The “Yu Gong” in Taipei

“From a half-finished piece to something complete, only to realize that the finished piece is still just another half-finished one. Again and again. Behind every mountain, there is another mountain.”

This is how Sam describes his album Yu Gong.

In some ways, it resembles the feeling I have when something I love gradually takes shape through my own hands. Perhaps the first thing we need to recognize is that everything is a process. And the hardest part, in the end, is simply being a person.

Maybe it begins with acknowledging our own limitations—opening our ears to listen to the many beautiful possibilities in this world. When we return to look at ourselves again, we may discover that there are still more perspectives to explore, more ways to understand ourselves, and still time to learn how to love.

Accumulating taste is not about comparing ourselves with others.

It’s about finding an honest way forward.

Sam openly shares his admiration for Soft Lipa (蛋堡). But making music is truly difficult. He once talked about the disappointment of applying for grants and not being selected, while people around him were. The emotions that came with that experience were complicated.

A friend once asked him,

“Does making music genuinely make you happy?”

Questions like that matter more than we think.

Sam’s Early Imagination of Hip-Hop

“Hip-hop is about making your voice heard.”

It allows fragments of reality to be seen, while not diminishing those who choose silence. Sam also points out that there are countless labels for music in the world, but hip-hop will probably continue to exist for a very long time.

As I write this, I’m listening to “Up and Down.”

The trumpet in this track is particularly striking. I highly recommend taking the time to appreciate the thoughtfulness in its arrangement.

In my imagination, Sam is not just a rapper—

he is a hip-hop artist.

His ears are the primary way he understands himself. From there, he crafts the sonic world of his music and albums. Through that process, he continues to encounter different styles from around the world, constantly expanding the sounds he hears.

On March 28, Sam will arrive at Billboard Live TAIPEI with the musical partners he trusts the most. I’m truly looking forward to it.

It will be a night that brings a breath of fresh air to Taipei’s Xinyi District once again. Through Sam’s performance, the mind opens a little wider—and perhaps we’ll discover a different perspective on Taipei.

(This article references interviews from GQ, ELLE, Herenow City, Helong “I Like Radio,” and BIOS.)