Nation's fading tongues find voice in rap revival

The musical trajectory of Shi and his group has taken off since then. In addition to local dialect songs, he also uses Mandarin to delve into universal topics, which has helped him gain wider popularity nationwide.

Despite his success, he refuses to label himself as a "dialect rapper" only.

"Dialects will still be there in the right place, but hip-hop itself is free with no boundaries. I come from Changsha, and the city has so much to offer. I love here, belong here. But I'm not confined here," Shi added.

He added that "revolution" is deeply carved in the city's history and the people's blood, which echoes with the spirit of hip-hop culture. As rappers, they stay true to themselves, oppose values that they see as incorrect, shoulder social responsibility, and speak up for the unseen in the hope of making a difference.

In November 2020, Shi held a free show in Wuhan, Hubei province. It was a special time for the city — where Shi spent four years at college — as it slowly began recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The performance, one of the city's first indoor live shows after the virus outbreak, attracted thousands of enthusiastic fans. Its exuberance cleared clouds of doubt and fear hanging over the city.

"I could hardly sleep the night after the show. That was the exact moment I felt like a hero," said Shi, who is currently on a national tour for his new album.