Moving to the beat

Promoting attitude and self-confidence, hip-hop is getting more Chinese youth interested, especially with shows such as The Rap of China and the upcoming MDSK music festival in Chengdu. [Photo provided to China Daily]

When the first season of The Rap of China opened on streaming site iQiyi in June, the country's first reality TV show focused on the genre ushered in an unprecedented wave of interest in hip-hop music.

The groups of Chinese rappers showcasing their talent, together with the four judges- Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu, Taiwan musicians Wilber Pan, Chang Chen-yue and MC Hotdog (the stage name of Yao Chung-jen)－lending their weight to show, have fueled the rising popularity of a largely underground culture among Chinese youth.

Beijing-based company Modernsky, one of the largest indie record labels and outdoor music festival organizers on the Chinese mainland, has been quick to spot the trend－it is rolling out a two-day hip-hop music festival in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, over Sept 2-3.

In 2016, Shen Lihui, the founder and CEO of Modernsky, set up a branch hip-hop record company, MDSK, with the aim of supporting local hip-hop talent.

The outdoor music festival, also named MDSK, will feature 22 bands and singers. PG One is part of the lineup. He had participated in the reality show, a singing competition focusing on hip-hop music, and became an instant star. The popular performer is a member of the Triple H (honghuahui in Chinese) hiphop label from Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.