Biography

The American hip hop recording artist known as Mims was born Shawn Mims in 1982 in Manhattan, New York. Mims grew up on Long Island, graduating from Westbury High School, but he was greatly inspired the rap scene New York’s Harlem, where he spent quite a bit of time with friends. Mims’s interest in music was supported by his parents, but sadly he lost both of them by the time he was a teenager. Before her passing, Mims’s mother encouraged his dreams by providing him with some recording equipment.

Mims began writing and recording his music in his late teens and early twenties. After signing with Capitol Records, Mims released his debut album, Music Is My Savior, in 2007. The album rose to the number two spot on the R&B and rap charts, and to the number four spot on the mainstream charts in the United States.

Music Is My Savior spawned the singles: “Like This,” “Move (If You Wanna),” and “This is Why I’m Hot,” and earned Mims three BET Hip Hop Award nominations (for Rookie of the Year, People’s Champ, and Best RingTune.) The album set the stage for the follow-up, Guilt, which rose into the top ten on the rap charts and into the top twenty on the R&B charts. Between 2007 and 2012, Mims also released the mixtapes: The Future (2007), More Than Meets the Eye (2008), Crazy Shotta (2008), Open Bars (2011), and Fuck Yo Feelings (2012.)

Mims is an artist on the ride and one to watch in the coming years. He most recently appeared on Timati’s single, “Get Money,” alongside Mann.