Mims (rapper)

This article is about the musician. For other uses, see Mims.

Mims

Shawn Mims (born March 22 1981) is an American rapper signed to American King Music and Capitol Records. He is best known for the song This Is Why I'm Hot.

Early Years

Mims was born in Washington Heights, Manhattan to a family of Jamacian and American heritage. His early dreams were to be a music producer. At the age of twelve, his mother bought him a DJ system. At age thirteen, his mother died while giving birth to his baby sister, Alexis. His father had passed two years earlier, but Mims did not know him very well. He moved in with his Aunt Ann and his grandmother, with whom he became very close.

Music Career

It was Mims love for music that kept him down the right path. He chose to drop out of community college to pursue a career in hip hop music. His interests had turned from producing to doing the actual rapping. He would begin to rap under the stage name Mr. Mims, he earned himself a deal with UBO Records, a Latino-distributing hip hop label in 2000. He became a Canadian sensation in 2001, when he appeared on a Baby Blue Soundcrew compilation named Private Party Collector's Edition Vol. 2. He appeared on the lead single "Love Em' All", also featuring Choclair. The video won an award at the Canadian Music Awards. It would go unreleased in The United States of America. While attending a wedding of a friend he would be introduced to DJ Blackout of Blackout Movement. He would begin to record with Blackout as they would produce tracks that would make him into a star. In 2003, he released a song named "I Did You Wrong". This song would be the one that got him noticed by rap star Method Man. Method Man hired him to participate on his tour as his opening act and the hypeman. Mims would thank Method Man in his album's liner notes for jumpstarting his career. He would leave UBO on friendly terms in 2005 due to creative differences. In 2006, he met Bronx rapper Remy Ma and they would become great friends. That same year he created his label American King Music. He searched for distribution at Def Jam, Atlantic Records, Interscope, and Universal, but got turned down. In early 2007, he recorded the "This Is Why I'm Hot" single then labels came with many offers, but he chose Capitol Records. He would sign local acts Ill-C and Sincere to his American King label. He completed his debut album Music Is My Savior that February and released it in March. The album features two other hits "Like This" and "This Is Why I'm Hot (remix)". It featured appearances from Letoya Luckett, J. Holiday, Seed, Bun B, and Purple Popcorn. The album sold 641,000 copies going Gold. He was sued in April 2007 as reported by SOHH NYC to perform at a women's conference where he would've made $700,000. He did not show up and was sued for $7.5 Million. He has plans to release a new album in 2008 tentaviely titled East Coast Resurrection, with the lead single being the "Like This (remix)". He appeared at the 2007 BET Awards, and was nominated for the Best New Artist award. On August 8, Mims was nominated by MTV for the Song of The Year with This Is Why I'm Hot. Mims has been featured on many other Capitol Records songs by Letoya Luckett, and by J. Holiday.

Feud with 50 Cent

In May 2007, it was reported that Mims had some less-than-friendly words for fellow New York rapper 50 Cent. In the quote, it said that Mims said that 50 Cent should be worried because of the success that he is having. He said that 50 Cent is jealous because somebody else is getting attention besides him. He said 50 Cent is trying to take away the attention by releasing four new songs. Mims said he'd be worried, too, if he were in that position. Mims said he has ended 50, and he is the king of New York. Mims tried to end the feud by saying he didn't state these comments. He said that he did not know 50 Cent, personally, but has alot of respect for him and G-Unit. He said that 50's new album would be his best yet. This did little to ease tensions between the two. In August 2007, 50 Cent released a song that dissed Mims, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Ja Rule, The Game, Lil Wayne, and Jay-Z. 50 Cent was interviewed later and he said that he still runs New York and that if anybody should be worried, it should be Mims. He said that while he made $50 Million off of vitamin water, Mims got sued for not showing up to a women's conference owing $7.5 Million. 50 Cent has dissed him online and on mixtapes.

Discography

On March 27 2007, Mims released his debut album Music Is My Savior after four years of trying to get a deal. By him being independent and unknown, he was able to release his album quickly, unlike Saigon, and Papoose. By him being releatively unknown outside of Manhattan, there was no hype so he just released his song and two months later, his album. Saigon, on the other hand is dealing with a bigger record label, so they have to put more albums out where Mims was the only Capitol hip hop release. Because of the anticipation of these two rappers, it makes it seem longer than it actually is. Mims solid release put him in the talk of being the future of New York rap. His album was criticized for being unoriginal for Dirty South beats and Jay-Z's flow, along with Mase's rhyming ability. He promises that his next album will be more unoriginal as he has developed more into his own artist.

Mixtapes

• The Future
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: American King Music/Capitol Records

Albums

• M.I.M.S (Music Is My Savior)
  • Released: March 27 2007
  • Label: EMI/Capitol/American King Music
  • Chart positions: 4 U.S.
  • Last RIAA certification:
  • U.S. Sales: 270,000
  • W.W. Sales: 300,000
  • Singles: "This Is Why I'm Hot", "Like This"

• East Coast Resurrection
  • Released: April 2008
  • Label: American King Music/Capitol Records
  • Chart positions: N/A
  • Last RIAA certification:
  • U.S. Sales
  • W.W. Sales
  • Singles: "Like This (remix)"

Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions				Album
		U.S.	U.S. R&B	U.S. Rap	U.K.
2007	This Is Why I'm Hot	1	2	1	18	M.I.M.S (Music Is My Savior)
	Like This	32	54	11	-	M.I.M.S (Music Is My Savior)

External links

• Official MIMS website
• Mims' MySpace
• MIMS at Capitol Records
• MIMS interview at britishhiphop.co.uk
• Microsoft MIMS news site