How are Asian Pacific Americans viewed in hip hop?
They’re pretty much typecasted, as well. There’s a lot on the come up now, but it’s still a struggle. You see a lot of Asian Americans in acting and comedy, but you don’t see very much in music. The reason for this is because it’s still too high of a risk for labels to invest in. Another problem is that Asian Americans kind of like to blend in and adapt to the mainstream. We easily camouflage ourselves because we are that “model minority.” We don’t set ourselves apart enough to actually have a clearcut approach on music, especially hip hop. I don’t think labels are looking to sign an “Asian version of an Eminem or Jay-Z.” This is why I always say to create your own sound. You have to be distinct and blatantly unique. This is what will get you noticed. It will give you respect and longevity. How did your parents react when you told them you wanted to be a MC? They were against it for the longest time. It wasn’t until recently that they finally accepted it. You know how Korean parents ar
