Discovered and signed at age 16 by music impresario Rick Rubin, Derek Barbosa was born in New Jersey to a Puerto Rican father and a Black mother. Performing with the stage name "Chino XL", he was often referred to as "the Lyrical Messiah", coined from a song off his 2006 album "Poison Pen". After releasing his 1996 debut album, "Here To Save You All" (with chart topping singles and top rated videos aired on MTV), he took a decidedly different journey in making his follow up and subsequently parted ways with Rubin's American Recordings label to sign to Warner Bros. Records. However, as a result of Prince's public legal battle and departure from WB, the Black Music department was folded and Chino realized he, too needed a new home for his music. The long awaited follow up "I Told You So" - produced while at Warner - was released independently and become an instant classic, despite its release date of September 11, 2001 ( or "9/11" - the day of the attack and destruction of Manhattan's World Trade Center). Barbosa took a hiatus from writing and recording and turned his sights and creative inspiration to acting. Over the next 4 years, he would appear in film roles as varied as low budget indie films to both comedic and dramatic guest appearances on network television to co-starring opposite Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson in director Rob Reiner's "Alex & Emma"; a Warner Bros. release. His manager, Stacey Castro decided it was time for Chino to return to making music and the duo worked for two years to create his third and longest awaited release, "Poison Pen", which arrived to critical acclaim and followed suit in attaining cult status as did his previous two albums. Copies of 1996's "Here To Save You All" still sell to this day. Barbosa has toured with a range of artists as diverse as Alanis Morissette to Pitbull and Faith Hill to Snoop Dog He signed with Universal Music from 2007 - 2009. He is a member of MENSA and his uncle is funk maestro Bernie Worrell.
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Biography from IMDb.
- April 8, 1974
- July 28, 2024 (aged 50)
- Bronx, New York, USA
- Actor and composer
- 7 on MovieCove · 13 credits in all
What are Chino XL's films like?
Across a limited sample of 4 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 4
A split, not a type: Light 1 · Serious 1 · Dark 2
Grounded 4 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 0
Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 1
Steady 2 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0
Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0
A split, not a type: Casual 2 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 1
Easy watch 1 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 1
Resolved 3 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0
Roles they play
- Shadowas Crazy 8 in The Beat (2003)
Moods and endings
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Chino XL's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 7 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.
Subscription and free streaming for Chino XL's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
13 credits, 7 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.
Young Cesar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Playas Ball (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
The Beat(2003)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Gang Warz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Reno 911! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
The Circuit 2(2002)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Alex & Emma(2003)
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Crime Partners(2003)
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Vatos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Barrio Wars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
CSI: Miami(2002)
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows
Kiss of the Dragon(2001)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Gang Tapes(2001)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Career shape
Star power in the 32nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 13 titles from 2001 to 2007.
Biggest box office
Alex & Emma (2003)
Highest rated
Gang Tapes (2001)
Most popular right now
Alex & Emma (2003)
Film career
- 2003Screen debut· Alex & Emma
How do Chino XL's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 6; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.
- 50th to 74th3
- 25th to 49th1
- Below 25th3
Shape of the crowd
3 of their 7 titles are Mixed.
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic2
- Crowd Pleaser1
- Mixed3
Reviewers score the acting 50/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 62, detractors 27. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does Chino XL work with?
People who share at least 2 of Chino XL's MovieCove titles; Coolio shares the most, 2.
- CoolioShared titles: The Beat (2003), Gang Tapes (2001)See all 2 shared titles with Coolio
