Slowz is a multifaceted artist – B-boy, DJ, performer, music producer and community enthusiast. Born in 1992 in Hanoi, Vietnam, Slowz has always had a huge passion for music and in 2004 he entered the hip-hop culture scene in Vietnam, first as a B-boy (Breakdancer). From that time, he was determined to find good music to dance to and it led him to become a true crate digger. In 2009 it also led him to be one of the first break DJs of Vietnam being a front figure for the Vietnamese hip-hop scene. He had already made a name for himself through breakdancing, winning international competitions like “Battle Of The Year South East Asia”, “R16 South East Asia” and representing Vietnam in “Red Bull BC One Asia Pacific Finals 2013”. Now with his new craft and deeper understanding of music, he started to produce music as well as DJ for hip-hop events worldwide.

When Slowz started traveling it came to his attention that many countries had great local music from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s which inspired him to start his own collection of deep grooves from around the world. Upon returning to Vietnam, he discovered that his home country also had a very rich musical heritage from that same time period. This led him on a journey to unearth a treasure trove of hidden gems from pre 1975 Vietnam. Understanding the value of these unique sounds, he started sampling and producing hip-hop tracks from the raw Vietnamese soul music of the 70’s.

 

Following the tradition of hip-hop culture, Slowz's sound is influenced by old school soul, jazz, funk and disco music. As a B-boy he loves to dig for drum breaks on rare vinyl records, preserving the raw sound and techniques that defined the creation of hip-hop. For Slowz, feeling the music is key. By capturing the textures, live instrumentation and human energy through sampling, he then incorporates these elements into his own creations. He’s also a collector of vintage analog gear including synthesisers, drums machines and other sonic tools that he uses to produce an authentic sound that is in line with the original craft of hip-hop and the music sampled to produce it. This traditional hands-on approach to music production can be challenging but also immensely satisfying when manipulating and creating his own unique sound. All of this has made Slowz a pioneer within the hip-hop scene in Vietnam and today he is a key figure in the community. 

In the past years he has, together with his crew, “Hanoi Concrete Jungle”, facilitated workshops, jams, parties and events, including the renowned “Hanoi Concrete Jam”. This is the first jam in Vietnam that brought together all the elements of hip-hop culture (break dancing, DJing, MCing and graffitti), thereby inspiring the whole Vietnamese hip-hop scene. Today this event is famous around the world for bringing back the real feel and original values of hip-hop.

 

Slowz has performed around the world, sharing the stage with many great artists including Sugar Hill Gang, AddisAbabaBand, Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band, Saigon Soul Revival and more. He is currently finishing his upcoming album which is to be released in 2023 on Saigon Supersound.