattered seemingly insurmountable boundaries and stereotypes by becoming the first Asian American rapper to sign a recording deal with a major label when he signed with Virgin RecordsVirgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
(Ruff Ryders
Ruff Ryders
Ruff Ryders Entertainment is a record label founded by brothers Darrin "Dee" Dean and Joaquin "Waah" Dean, uncles of producer Swizz Beatz. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Fontana Distribution.The label is currently active as Ruff Ryders...
). The film follows Jin and his crew as they tour Asia to promote Jin’s debut album, The Rest is History
The Rest Is History
The Rest Is History is Jin's debut album. It was released on October 18, 2004.-Background:Originally titled Almost Famous, the album was delayed for over a year. Originally slated for a Summer 2003 release it was pushed back to an October 2003 date. After plans did not materialize, the album's...
. Along the way, we are treated to a fascinating glimpse into the life of a rapper, as well as the rapidly growing hip hop communities in Asian cities such as Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. The film gained wide acclaim and some shock from screening audiences at the Atlanta Film Festival as they reacted to the startling visage of Jamaican-American promoter Andrew Ballen
Andrew Ballen
Andrew Craig Ballen is a Jamaican-American television producer, A&R executive, entrepreneur and television personality, based in Shanghai, China....
speaking fluent Chinese on the Shanghai leg of the tour.
Awards and nominations
- Atlanta Hip Hop Film Festival - Best Documentary (nominee)
- San Francisco Int'l Asian American Film Festival - Best Documentary (nominee)