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The internet’s biggest Chinese rapper IRL … in Santa Ana
Chinese rapper SKAI Isyourgod performing in Santa Ana.
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Fiona Ng
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LAist
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I wasn’t expecting the internet’s biggest Chinese rapper to make his Southern California debut (we are not counting the earlier San Diego show) at a sprawling, sterile business park in Santa Ana.
But there I was Wednesday night along with hundreds of people at the Observatory to watch the viral sensation perform his brand of hip-hop blending Memphis trap with lyrics rooted in Cantonese folk and everyday culture across southeastern China.
You may not know the name, SKAI Isyourgod, but if you have been on Instagram or TikTok in the last couple years, you can’t escape the sound — or the memes.
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" He's really famous on Instagram," said Julie Sun, who came to the gig from Irvine. " He popped up a lot throughout all different kinds of video content."
That’s how I learned of his music — through a reel that had nothing to do with his music. But it was grabby from the first note, opening as it did by sampling a vintage Cantonese opera. That inventive touch sent me searching for the whole song, “Blueprint Supreme,” which turned out to be a kind of tongue-in-cheek send up on the nouveau riche.
It’s a theme the 27-year-old from Guangdong Province goes back to with humor and deft wordplay in the track “Stacked On All Sides.”
Throughout the night, the crowd yelled out the name of that tune. When it was finally performed, all the phones were raised.
“His lyrics [are] mostly very positive and kind of give the good fortune to people,” Sun said.
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Like Sun, the vast majority of the audience were Chinese.
"Where’s everyone from?" SKAI asked during one of his interludes, and the crowd shouted back: "Dongbei…. Fushan…."
But there were also plenty of non-Chinese speaking fans at the club, a testament to the rapper’s global virility.
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Fiona Ng
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LAist
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SKAI Isyourgod performs in Santa Ana in 2025.
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Fiona ng
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LAist
)
Noah Rosen lives in Santa Ana, but he first learned about SKAI two years ago through friends and people he worked with at the company he cofounded, which has a satellite office in China.
"We blasted [it] in carpool karaoke and stuff like that," said Rosen, who doesn’t speak Chinese.
"There's something so catchy and so inventive, and it's a fantastic melody," he continued. "Which is why they're so good on TikTok and Instagram and everything. Doesn't matter if you understand the lyrics or not."
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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