Minh Lai
Meet Rising Vietnamese Rapper
As constantly mentioned, hip hop has gone completely global by reaching all regions of the world. Within Southeast Asia arrives one of Vietnam’s rising rap artists, Minh Lai, as he and Thailand’s K6Y and Japan’s Miles Word linked to debut a classic hit, titled “Keep Burning.”
Born in Saigon, hip hop has been part of Minh Lai’s life since his days in school as a young youth growing up, but not until 2016 did the start of his career began to form after producing his first project, “Lost Talents” with hip-hop director Lambda. Since then, Minh Lai has proven to be one of the best freestylers, he founded his own label called Under The Hood, and has produced a few hit songs throughout his career.
Now, Minh Lai, whose career is still on a rise, has linked with other Asian rappers to create a song of good vibes and the ultimate song for the homies, “Keep Burning.”
K6Y, Miles Word, Minh Lai – “Keep Burning”
K6Y, Miles Word, and Minh Lai are lighting up your week with some great vibes and energy with “Keep Burning,” their first collaboration track under bpm plus asia.
Despite coming from distinctively different backgrounds, the three rising rap stars come together to embrace hip hop culture, spend time with the homies, smoke, and have a great time. Thai rap star and the Rapper Show champion K6Y, Japanese Miles Word, and Vietnamese rapper-producer Minh Lai all shared how they keep their hip hop game strong-and their fire burning.
The old school beat was produced by RHOKUDO, with each rapper also referencing hip-hop legends like Jay-Z, Notorious BIG, and Nipsey Hussle. While “Keep Burning” is about hanging out, smoking, and having fun, it also represents peace and freedom, as well as a united way of bringing good energy – bringing three countries together.
The song is part of the Future Shock project by M.A.U Collective and bpm plus asia, as well ADD CBD.
Stream and Buy “Keep Burning” | Watch on YouTube
Meet and Get To Know Minh Lai
Kulture Vulturez: What were some of your first memories of hearing or listening to hip hop and rap music that you can remember?
Minh Lai: As a child, there was a time when I lived near Công Nghiệp 4 University (Go Vap), fortunately at that time the BBoy dance movement and culture were very popular here. I heard my brother’s hip-hop tunes in jamming sessions at the school parking lot. At that time, I was still in elementary school. Therefore, finding your own identity and shaping will take more time.
About myself in rap, I see an opportunity to tell everyday things in Vietnam and Asia, but with more unique ways of telling. For example, I can rap about a dumpling truck that’s knocking but it’s in a spaceship. The street nature, the local social context, is the main raw material for Hip Hop culture. Therefore, I always want to include what belongs to the culture of Vietnam and Asia into my ideas.
MinhLai – Lights x OUTOF-NOTHING
Kulture Vulturez: How could you describe the hip hop scene in Vietnam?
Minh Lai: I think that the Hip Hop scene in Vietnam is still on the journey of finding and shaping its own context. Hip hop is an imported culture in Vietnam and can also be the next popular culture in the world.
Kulture Vulturez: What was the inspiration for you to get into hip hop and the music industry?
Minh Lai: I am inspired by the rising spirit of Hip Hop and people of color through rap songs in America. Being able to create and make music is my luck, the music industry also makes me feel very interesting, I still learn a lot by all means to be able to develop more in this industry.
Kulture Vulturez: Explain the creation of your label Under the Hood?
Minh Lai: Under The Hood was originally created just for me to post music on Soundcloud. I started to take Under The Hood more seriously when I realized that the team members are all very talented people.
Currently, artists not only have rappers and singers but also have fellow visual artists. In the future, Under The Hood may become a label, but for now, it can be called “Creative Hub”.
MinhLai – Khoan Hồng
Kulture Vulturez: What do you like the most, freestyle rapping or writing and making a song?
Minh Lai: Actually, I like them all, if everything is rearranged, it’s a process to create a product. But when taken apart, all of them are the basic elements of a rapper. I just enjoy everything.
Kulture Vulturez: Breakdown the latest song “Keep Burning”? What is the concept and how did it come about?
Minh Lai: When I received the project, it was quite stressful for me, old school beat was not my forte. At that time, it was Saigon’s longest lockdown period. I’ve written many different versions, but I always feel bad.
But then an idea suddenly came, I wanted to exploit the image between war and peace. So it’s a circuit to write down and not forget a flow break dance for Bboy spirit. I also want to compare the word Smoke in 2 different meanings, 1 is peace, the other is fighting.
Kulture Vulturez: What are you currently working that people can expect from you in the future?
Minh Lai: Being rich in the future.