A Top 50 MCs in Asian Hip-Hop List Just Dropped

Welcome to Golden Dragon, a newsletter by Eric Diep about Asians in hip-hop and my takes on trending topics in AAPI pop culture. Golden Dragon is a rotation of interviews, reviews, news, critical perspectives, and random blogs about music I recommend.

• Commentary on LiFTED’s latest rankings of the top 50 MCs in Asian hip-hop for 2024

• Album review on the OOYEH compilation featuring various artists and something extra from Lyrics Born

• Diep Cuts with P-Lo, Novel Friday, GSoul, and Ethan Low

This week, two rap lists were released that were up for debate.

On June 17, journalist Brian “B. Dot” Miller dropped his annual top 10 best rappers of 2024 which he says is based on the first six months. Kendrick Lamar is deservingly ranked at No. 1. Rounding out his list are Drake, Future, J. Cole, J.I.D, Lil Wayne, Benny the Butcher, ScHoolboy Q, Key Glock, and GloRilla.

On June 18, a relatively new digital magazine devoted to covering Asian hip-hop culture released their third “LiFTED 50” list. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, LiFTED launched in March 2021 after noticing no outlets were dedicated to covering the flourishing Asian hip-hop scene.

In their second year as an established name, LiFTED created an official ranking of the top 50 MCs in Asian hip-hop. The list champions the artists, crowning Jay Park as No. 1 in their first rankings in 2022 and Divine as No. 1 in 2023. The 2024 top 10 are below:

1. Awich (Japan)

2. JP The Wavy (Japan)

3. Divine (India)

4. Emiway Bantai (India)

5. RAMENGVRL (Indonesia)

6. Jessi (Korea)

7. Flow G (Philippines)

8. Jay Park (Korea)

9. YOUNGOHM (Thailand)

10. DIGI GHETTO (China)

To some disappointment, my timeline was all about B. Dot’s rankings and people reacting to it. Almost no one was talking about the “LiFTED 50” unless I brought it up to my followers. LiFTED operates in a rare space on its own after HipHopDX Asia halted their operations, but why didn’t the good intentions of its list garner a bigger reaction? Are they not an authority and voice in hip-hop yet? Are the scenes too localized with barriers to spreading new music?

I was curious about the criteria. Readers couldn’t see how they broke down the metrics to decide the final order. The fun of rap lists is to discuss online, be outraged at the rankings, drag the publication if they completely get it wrong, and create a conversation that’s loud enough to go viral.

I’ve had my fair share of defending myself in person and online. I didn’t see any bylines this time around. Maybe the sponsor Jägermeister had something to do with it, but you gotta stand by your rankings and be prepared for the smoke.

The average rap fan is harder to convince they need to pay attention to what’s happening in Asia when American rap tends to dominate their listening habits. Make a firm argument in each entry other than highlighting the MC’s past wins and tours. Maybe you’re more obligated to spread awareness of Asia talent than to criticize why they aren’t hot enough to be on the list, but I want to understand how Awich jumped from No. 41 to No. 19 to No. 1 in three years, and why she’s the best right now.

I do agree with Awich being the top spot; she’s cementing herself as the next global hip-hop star. My dear friend and writer Dan Buyanovsky spoke to Awich for The Japan Times and I knew she had the mindset early on. “There are boxes around what a woman is supposed to be, what a man is supposed to be, or what an artist or rapper is supposed to be,” she says. “But all of these ideas are void.” She’s rejected those constructs, which has led her to be the most visible rapper out of Japan, making huge splashes on stages like Coachella and K-Arena.

LiFTED’s Sean Dinsmore responded to my inquiry after it was published. They have a formula based on a combination of “streaming numbers, social media followers, touring, and probably most important, ‘X factor.’” “X factor” is that grey area for staffers to go with their gut instinct and passionately argue with co-workers about why this artist should be included.

But also, if you’re boasting the list as “the only ranking of the top 50 MCs in Asian hip-hop,” it needs to be about the MCs strictly. I get that the line is so blurred for hip-hop, especially in Asia, but I wouldn’t consider Jackson Wang, XG, and similar multi-faceted pop artists as “rappers.” They shouldn't be on here or DJs if they aren’t being judged by their bars.

“LiFTED 50” is a positive step forward for Asian hip-hop representation. The staff curated a good mix of known and unknown artists, putting them on our radar. The fact that this kind of list exists on an Asian-centric website and not on XXL or The Source speaks to the importance of a subculture that refuses to be ignored. Hip-hop just turned 50 last year. I can’t recall a list this extensive that accurately shapes the make-up of Asian hip-hop right now.

LiFTED teased the idea of fan voting for future “LiFTED 50” lists. If rap fans have learned from the 10th spot voting for XXL Freshman, it’s either going to be rewarding or controversially biased. One downside of creating a list only for Asian hip-hop is it further separates them from the entirety of hip-hop. Artists don’t want to limit their success to just one continent. Haven’t we learned from Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar that an MC’s purpose is to prove they're the best in the world?

Do you think LiFTED got it right? Check out the rest of the list here and hit reply to share your take with me.

Various Artists - OOYEH (5A Label, 2024)

Justin Park, Year of the Ox (Lyricks and JL/JaeYoung), Junoflo, and G2 have toured together before, taking that chemistry from the road to the studio to create OOYEH. The Avengers of Korean American hip-hop bring back the posse cut, calling in friends like Ted Park, Parlay Pass, and Mike B for stacked tracks with sticky hooks that showcase their lyrical prowess and pride for L.A. Year of the OX carries a reputation of rapping their asses off, riding apocalyptic beats ("Dale Denton," "The Climb"), and sounding automatic on laid-back tracks like "Sakura Grape." The brotherhood is felt through these tracks, pushing themselves to each have a star-worthy moment. Junoflo kills "Activated." Ted Park goes full-on Roddy Ricch for a summer anthem with "LA Shorty." The title track "OOYEH" is like them passing the mic in a cypher, a masterclass in one-upmanship.