If you haven’t heard any Chinese rap, then you’re missing out. Similar to K-pop, Chinese rap mixes in some English lines, but overall, transcends language. Since the competition show “Rap of China” came out in 2017, Chinese hip-hop has blown up within China and internationally. Artists 5-9 of this list were all previously contestants on the show. Chinese hip-hop as a genre is so new and not strictly defined, so we are seeing the emergence of different sounds that incorporate R&B, soul and electronic. These top artists are also very young: 7/10 are 25 and under. Did I miss any of your favorite artists? Let me know in the comments.
1. Higher Brothers
Hailing from ChengDu, Higher Brothers is one of the first groups to succeed in bringing Chinese hip-hop to a global audience. They are part of 88rising, the cross border Asian American label that Rich Brian is also represented by. Their music videos have both Chinese and English subtitles, so you can follow along in either language. My favorite songs are Panda Remix, Won’t Believe, Gong Xi Fa Cai (a great jam for Chinese New Year), and 7-11 (a heartfelt song about their love of the convenience store).
2. Kris Wu (吴亦凡)
Kris started his career with the K-pop group EXO, but has since returned to China to do solo music. Kris wants to bridge the gap between the East and West with music, so he’s very active in America promoting Chinese hip-hop despite it being an uphill battle. His primarily English language album for the US market, Antares, is one of the best debut albums I’ve heard. His music combines R&B beats with traditional Chinese instrumentals (PiPa, GuZheng, DiZi) to create pleasing cross-cultural medleys. Be careful if you run into him though, he might just ask if you “have freestyle”. His best Chinese songs are Big Bowl Thick Noodles, Six, Eternal Love, and Dawn.
3. VAVA
At just 24 years old, VAVA is a technically skilled rapper and respected veteran in the industry. She is mostly a self-taught artist. At age 10, she was accepted into a performing arts school in SiChuan, but couldn’t attend because her family couldn’t afford the tuition. At 18, she moved to Beijing to start her music career. You’ve probably heard her song My New Swag in the movie Crazy Rich Asians. Other good songs are Ego and You Should Know My Name.
4. ØZI
ØZI is a 23 year-old Taiwanese American artist. He grew up in Taiwan attending Taipei American School, and his bilingual and bicultural background is clearly reflected in his music. His songs seamlessly mix Chinese and English and he honestly spits fire in both languages. His music has such a distinctive sound that it constitutes a genre of its own. Some songs to check out are Diamond, Paradise Island and Bad Intentions.
5. Wang Yi Tai (王以太)
Wang Yi Tai is one of the most soulful artists in the hip-hop landscape. He can rap and sing and draws inspiration from many different genres. He started his career as part of a regional rap collective called ChengDu Rap House (CDC) along with Higher Brothers. The collective has since disbanded, but they were responsible for kickstarting many of the top Chinese rappers of today. I like the songs Shout it Out, Mask Off (Remix), Gua Yang Tou and HYFR (Remix). Shout It Out has some of my favorite lyrics Wo men mei you cha yi, zhan zai tong yi pian da di, which means “We are all the same, we all stand on the same land that is earth”, where he expresses acceptance of everyone regardless of color and creed.
6. JelloRio (李佳隆)
JelloRio is an R&B artist that got popular on Rap of China season 2. On the show, he composed and performed a romantic song, Falling Stars, with another contestant and won “best duet of the season”. However, he was eliminated after performing this song, as the competition only allowed one member to stay on. His music experiments with very chill, slow R&B rhythms that I haven’t heard before in Chinese music. Some top songs are Special, Full Moon and Lighting.
7. BrAnT.B (小白)
At just 22 years old, BrAnT.B has released an impressive portfolio of music. His songs are identifiable by their strong melodies and clever lyrics. He almost didn’t make it on season 1 of Rap of China because he decided to sing for his audition instead of rap. Good thing judge Kris Wu saw his potential and asked to hear his rap lines. Top songs from him include July (Remix), Waiting and Horizon.
8. Wu Du Montana (雾都)
Wu Du means “Fog City” in Chinese, and is a nickname for his hometown of ChongQing. Fun fact: ChongQing has 104 days of heavy fog every year. Wu Du’s music is very experimental and combines elements of electronic, R&B and autotune. He gained popularity after appearing on Rap of China season 3, but still has a relatively small number of songs out to the public. Nevertheless, I really like the few songs he has released and I’m looking forward to hearing what’s next from him. Songs I like by him are Wu Du Night Talks, ChongQing Forest, Hey and I’m Out Ya.
9. Fu Ke Si (福克斯)
Fu Ke Si is from XinJiang and is known for his rapid but enunciated raps. He actually “dissed” celebrity judge Kris Wu on social media prior to appearing on Rap of China. Despite that, Kris still selected Fu Ke Si onto his team and the two developed a great working relationship. My favorite songs are Culture, Jungle Juice and Follow Me.
10. Ma Si Wei (马思唯)
Ma Si Wei is a member of Higher Brothers, but also has solid solo music. He released his first studio album, Prince Charming, earlier this year. Some songs to check out are The World is Yours, Amsterdam, and Takers. I also recommend this prelude to the album that is pretty fire.
Honorable Mention: Jackson Wang (王嘉爾)
Originally from Hong Kong, Jackson is currently a rapper in the K-pop group Got7. He’s very popular in Mainland China for being a regular on what feels like every variety show ever. Most of his solo songs are in English, but he occasionally raps in Chinese: Okay and Face Power (Know Know ft. Jackson). Props to Jackson for being one of the hardest working artists in the business.
Dumplings and Dragons 