Nation's fading tongues find voice in rap revival

Southern exposure

Last year, Cantonese rapper Lan Lao's hits from his second album Ba Fang Lai Cai went viral globally online. Combining Cantonese rap with accented Mandarin, other dialects, and culturally specific references, his vibrant local images captivated listeners around the world.

Veteran Cantonese rapper Chen Zhuoheng, or SoulHan, sees this spreading popularity as solid evidence of Chinese rappers' and hip-hop fans' growing cultural confidence and identity.

The 30-year-old from Guangzhou, Guangdong province, performs almost all of his rap songs in Cantonese.

"Although hip-hop is an imported culture, we Chinese have our own cultural background, a safe society, and different music preferences. Cantonese culture has a long and evolving history, including the internationally brilliant Hong Kong culture. The infusion of these diverse cultures can spark tremendous creativity," said Chen.

Cantonese is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with among China's huge number of dialects and local cultures, boasting a history of more than 2,000 years, he said.

Featuring unique tones and cultural richness, Chen describes the Cantonese hip-hop scene, which started in the 1980s, as a vibrant "melting pot of cultures".

"Hip-hop is inclusive. It gave me knowledge, new perspectives on the world and shaped my values," he said.

"It's good to see more rappers, hip-hop fans and market opportunities in China. But I, like many other rappers, would still prioritize doing hip-hop for self expression and fun, before money and fame," he said.