Artists from Chengdu — a "hip-hop stronghold" — are excavating local color and stories, and wrapping them in traditional culture to give the imported art form a distinctly Chinese flavor.

The high standing of Sichuan province's capital city in the hip-hop community was not earned overnight. It has evolved from open-mic events in basement bars, gatherings in converted warehouses, and the commitment of young rappers who choose to rhyme in the natural rhythms of Sichuan dialect instead of Mandarin.

Their verses tell of mahjong tables and young people's dreams, and they have steadily built a following through fan loyalty and their conviction that local stories deserve a global audience.

In January 2026, the renowned United States label Def Jam Recordings officially announced its arrival in China — and chose Chengdu as its base. A month earlier, the 14th Fusion HipHop Awards ceremony was held at Chengdu's Eastern Suburb Memory, a former industrial complex reborn as a cultural landmark.

Wang Yitai, one of the city's most distinctive hip-hop voices, was invited to perform at the awards.

"To be honest, I felt proud," said Wang. "Chengdu, as a major hiphop city in China, can now be seen by the world. As someone from Sichuan, that means a lot. And Def Jam is a top-tier label with deep roots. To collaborate with such a powerful label is truly an honor."

In recognition of the city's hiphop community, Def Jam Recordings China also announced three acclaimed Chinese rappers Wang, Xie Di, and Deng Dianguo (DDG) as special guest curators. The trio will help identify, mentor, and spotlight emerging voices from across China,"inviting new talent to participate in and contribute to the Def Jam Recordings China ecosystem", the label said in a press release.

Wang said in the early days Chengdu rap was considered niche, even provincial.

"The foundation of Chengdu rap," he recalled, "was laid by the older generation who told street stories in Sichuan dialect, expressing local attitudes toward life. Slowly, they accumulated diehard fans and built a real atmosphere."

Chengdu's relatively low cost of living has allowed musicians to stay, experiment, and grow without having to worry about commercial pressure and paying the rent. There is a "healthy kind of grind", where artists can put down roots and let their skills speak. "If you make a name for yourself in Chengdu," Wang said,"it's often easier to step onto the national stage."

Dialect influences

For most of the Chengdu rappers, the local dialect is not a novelty, but the basis of how their music is created and understood.

"Sichuan dialect is not a gimmick," Wang said. "It's a tool for expressing authenticity."

When he traveled to the United States to work on his album, he deliberately preserved dialect sections in his music. "I want the world to hear the real sound of Chengdu rap," he said.

In rap, flow is architecture. Mandarin offers clarity and breadth while the Sichuan dialect adds flexibility, a sense of humor, and a sharp, lively edge. Its tones dip and swing, its slang carries layers of irony and warmth.

Wang weaves it seamlessly with R&B and jazz influences, crafting tracks where smoky hooks glide over crisp verses.

"Rap culture is local," he said."Chengdu's inclusiveness allows me to blend the grounded feeling of dialect with R&B and jazz. Dialect isn't a bonus — it's part of who I am."

Li Haiqin, also known as ComLee, is a veteran hip-hop promoter, whose company, Hip-Hop Fusion, has been holding the Fusion Hip-Hop Awards annually in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, since 2012.

Sichuan dialect has long been central to the city's rap identity, and ComLee sees it not as gimmick but as "infrastructure" of the music."Dialect carries emotional density," he said. "It contains humor, intimacy, and historical memory that standard Mandarin sometimes cannot."

Chengdu's rappers are known for their humor and realism; there is irony without cynicism, swagger without coldness. The city's atmosphere — laid-back, yet sharp — flows naturally into the performers' music and lyrics.

On Jan 20, ComLee was invited to the ceremony to mark the official arrival in China of Def Jam Recordings, which was founded in 1984 by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons and has established its dominance with acts, like Jay-Z, Rihanna, Jeezy, and Kanye West.

"It reflects both cultural confidence and industrial maturity,"ComLee said of the launch in Chengdu.