{"id":203554,"date":"2024-02-21T00:00:20","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T16:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/?p=203554"},"modified":"2024-11-20T19:13:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T11:13:44","slug":"young-hysan-start-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thehoneycombers.com\/hong-kong\/young-hysan-start-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Listen, this isn\u2019t a success story: Hong Kong rapper Young Hysan on his new album, Start Again<\/i>"},"content":{"rendered":"

You might recognise Young Hysan (aka Nile Bun) from The Low Mays<\/a>, a controversial local hip hop<\/a> group who made waves with its unabashedly satirical and brutally humorous lyrics. Or, you may be familiar with the indie rapper through his collaborations with various Cantopop<\/a> A-listers, such as MC Cheung Tinfu, Dear Jane, and Jay Fung. But whether underground or mainstream, Young Hysan\u2019s progressive style and bilingual wit proves his passion lies more in his artistry than any one chart position or award. Having departed from Warner Music and founded his own independent label Fulham Productions last year, the rapper is now continuing to push creative boundaries with his new album \u2013 Start Again<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Even as a new listener, it\u2019s not hard to see that Start Again<\/em> is more than a work of musical experimentation. The deeply impassioned lyrics reveal a journey of self-discovery, giving an intriguing glimpse of the artist\u2019s candid and vulnerable self as he gets to grips with his professional detour and personal growth. Join us as we explore Young Hysan\u2019s evolution, transformation, and recent reflections.<\/p>\n

Keeping it real: A deep dive with Young Hysan<\/h2>\n

From a regular local school student to hitting it big with The Low Mays, to becoming a full-fledged rapper \u2013 how did it all start?<\/h3>\n
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\u201cThe Low Mays is a gift,\u201d Young Hysan says. \u201cIt\u2019s a result of the friendship I have with my bros\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I went to a strict local school<\/a> and many of us were made to focus on getting into university. In order to step away from all the pressure and expectations, I actually stopped going to school for two years<\/strong>. That gave me a lot of time and space to work on my music and find myself. It was really tough though, because I had to discipline myself and try to balance between being a musician and preparing for public exams. Eventually, I managed to get into HKU, but back then was the first time I decided to get my act together and chase my dreams.<\/p>\n

As for The Low Mays, those people have been my best friends since middle school<\/strong>. We\u2019ve been through a lot together \u2013 even when I was constantly getting in trouble, when I was arguing with my parents, and when I was having a hard time figuring out my position in the world. They\u2019re the ones I relied on. I think our bond and mutual trust brings out our humorous side, and it makes The Low Mays a nice \u201cby-product\u201d of our friendship. Making music is just a fun thing we do together whenever we hang out. On the other hand, my music as Young Hysan is more about myself in entirety \u2013 my personal experiences, as well as my thoughts and feelings.<\/p>\n

Where do you get your inspiration from?<\/h3>\n
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Young Hysan performed as a guest at Janice Vidal\u2019s \u201cBe Still Live 2022\u201d concert in the Hong Kong Coliseum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I find inspiration everywhere; it’s more about removing the barriers between myself and those inspirations. I know this sounds a little abstract, but hear me out: it\u2019s difficult to get myself into the right state of mind<\/strong>. In order to get there, I have to be very mindful of what I\u2019m thinking and experiencing. So, I journal a lot; I talk to my friends about how I feel; I listen to their experiences. I have to be honest, self-aware, and sensitive<\/strong> about what\u2019s going on within me and around me, in my circle of friends and in society. Many of these things, then, just bleed into my music.<\/p>\n

What are some challenges you\u2019ve been facing in your career?<\/h3>\n

The Hong Kong market is definitely challenging. I\u2019m a freestyle rapper at heart, but hip hop culture and English rap music just aren\u2019t commonly accepted or understood here. My output over the past couple of years has become more like pop rap, hip hop-influenced pop music, or even R&B, instead of straight-up English rap music (like the stuff by Lil Baby or Drake). I suppose it\u2019s partially my responsibility to introduce the American rap culture to Hong Kong, but I still recognise that certain aspects might not translate well, given the cultural differences<\/strong>. The fact that my music wasn\u2019t mainstream was a major source of frustration I struggled with earlier on in my career. But I think I\u2019m pretty versatile, so I should be able to find a way to make music I love while also resonating with the local audience. Sometimes I do get the urge to just move to LA and drop a mixtape there though!<\/p>\n

What are some common misconceptions about you? Here\u2019s your chance to clear them up!<\/h3>\n
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Young Hysan singing his heart out at Tone Music Festival 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I imagine the most common misconception is that I\u2019m rude, unfriendly, or really narcissistic, maybe due to the stereotypes about rappers or the fact that my music sounds confident \u2013 when in truth I\u2019m a pretty friendly guy<\/strong>! Also, some people seem to think I\u2019d be frustrated or miserable about myself being underrated, especially back when I was signed to a major record label (Warner Music). But I\u2019m hopeful and I don\u2019t think other people\u2019s success takes away from mine<\/strong>. In fact, I believe the Hong Kong music industry needs change; it needs new blood to become more versatile in terms of genre, sound, and emotion, so I\u2019m happy to see other artists, especially my peers, do well.<\/p>\n

Tell us about your new album Start Again<\/em>!<\/h3>\n