As a Canadian artist Chinese descent, Kris Wu knows it’s going to be a challenge to win over the American mainstream. But not only is the 27-year-old star betting on himself, he’s got one Hip Hop’s most storied labels behind him.
“It’s definitely a perfect fit with Interscope] and we share the same vision, which is important. They always wanted to have an Asian artist break through into the US ’cause that would mean a lot to them and that’s what I’m trying to do,” Wu told #DXLive. “I just wanna be that bridge, to bridge the East and West with my music. Honestly, I just wanna be the Jackie Chan music. ‘Cause no one has really done anything like that in the past. When you talk about artists from China you don’t really think anyone that can rep that music from China] so that’s what I’m trying to do,” he added.
With a loyal following all over the world, Wu is already blue-checkmark certified in the music game, and with big-screen appearances in films like Valerian and the City a Thousand Planets and xXx: Return Xander Cage, his spot in the US already has a solid foundation. But if fans aren’t up on game yet, many his fellow artists are, including Travis Scott, who blessed Wu with a feature one his biggest singles.
“I was in the studio working on my music and then the homie was there and he and Travis were tight. He was tight with his team, and we were thinking about having a feature on one these tracks. I love his music. I’ve been a fan his music, his melodies and that’s what I love doing too — incorporating the melodic style rapping so I was with a collaboration] 100%,” said Wu. “The homie] reached out to him and he came through, pulled up to the studio, we went through a couple beat styles and he just picked ‘Deserve’ and we did it right away.”
Scott isn’t the only A-Lister that took notice Wu’s talent. Migos just jumped on reality show The Rap China, in an experience that made the rising star rethink his ice game.
“I never been around jewelry game like that until Migos. We were shooting and they were flashing and I was like, ‘You know what, let me step away right quick,’” Wu admitted. “We were talking and Quavo was asking me, ‘Is your album done? I said yeah and he said, ‘You don’t got no Migos on it, it’s not done!’ The conversation] was so smooth and then the camera started rolling and they were ‘Ice, Ice’ and I was like ‘I’m gonna duck into the bathroom] right quick.’”
Watch the full interview with Kris Wu above, starting at the 11:20 mark.