Cultural relevance

Wang said while rap music is an imported product, "rap culture is not". It may have been defined and commodified in the US, but its cultural meaning in China must be excavated from Chinese soil.

"We have to start from our own hearts, from our own land, to explore what hip-hop really is," he said.

"It's not something you can just learn by copying. You have to participate in it, live it."

Wang believes originality means writing from life experience: the textures of local neighborhoods, and the ups and downs of young people. Doing the leg work leads to understanding, and understanding leads to new ideas.

"There's never such a thing as doing too much," he said.

Wang does not force dialect into his lyrics, but the tempo of the streets and people's everyday outlooks seep in naturally.

"They're the most authentic local characteristics," he said. "Good work can naturally break regional boundaries."

A sense of responsibility is important to Wang who sees himself primarily as a communicator.

To dismantle stereotypes and broaden acceptance of Chinese rap, he often fuses melody with rhyme, inviting listeners who might hesitate at this style of music to "step inside". "Through my lyrics, I hope more people can feel the charm of this style and culture," he said.

His vision of fusion stretches back in time.

Traditional Chinese opera, he said he had observed, alternates between sung passages and spoken narration — a structure uncannily similar to the interplay of verse and hook in hip-hop.

Rhythmic recitation meets lyrical melody; storytelling intertwines with emotion. In contemporary rap, these ancient aesthetics find a modern resonance.

Wang believes that integrating elements of traditional culture is not a form of nostalgia but an evolution. It is a way to let the world hear the distinctive sounds of guofeng rap — to tell Chinese stories with contemporary cadence, he said.