At the beginning of May in a LiFTED 5 article, Wes Chen mentioned that there were some good things about The Rap of China, but that there were some bad things. He had a great quote, “Maybe the worst thing about the show is that so many aspiring rappers feel like going on that show is the only way to get ahead, and by doing so will sacrifice their art and integrity. If only more importance was put on artistry and individuality than celebrity, from both the music fans and artists themselves, then we might have a more vibrant Hip Hop culture.”
Bohan Phoenix, LiFTED’s first cover star and an MC who will play the first-ever LiFTED Lounge show at Hong Kong’s Soho House on June 21, has recently reiterated the same point in his new song, ‘NO CHAIN.’ The Chengdu MC by way of New York City just recently got bounced pretty quickly on the new season of The Rap of China where chains are given to rappers who get to go on. Bohan looked around and noticed that instead of the most talented rappers going on, “Reality TV choses entertainment over artistry, and some of the best artists weren’t chosen.”
Then he dropped ‘NO CHAIN’ and a new Bohan emerged. An energized, post-‘Team Tomodachi’ Bohan had a fire lit deep down inside of him. Instead of the laidback funk from his recent records, Bohan goes off on the dark beat produced by Dynobeats.
With a Chengdu crew decked out in all black and an all-black-and-white video shot by Allen Jam, Bohan expresses his displeasure at the world of reality TV while giving props to his fellow contestants on the show. He’s not dissing the people who made it past him, he’s just giving his opinion on what goes into making Hip Hop superstars nowadays.
Real Hip Hop is about getting love on the streets, putting out music that people can shout from the rooftops, and making timeless songs that stay with the fans. While Hip Hop reality shows are cool ways to find new MCs, they aren’t the only way MCs can be successful. With ‘NO CHAINS,’ Bohan shows that he’s a veteran MC speaking the truth to the youth about the ways of the world.
Check out Bohan’s ‘NO CHAIN’ below andget some tickets to Bohan Phoenix & Novel Friday at Soho House in Hong Kong on June 21 here.
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