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New Straits Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Chinese rapper Lan Lao topples Jay Chou as most-streamed Mandarin singer
GUANGZHOU: With over 3.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify and even more across various Chinese streaming platforms, Chinese rapper Lan Lao has dethroned the long-reigning Mandopop king Jay Chou as the most-streamed Mandarin singer. The Straits Times of Singapore reported yesterday that the 27-year-old, also known as Skai IsYourGod, released his second album, 'Ba Fang Lai Cai' (or 'Stacks From All Sides'), last year, which quickly went viral on mainland China's TikTok-like platform, Douyin. Today, his fame has extended to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia. Born in Huizhou, in China's southern Guangdong province, the rapper has said in interviews that he was significantly influenced by Cantonese culture while growing up. After graduating from the Sichuan University of Media and Communications, he took on various odd jobs while pursuing music in his spare time. His first notable creative appearance was a Douyin video promoting Lao Gan Ma chilli sauce. His passion for rap stems from influences such as Chinese rapper Wang Yitai and global hip-hop stars Drake and Young Thug. Lan Lao's songs resonate with those who are fed up with the daily grind and harbour dreams of striking it rich quickly. 'Da Zhan Hong Tu' (or 'Blueprint Supreme'), the biggest hit from his second album, is a prime example of his signature fusion of Cantonese folk music with American rap. The track, which opens with a famous Cantonese opera duet by Hong Kong divas Yam Kim-fai and Pak Suet-sin, is currently trending in Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong, partly thanks to its music video being filmed in the city. For a long time, rap was not viewed favourably in mainland China. However, the rise of reality television has led to the genre's explosive popularity across the country. In 2017, the Chinese rap competition show The Rap of China became a massive hit, garnering over 2.7 billion online views. Lan Lao's songs have also proven popular with Taiwanese-American rapper OZI and K-pop star Jay Park, who have collaborated on a rendition of 'Blueprint Supreme'.
New Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Kenny Bee, Eric Tsang distance themselves from Namewee after controversial photo
HONG KONG: Veteran Cantopop singer Kenny Bee and actor Eric Tsang have distanced themselves from controversial Malaysian singer-actor Namewee after a group photo they took together drew criticism from netizens. The Straits Times of Singapore reported yesterday that Bee and Tsang, both 72, were recently in Malaysia to perform as part of the Wow! Super! Happy 30 Years concert at Resorts World Genting on July 19. Namewee, 42, took a photo with the pair before the show and subsequently posted it on social media on July 19, with the caption: "Wishing you a successful performance tonight." The image of the trio together quickly went viral on social media, with numerous netizens criticising Bee and Tsang for their association with Namewee, whose full name is Wee Meng Chee. The hip-hop artiste has been blacklisted in China since the release of his satirical single 'Fragile' in 2021. The track was widely seen as containing sharp criticisms and veiled references to Chinese President Xi Jinping and various China-related issues, including Taiwan's political status and censorship in China. Bee, a member of the pop group The Wynners, took to the Chinese social media platform Weibo on July 20, uploading a photo of himself accompanied by a statement. "As a Chinese citizen, I have shown patriotism through concrete actions and firmly upheld the dignity of the country and national sentiment," he wrote in Chinese. "Recently, during an event in Genting, Malaysia, I took a photo with a certain person without noticing that it caused a misunderstanding." Bee clarified that it was purely a courtesy interaction on a public occasion, and he was unaware of Namewee's background or previous remarks and actions. Tsang, the host of the Hong Kong variety series Super Trio, posted a similar statement on Weibo on July 21, adding: "Once again, I express my deepest apologies to everyone." In a now-deleted statement on Facebook, Namewee wrote in Chinese: "In order not to affect the peace and stability of the 'motherland' as well as the safety of our comrades in Hong Kong in the Greater Bay Area, we have removed the previous post and photos." He also shared his new song, 'Letter Of Apology (2025)', on Facebook on July 21, quoting the lyrics: "And now I have decided to admit my mistake. This was just a small storm. I lowered my head and bravely showed my softer side. And criticised my brainless self."
