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Edison Chen

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Edison Chen

Edison Chen (陳冠希) is a popular Hong Kong Chinese actor and R&B, Hip-pop singer/rapper. He was formerly an artist of the Emperor Entertainment Group (EEG); however, his contract with EEG ended in 2005. He is the founder of the fashion label CLOT Inc and is also CEO of the record label Clot Media Division Limited.

As of February 21, 2008, he has announced his indefinite departure from the Hong Kong entertainment scene due to his sex photo scandal earlier that year.


Profile

  • Name: Edison Chen
  • Chinese name: Chun Kwoon-hei (陳冠希)
  • Born: October 7, 1980
  • Birthplace: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Height: 5'10"
  • Weight: 145 lbs
  • Years active: 2000 (singing), 2000–present (acting)
  • Language Spoken: English, Cantonese, Mandarin and an elementary level of Japanese
  • Favourite Music Genres: R&B, hip hop
  • Favourite Singer: Sammi Cheng, Leslie Cheung, R Kelly, Jay-Z, Janet Jackson
  • Hobbies: dancing, singing, playing basketball, internet
  • Favourite Food: Japanese cuisine
  • Favourite City: New York City
  • Favourite Colour: Blue
  • Favourite Movies: Star Wars, Gladiator
  • Favourite Accessories: Diamond earring, platinum rings
  • Favourite Sport: Basketball, swimming
  • Trivia: Voted as the top 100 sexiest Asian men (Asian Hunk)

Background

Edison Chen was born on October 7th, 1980. He was raised in Richmond (Vancouver) and graduated high school at Robert Cecilia Palmer Secondary School (apparently, Edison was a slacker at school but was lucky enough to graduate). He is currently living in Hong Kong and works in Asian cinema, music and fashion. He owns a lifestyle company named CLOT, which works with labels and artists from all around the world gathering them all together in unison in the Greater Asian region, although they are based in the Hong Kong region. Edison's official online blog states that "He is just a normal everyday guy like you, but only his job is to entertain..."

In Canada, he searched for a successful way to become a celebrity. Seeing how he failed to receive any recording contracts within Canada or the States because of his Chinese ancestry, he later returned to Hong Kong, and with the help of his father and networks, he was able to make it big, signing a deal with the EEG company. Since then, he has sold over a million in CDs, involved with numerous films and advertisements, including Levi's Jeans and Samsung Cellphones.

Prior to his music career, he went to High School in Hong Kong International School (HKIS) in the class of 1998. He also attended high school at R. C. Palmer Secondary School in Richmond, BC.

Career

Chen has starred in many films including Infernal Affairs II and Twins Effect. He also sings cantopop and can speak English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. However, as with many foreign-born Chinese, Edison does not have a perfect command of Cantonese or Mandarin. He is idolized for his "cool" attitude and his good looks, though critics cite him as conceited ("chuen", "串", in Cantonese slang).

Though many consider Edison Chen to be the first pop singer who brought hip-hop culture to Hong Kong music industry, it was LMF that began the underground hip-hop industry in Hong Kong. But if LMF started hip-hop in Hong Kong, Edison made it mainstream in Cantopop. This is reflected as many of Edison's rap songs feature MC Yan from the now disbanded LMF.

His song "香港地" (Hong Kong Place), featuring MC Yan and Han Jin, about how the Hong Kong people are like, and calls for union of the Hong Kong people, was one of the great hits in 2004. Edison continued his hip-hop style, and released another hip-hop album HAZY in 2005. The song "嘥氣" (Waste of Breath) describes the assault incident Edison encountered before.

Edison's first movie Gen-Y Cops received terrible reviews from the Hong Kong media. As he has gained more experience he has improved somewhat since those early days. He recently starred in the film Jiang Hu in which his character had to rape a dog as a punishment. This scene however, did not bring praise from critics as Edison remains, as some critics say, "talentless". In the movie Initial D Chen took the role of Ryosuke Takahashi.

Currently, Edison is making his Hollywood Debut in The Grudge 2, the second in a Japanese horror remake of Ju-on, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Amber Rose Tamblyn. He is cast as an investigative reporter. The film will be released on Friday, October 13 2006.

Edison had also established his own lifestyle company, CLOT inc. It is co-owned by Edison himself with partners Kevin Poon and Billy Ip. CLOT has been a hit in Hong Kong since its establishment in 2004, with their retail select clothing shop JUICE selling brands from around the globe, including silas, tonite, PAM, devilock, Revolver, Neighborhood, Nike, Medicom Toys etc. Edison and co hit the peak this year with their collaboration with Nike on a pair of sneakers, known as the Air Max 1 NL 'Kiss Of Death'. The sneakers sold out immediately after its worldwide release and has known to be one of the most sought after sneakers this year to Sneaker Heads.

Edison has received help from fellow rap artist "Lupe Fiasco" to help Edison by being featured in a mixtape with Edison. The song "Chicapow" was well known getting Edison more well known in the rap scene. Not only has Lupe Fiasco helped Edison with songs, he also models with Edison's CLOT clothing.

Notable News

In March 2004, Edison Chen was assaulted by two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, in downtown Hong Kong. The two teenagers apparently mocked Edison by breakdancing in front of Edison as he was leaving a hair salon. One of the teenagers swung at Edison and hit him in the right ear. The two teens ran off whilst Edison gave chase for nine city blocks before returning to the same shopping arcade. There he called his "assistants" (rumored to be ex-Triads) to look for the two teens. They were eventually caught on a bus.

Edison was also voted as the top 100 Asian men by public Internet users this year, 2006.

On March 22 2006, Edison Chen was on a Japanese dating show with Anne Suzuki who was Jay Chou's character's girlfriend in Initial D.

On March 9, 2007, Chen was returing home when he discovered a Taxi, that had just dropped off some passengers, blocking his gate. The taxi driver requested that Chen back-up so that he could pull out and let Chen enter; however, Chen's security guard requested instead that the taxi driver pull over so Chen could pass, resulting in the driver insulting the guard and a subsequent argument between Chen and the driver. Eventually, Chen got out of his car, kicked the taxi several times and broke all the windows. He was charged, convicted and fined HK $4,700.

In January 2008, Chen was involved in a widely-publicized sex scandal which involved multiple sexually explicit photographs of himself and other people were circulated on the Internet. Celebrities implicated in the scandal included Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, Mandy Chen, Candice Chan, Rachel Ngan and Cecilia Cheung. The photographs also included 6 other women and other men, as well as his current girlfriend Vincy Yeung. On February 21, 2008, he officially announced his indefinite departure from the Hong Kong entertainment industry.

Artistry

Voice and timbre

Chen possesses the vocal range of a Lyric Baritone in which was evident to his vocal songs. From his album Please Steal This Album, some of his songs can be heard of his ability to reach high notes of a typical baritone to a dramatic tenor in which includes his remake version of Eason Chan's "Nicotine" where he hit the high notes of G above middle C and G# above middle C. In comparing his vocal technique to Hong Kong singers Jacky Cheung (for his headtone/falsetto register), Takeshi Kaneshiro (for his distinctive low register), his voice is also comparable to international musicians R Kelly (for his falsetto) and Eminem (for his technical rap skills); His also known for executing the dynamics sweeping from his whispering pianissimo to his theatrical fortissimo effect in some of his old recordings as well.

Musical Style

His music has encompassed a broad range of genres with ballad, soul, contemporary pop, hip hop and RnB.

Discography

Cantonese Albums

Mandarin Albums

EPs

Compilations

Filmography

Film

  • 2000 – Dead or Alive 2: Birds (Dead or Alive 2: 逃亡者) (Japan)
  • 2000 – Gen-Y Cops (特警新人類2)
  • 2001 – Final Romance (願望樹)
  • 2001 – Dummy mother, Without a Baby (玉女添丁)
  • 2001 – Dance of a Dream (愛君如夢)
  • 2002 – Princess D (想飛)
  • 2002 – Nine Girls and a Ghost (九個女仔一隻鬼)
  • 2002 – Infernal Affairs (無間道)
  • 2003 – The Twins Effect (千機變)
  • 2003 – The Medallion (飛龍再生) (Cameo)
  • 2003 – Infernal Affairs II (無間道II)
  • 2003 – The Spy Dad (絕種鐵金剛)
  • 2003 – Infernal Affairs III (無間道III: 終極無間) (Cameo)
  • 2004 – Sex and the Beauties (性感都市)
  • 2004 – Moving Targets (2004 新紮師兄)
  • 2004 – Life, Translated (時差7小時)
  • 2004 – Jiang Hu (江湖)
  • 2004 – The Twins Effect II (千機變)
  • 2004 – A-1 Headline (A-1 頭條)
  • 2005 – Initial D (頭文字D)
  • 2005 – Under The Same Moon (同じ月を見ている) (Japan)
  • 2006 – Dog Bite Dog (狗咬狗)
  • 2006 – The Grudge 2 (咒怨2)
  • 2007 – Trivial Matters (破事兒)
  • 2008 – The Dark Knight (Cameo)
  • 2009 – The Sniper (神鎗手)
  • 2009 – Coweb (戰無雙) (Cameo)
  • 2012 – Almost Perfect
  • 2014 – Golden Chicken 3 (金雞SSS)
  • 2014 - Streets of Macao
  • 2014 - Initial D 2

TV series

  • 2002 – Feel 100% (百分百感覺)
  • 2003 – Hearts of Fencing (當四葉草碰上劍尖時) Guest
  • 2005 – Eight Heroes (八大豪俠)

Other appearances

  • 2001 – Weakest Link (一筆OUT消)
  • 2005 – MTV Whatever Things
  • 2006 – Gumball 3000: Drivin' Me Crazy

Voice Over works

  • 2001 – Cats & Dogs (貓狗鬥一番) (Voice only, Cantonese version)
  • 2007 – Shrek the Third (史力加之咁就三世) (Voice only, Cantonese version)
  • 2012 – Sleeping Dogs (Jackie Ma) (Video game)

Awards

Film and TV Awards

  • 2001 - 20th Hong Kong Film Awards - Nominee - Best New Performer for Gen-Y Cops
  • 2003 - China Fashion Awards - Winner - Character Figure
  • 2004 - China Fashion Awards - Winner - Asia Breakthrough Artist
  • 2007 - BQ Celebrity Score Awards - Nominee - Best Fashion Artist

Music Awards

  • 2000 - Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards - Winner - Most Popular New Artist (Male) (dual gold with Louis Koo)
  • 2001 - Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Winner - 4 Stations Best Song/Four Channel Award (silver)
  • 2001 - TVB8 Mandarin Music Awards - Winner - Top 10 Songs/Winner - Best New Singer
  • 2002 - Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards - Winner - Favorite Online Song - I never told you (bronze)
  • 2002 - RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards - Winner - Best Song
  • 2002 - CMA Chinese Music Awards - Winner - Favorite New Singer
  • 2002 - Top Chinese Music Awards - Winner - Outstanding New Singer
  • 2002 - Music Pioneer Chart Awards - Winner - Favorite Singer
  • 2002 - TVB8 Mandarin Music Awards - Winner - Best Song
  • 2003 - MusicRadio China TOP Ranking Chart - Winner - Gold Song
  • 2004 - Music Pioneer Chart Awards - Winner - Favorite Singer
  • 2004 - Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards - Winner - Outstanding Performance
  • 2011 - Golden Melody Awards - Nominee - Best Music Video - Mr. Sandman

Citations

External links

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