Brooklyn rapper Maino, born Jermaine Coleman, emerged as a favorite on the New York mixtape circuit, rising from a tumultuous upbringing in Bedford-Stuyvesant with two drug-addicted parents. After spending ten years in prison during the ’90s, where he began rapping to cope with boredom, Maino launched his music career upon release in 2003 with his Hustle Hard imprint. Gaining early airplay on Hot 97 and building a buzz with street singles like “Rumors” and “Take It Like a Man,” he signed with Universal in 2005, though his debut album Death Before Dishonor was shelved. Maino found new footing with Atlantic Records in 2007, releasing his breakout track “Hi Hater” and debut album If Tomorrow Comes… in 2009, featuring the platinum-certified single “All the Above.” Follow-up projects included the Unstoppable EP (2010) and The Day After Tomorrow (2011), solidifying his reputation as a resilient and influential voice in hip-hop.