Rise of a Phoenix: How Bohan Phoenix Lives Up to His Name
Chinese-American hip-hop artist Bohan Phoenix is unlike any other artist today. Bridging the east and west, Bohan is becoming a global phenomenon as he makes waves through rap music. Find out how his multicultural upbringing helped him make a name for himself.
Despite the inclusivity of the music industry, it’s still hard to find bilingual and bicultural Asian artists that have made it big, especially in the rap genre. Enter Bohan Phoenix – the Chinese-born rapper that is about to rise like the immortal bird that inspired his namesake.
Bohan was born in Hubei, China, and moved to Massachusetts at the age of 11. His understanding of his cultural duality is a recurring theme in his music, where he discusses how he reconciles being both Asian and American.
Bohan’s Music Influences
According to the artist, he learned English through listening to Eminem, and Tupac Shakur, among other rappers. Starting out as a part of the gospel choir in high school, Bohan Phoenix developed a clear understanding and love for rhythm and music. The rapper studied at New York University where he forged lifelong friendships and collaborations that ultimately led to LoveLoveNYC, an indie collective that got the attention of Complex, Hypebeast, and The Fader, among many other publications.
When asked about what music he listens to, Bohan shares that he surprisingly loves non-rap music from Erykah Badu, Nina Simone, D’Angelo, and Stevie Wonder. According to the rapper, listening to other music genres is great because too much rap music can get dry.
The rapper also admitted to being a fan of Kanye West’s Dark Twisted Fantasy era, saying that he listens to the album at least once a week.
What’s New With Bohan?
The rapper was recently signed to JUUICE, the hip hop imprint of Warner Music China in the Greater China Region. The company aims to support the bustling Chinese hip-hop scene and push rappers and artists to the mainstream.
“Already a force in the mainland, we are now leveraging the resources of our other affiliates, Hong Kong and Taiwan, to fuel JUUICE’s ability to promote its roster across a wider network in Asia,” shared CEO of Greater China for Warner Music Asia, Jonathan Serbin. He also added the artists who are signed with JUUICE will benefit from the umbrella company’s integrated promotion and marketing across the region so they can reach more people.
With his hits like “Jala,” “Overseas,” and “Orientation,” the rapper has mastered how to mix East and West melodies to give his audience a fresh style of hip hop.
As the trajectory of Bohan Phoenix’s career goes up, he is also using his influence to inspire young artists. When asked what he would do if he weren’t in music, the rapper shared that he always wanted to teach.
“As I’ve grown older and more conscious of what’s happening around me, I’ve realized how lucky I’ve been to have had really good people in my life to guide me through tough times and temptation. At the same time, I also realize a lot of kids don’t have that guidance. I think passing down things like morals, fairness, and equality to kids is super important, and something I want to do, music or not.”
Recently, he joined the judges pool of Vans Musicians Wanted including Vans Global Marketing lead Tierney Stout, hip hop artist J.I.D., Grammy award-winning artist Anderson .Paak, and singer and composer Nilüfer Yanya.
The finalists of the competition will get the opportunity to perform with .Paak at the House of Vans. Aside from that, the winner will also get an unlimited digital distribution by Spinnup, a music video produced and promoted by Universal Music Group, and Vans and Fender Gear products, among many more.
The competition showcases emerging artists from around the world and does wonders to broaden their reach. Its past winner includes 999999999 from Japan, Shahrae from Australia, and BAD DOD from Singapore.