On June 14, Rap of China, the wildly popular rap competition show, officially revealed its 2022 lineup of 24 all-star rappers. The show’s creators first announced its return in May.
The contestants are Air, Gem, BrAn TB, Bridge, Capper, Gai, Gali, Kungfu-Pen, Huang Xu, Ice, Key.L, JelloRio, MC HotDog, Nineone, Pact, Psy.P, Shengyu, Tizzy T, Vava, Vinida, Wang Yitai, KeyNG, Round_2, and Zhang Yanqi.
The new season is reportedly set to air this summer, although a fixed date has yet to be disclosed.
WHEN THEY SAID RAP OF CHINA 2022 IS AN ALL STARS SEASON THEY WERENT PLAYING pic.twitter.com/P3tEyhTJVB
— conch. • on proof lockdown!!! (@hwasamelon) June 14, 2022
The iQiyi production has been a favorite among many hip hop fans in China and has often featured high-profile Chinese rappers like Gai, Jackson Wang, and Kris Wu.
The show’s upcoming season has been delayed since at least 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Kris Wu’s cancelation after he was arrested for rape last year.
If online banter is any indication, fans seem pumped for the show’s return and impressive lineup. On the microblogging platform Weibo, a hashtag for Rap of China’s contestant announcement has already been viewed almost 90 million times.
Netizens expressed their excitement for the new season and especially the all-star cast. One fan commented on Weibo, “I love this lineup! Summer is coming!”
“It looks like a year-end gala,” another quipped. “Summer is the time to enjoy some hip hop vibes.”
Rapper contestants also expressed their excitement and competitive spirit on Chinese social media. Gai wrote, “I’m always the best,” while Vava posted, “Remember, I will be the female champion of this elite rap competition.”
All images via Weibo
