Wang Yitai | Personality Is The Trend

Wang Yitai

Wang Yitai is one of the few people who speaks concisely. He is also fair and elegant, and his clothes are simple and clean. He was also one of the few people to study abroad. He studied at the University of California in the United States and had close contact with authentic rap music.

He is better known as Wang Shanhuo, from Weibo @王伊太不狠火. "Flash fire" in Sichuan dialect means pointing out mistakes, similar to something going wrong or falling off the chain. Not flashing fire means not falling off the chain. He is very strict about some things, such as early marriage, adhering to the ancient motto of starting a family first and then establishing a career. But for the sake of rap, he did not hesitate to take risks. He dropped out of school in the United States and returned to Chengdu to start his career as a hip-hop singer. After several years of underground status, he finally appeared on "China New Rap" in 2018 and became known to the outside world.

The most practical impact of fame on him is that he can make money. At the same time, this also requires him to pay more attention to his image. When the show's traffic was at its peak, he would often be recognized when he went out. He had to dress up at all times for fear of being recognized and asked to take pictures.

From underground to becoming famous, the most direct change is that he is busier, has more work to do, and more people to meet. It's definitely changing his life. His attitude is, "I hope this is a positive influence. When fame and fortune come, I hope to see more and not be blinded."

Of course, the traffic is also down a bit. Wang Yitai believes that the only way to get more people to pay attention to his music is to make good music while not forgetting where he comes from. "I think people who start making music just make music. No matter how bad it is, it can't be worse."

Wang Yitai

When I live to be 20, my favorite thing is rapping

How did you fall in love with rap?

Wang Yitai: Ever since I listened to Jay Chou's first song "Peninsula Iron Box", I have fallen in love with his rap. I was in the second or third grade of elementary school at that time. I bought my first MP3 player but had no idea how to use it, so I asked my brother who was in college to get one for me. He helped me play some of my favorite songs. I listened to Jay Chou, Tao Zhe, Jolin Tsai, and later started listening to various rap music. Rap makes me feel more comfortable, while pop music sounds particularly impersonal.

What impact did studying in the United States have on you?

Wang Yitai: I studied in high school for one year and in college for four years. In high school, I went as an exchange student to a small town of 6,000 people in Illinois. I am the only Chinese. I have a good relationship with American children and understand their living conditions and music preferences. I spent a year at the University of Virginia and couldn't stand the weather. I didn't buy a car at that time and lived in a dormitory. It snows in winter and I can't go anywhere. I eat subway downstairs every day. Then I broke down and moved to California. I was studying recording engineering at the time and was not a good student. However, California has a pleasant climate and good people. Everyone is willing to go out and play, where you can see all kinds of people and things, and hear all kinds of things. Such music.

Later, when you returned to Chengdu, did you decide to pursue a career in music?

Wang Yitai: The reason why I returned to Chengdu is because I want to take this path. I haven't graduated from college, but the real knowledge is not here. Most of the content that interests me cannot be learned in textbooks. I remember reading on the Internet that education nowadays is all about letting you dance. Don't ask why you want to jump, ask how high you want to jump. At that time, I discovered that after living for more than 20 years, what I was really interested in and good at was rap.

What is the biggest difference between the rap environment at that time and now?

Wang Yitai: At that time, both rap practitioners and listeners were limited to a small circle. Most people would think that it is far away from me, has nothing to do with me, and is a niche culture. But when there is a rap variety show, people find it interesting and are willing to learn about it. You see, now that magazines are willing to take photos of us and advertising jingles are willing to find us, interest and acceptance are even greater.

Not angry when rapping

Your lyrics are special. What do you care about most when writing lyrics?

Wang Yitai: Ever since I was a child, Chinese has been my best subject. When I first started writing lyrics, I would use words that showed that I was highly educated, but now I find that communication is more important than anything else, more important than your technique, accent, or melody. These can only help you communicate more accurately. . I now practice how to use the simplest words to convey the most complex and subtle emotions.

Does angle matter too?

Wang Yitai: Yes, even if you only write about an apple, you can still write it vividly. This is the joy of creation. But I don’t deliberately think about what everyone cares about, because creation must first satisfy oneself before it can satisfy others. I would write down the things that resonated with me, and if just one more person thought with me, I would be successful.

Are there consistent themes in your music?

Wang Yitai: This question is actually very big, but it is actually about love. Everyone is born for the first time. Whether it is family, friendship or love, you must learn how to love and experience being loved. I’m trying my best to use music to spread my thoughts on loving and being loved.

But in the stereotype of the outside world, rap is very angry, right?

Wang Yitai: It’s just that the emotion is quite strong. I don’t think there was anger or anger. It's just that sometimes you need strong emotion to get your point across so others will listen.

What do you think is the origin of Chinese rap?

Wang Yitai: I think the essence of rap culture at home and abroad is the same. Peace, love, unity, and fun can be written into textbooks without being affected by any environment. Even Americans who are good at rap wouldn't say I want money, women and beer.

Wang Yitai

If you chase the trend, you will lose the trend.

You got married relatively young. How has this affected your music making?

Wang Yitai: Getting married currently has little impact on me. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with starting a family first and then starting a career, although I can be considered starting a career first. Of course, once you have a family, you will become more stable in your thinking. In terms of time arrangement, you should set aside time to accompany your wife.

You wrote "I Love Staying in Chengdu" and also said, "Don't call me Beidiao." How are you doing in life?

Wang Yitai: Now there is a saying that I have to go somewhere to have better resources and opportunities, but that is not the case. Some people abroad have been living in slums from the beginning. They may be homeless and without any resources. When they were homeless, they wrote raps and performed in bars, and the opportunity came. I'm from Chengdu and I like living in Chengdu. Life is actually very simple. When there is a show, I go out and perform. When I am not performing, I play games at home, spend time with my wife, listen to music, and go out to drink and chat with friends.

Let’s talk about fashion. What brand do you like?

Wang Yitai: The first thing I consider when choosing clothes is comfort. Apart from this, you can also try stylish clothes. The most important thing is that you feel confident wearing them. I like the trendy brand Kith. It is not a big brand like IT. At first it was just a fashion store. Later, many co-branded models were produced with brands such as Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola. I love this brand because the fabric feels great and feels great when worn. Very simple but also very designed.

What are your thoughts on this trend as a person?

Wang Yitai: Everyone has their own tendencies in their hearts. The most important thing is to know yourself. But if you follow the trend, it can only be called fashionable, not trendy. Fashion actually means that you must have a personality. You don't need to highlight your personality, but you have to know what belongs to you.

What kind of dressing style do you like?

Wang Yitai: I like blue, white, black and red items, as well as necklaces, watches and other accessories. My favorite necklace is gold, smaller and more delicate. As for other items, I think it is especially difficult for boys to choose the right pants. Choosing a good pair of pants can be quite difficult due to the fit, length, and pleats.

What is the difference between your style off stage and on stage?

Wang Yitai: There is not much difference. Unless I have to match lighting or shoot a music video, I will try something bolder, but not too dramatic. Because you may not feel confident wearing it and you won’t feel comfortable on stage.

Photography: Shao Di/Copywriter: Xibu/Fashion Editor: Roy/Copywriter: Nuan Xiaotuan/Makeup: Rui/Hairstyle: Tian Zhiyong/Style: Trist, Gao Xuan/Art Set: Li/Artist: Zhong Ling@乐海ark/ Art Editor: Sun Yi, Murphy

标签： #music