February 10, 2021

That's 5 | Masiwei

AB Shen

很惭愧,就做了一点微小的工作。

Masiwei is a member of the Chinese hip-hop group Higher Brothers and is gearing up to release his second solo album, Dark Horse.

Masiwei is a member of the Chinese hip-hop group Higher Brothers and is gearing up to release his second solo album, Dark Horse.

This article is part 25 of 82 in the series: That's 5

点击此处阅读中文版本。

Masiwei(马思唯) from Pixian, Chengdu, China, is the head of the Chinese hip-hop group Higher Brothers. Known for his signature flow, Masiwei released his first solo album Prince Charming (黑马王子), last year. We recently caught up with Masiwei to discuss music and Chinese New Year.

The following interview has been lightly edited. Photos by 88rising.

What influences you and your music?

When I first started listening to hip-hop, I listened to 50 Cent, Bow Wow, Fabolous, Nelly, Chingy, Soulja Boy, Big L, Nas, and Jay-Z, a lot. These artists continue to have a massive impact on my music and taste.

How do you celebrate CNY? Do you have any CNY traditions?

The best way to spend Chinese New Year is with my family and friends, playing with firecrackers and getting lucky red envelopes with money, too.

Favorite food to eat during CNY?

My favorite food to eat during Chinese New Year is always dumplings.

Do you have a special fit for CNY?

For my Chinese New Year outfit, everything has to be new. For my sneakers, I like Nikes in the classic OG colorways.

What’s next for you in the new year?

My new album, Dark Horse, releases on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. I put a lot of time into making the lyrics. They’re more personal and intricate than ever before, so I hope the album will inspire people to be brave and overcome any obstacles they face. I also have a concert performance with McDonald’s on their McDonald’s app. I will perform songs from the album live for the first time during their New Year celebration on February 12th from 7 pm – 9 pm in the US.

@masiwei1993