We all meet people who leave a lasting mark on us. To me, humans are like footprints—or fingerprints. Each one leaves an impression entirely their own. That’s the heart of Human Notes here at 224: sitting down with someone who has something to share, whether they’re an artist, a musician, or even a cashier.
I had the honor of virtually sitting down with someone I’ve known for years—someone I hold dear. I’ve watched him grow from the early stages of his craft into the artist he is today. It’s everything I envisioned and more.
Today, I get to introduce you to one of my favorite people, someone who embodies the spirit of 224 in every way: Chinobxnds.
The first time he knew he was meant to create happened like falling asleep—slowly, then all at once. It didn’t hit him until years after he had begun. At 19, the truth settled in like gravity: this wasn’t a hobby. It was a calling. And even though he didn’t take it fully seriously until a few years later, that’s the part I find beautiful. Sometimes we walk into destiny without realizing our feet have already crossed the threshold. We pick up the things that shape us before we understand what they are.
When my friends and I look back at high school, he stitched himself into almost every moment — his core, his presence, his friend group’s. They made music, created worlds, and were people whose art and humanness still hold a special place in our hearts. And the wild part is that we knew. We knew this was meant for him long before he ever claimed it. Before any of them fully had the language for their gifts, before any of us understood what we were witnessing, there was something in the air around him. A spark. A pull. A quiet certainty that what they were building, even in the smallest ways, would one day grow into something much bigger.
That’s the magic of looking back: realizing the signs were always there.
He told me the credit belongs to everyone around him.
“Everyone I’ve ever met, been friends with, relationships, family, and most importantly brothers. I used to look up to so many rappers growing up, especially when I was 16. And then I realized one day — they’re no different than any of us. The main people that shaped my approach of my craft was every artist of my generation. Seeing them capable meant I was just as capable.”
Their humanity uncovered his. Sixteen-year-old him would be starstruck at the artist he’s become.
“I’m nowhere near where I want to be yet. But if 16-year-old me met me now, they’d also be a little disappointed that I’ve let a lot get in the way of what I needed to get done by now. But everything has its divine time and I wouldn’t be who I am now without the experiences I’ve been gifted with.”
And I have to pause there, because this matters. The things we think we need at sixteen are nothing compared to the glory the universe, God, and the world have planned for us. Romans 8:18. If he had gotten what he wanted then, life would look different now. He would look different now.
We wouldn’t have this version of Chino — the one who sits with me now, who speaks with honesty, who carries light like it’s stitched into his very skin. Sometimes the things we thought we needed were never losses at all, but blessings in disguise.
Chino has always brought the heat — the light — in his music and in his life. And when I asked him what it means to hear that, he said:
“It means everything. Do the things you love and do them with passion. Do them with purpose and with intent to outdo yourself more than the last. Art is subjective and everyone has their fuel. Mine is being overly dedicated to never being satisfied. It gives fuel for the next project.”
The fire hasn’t gone out. It’s grown. It’s magnified to a nexus. His new project, IYS — It’s Yourself, marks that growth, that clarity.
“It’s the only project I’ve made where I was completely sober. And it was really fun making it. It was more for me than for anyone else. And it turned out to be a lot more impactful and loved than I anticipated. I’m so happy that people get to share my world with me through my music. This world is OURS, not just mine.”
That’s what I love about him — he doesn’t hoard his world. He opens it. He invites. His story is his, but it’s never only his.
Chinobxnds is still building, still evolving, still lighting the path for the next version of himself — and for the next generation coming up behind him. His story is one you can feel, one you can hear, and one you can step into just by pressing play.
If you’ve never tapped into his world, now’s your moment. Check out his work, follow his journey, and step inside the orbit of a true 224 Artist.
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Listen Here:
• Apple Music: Chinobxnds
• YouTube: Chinobxnds
Follow Chino:
• Instagram: dontdoperx
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