I return to Rap Viet with a different mindset

Shocked to meet B Ray

Returning to Rap Viet season 4 and immediately causing a stir, looking back at your performance in the Conquest round, are you satisfied?

During the time Machiot and I were making "Snow on the Street", I was worried because I didn't know if that much energy was enough to win over the judges, especially since I was already familiar to a part of the audience.

Gill on the Rap Viet stage.

But on stage, I was surprised when the performance exploded and was well received. But looking back, I wasn't very satisfied. I had prepared a dance at the end of the song but because I was so "in the mood", I forgot about it (laughs).

Do you think Coach B Ray is the right choice for you?

Mr. B Ray is one of the people who inspired and influenced Gill's music . Before joining Rap Viet season 4, I went to the casting for Rap Viet season 3. But because of my work schedule, I didn't participate anymore, even though I passed the casting round.

If it's not BigDaddy, B Ray is the team I want to choose. B Ray is a person who has the ability to come up with new topics, as well as unique and interesting ways of exploiting them.

What have you learned and combined with your coach?

I learned from him how to exploit the problem in a song, how to create a song that is both catchy and has enough weight in terms of message. When I met B Ray, I was quite shocked because he is very gentle and speaks very softly, unlike what I saw online.

He is also a very close and caring person, connecting the team members. I believe, with B Ray's leadership, the team members will achieve high rankings.

No pressure when expected

Coach Karik said Gill only showed 30% of his ability in the Conquest round. What will the audience see of Gill's portrait and color in the following rounds?

This is a great compliment from Karik to me. In the next rounds, the audience will see Gill express more of his personal self in music, with more energy and positive messages. I hope my performance will win over many audiences.

Gill received 2 golden hats from 2 coaches BigDaddy and Karik in the Conquest round of Rap Viet season 4.

Did you return to Rap Viet to warm up your name or to become the champion?

Both of these reasons are incorrect. I competed in Rap Viet with a completely new mindset, the goal is to spread positive messages. I also really miss the feeling of composing and working with the artists on the show.

If I just wanted to make my name "hotter", I could focus on making an album, being active on social media, and not necessarily joining Rap Viet. I came back completely because of my love for the show, the coaches, the judges, and the audience.

I also don't put much emphasis on winning the championship. So I don't feel pressured by the high expectations because I know what I'm here to do. If I win the championship, it's a huge honor, and if I don't, it's okay.

The judges and coaches praised Gill for his demeanor, dress, and music. After two years of not competing in Rap Viet, where have you been and what have you been doing to have the version you have now?

It was probably all due to self-cultivation, learning and determination to develop myself. The past two years marked a turning point when I moved to the South. I had to be independent and do everything.

It's hard to describe the journey of self-improvement because every day is worth it with valuable lessons.

If I don't learn, I feel like I'm falling behind. Saigon has a very fast pace of life, completely different from Hanoi . At first, I was overwhelmed by the tight performance schedule.

I have not yet learned how to balance my time between music, daily activities and maintaining good health. I started practicing meditation to calm my mind and reflect on myself more clearly. Life outside has many pleasures and temptations, but I do not allow myself to be affected.

Having faith is having everything

How did Gill get into rap?

I learned about rap thanks to my brother's MP3 player. I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. On that MP3 player, the first Vietnamese rap songs fascinated me.

As the internet developed, I had more access to it, and began to explore and learn more about foreign rap music. When I was in 11th grade, I tried to write my first rap song. I used all my savings of 200,000 VND, went to the studio, and recorded my first song. Looking back, I learned to rap by instinct.

Gill said he joined Rap Viet to spread positive messages.

When do you usually rap?

The raps that are well received by the audience are all improvised by me, then polished into a complete product. For example, the song "Zai pho" is all my memories of living in Hanoi. Every time I miss home and Hanoi, I open it up and watch it again.

Most recently, I released the EP "On the Street". This is an experimental project with new music genres and a new image of Gill. I also participated in the production from composition to production, post-production mixing - mastering, sound and also the chance for me to meet Cloudee and Machiot.

What made you believe rap would make you a star?

When you have enough love, you can do it. People often say "do it with faith", but clearly faith is what can help you do everything.

Rap music is a place to express oneself, to help them feel soothed and empathetic. I believe that if you have faith and work hard for that faith, becoming a star is completely possible.

Thank you!

Gill (real name Vu Truong Giang), born in 1999 in Hanoi. He was an outstanding contestant in Rap Viet season 1, on coach Karik's team, but regretfully stopped at the Breakthrough round. After the competition, Gill released many hits such as: "Zai pho", "Mat xanh", "Sang xun min"... In 2024, he continued to make his mark with his second studio EP called "Trinh pho".

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/rapper-gill-toi-tro-lai-rap-viet-voi-mot-tam-the-khac-192241010183055892.htm