Hong Kong’s first hip-hop music awards to give recognition to city’s growing pool of rap talent

The Whats Good Music Awards, to be held on August 6, will feature 36 categories, with judges including rappers from LMF, 24 Herbs and Japan’s Teriyaki Boyz

Organisers say they have seen a notable increase in local rappers and producers that are making high-quality hip-hop music in the last three years

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Hong Kong rapper Novel Fergus, who recently quit his job as a tattoo artist to focus on his music, says that the quality of hip-hop music in Hong Kong keeps improving as more people are getting serious about making their own music. Photo: Instagram / @novelfergus

Published: 7:15am, 3 Aug 2022

Hong Kong is to host its first hip-hop awards this weekend, in recognition of the city’s growing pool of talent in the music genre.

The Whats Good Music Awards, to be held on August 6 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, is the brainchild of four music veterans: Phat Chan Wai-hung of the Canto-rap groups LMF and 24Herbs; Julius Brian Siswojo, Chan’s bandmate from 24Herbs; and Keni Lee and Bert Liu of the local label Greytone Music.

Ever since LMF picked up a gong for best song at Hong Kong’s Ultimate Song Chart Awards in 2000, Chan had wondered if there should be an event dedicated solely to hip hop.

It wasn’t until during a 24Herbs podcast session in 2021, in which local rapper Akiko mentioned there was now at least one Hong Kong rapper in every hip-hop stream, that the idea finally took shape.

“We knew there are a lot of [up-and-coming] young rappers that are very good,” Siswojo says. “But what [Akiko] said was a whole another level.”

Phat Chan (left) of LMF and 24Herbs, and Julius Brian Siswojo, also from 24Herbs, are two of the organisers behind the Whats Good Music Awards. Photo: Studio8

For its inaugural edition – postponed from February due to the coronavirus pandemic – winners will be chosen for 36 categories, including artist awards (such as artist of the year and rising star), song awards (album of the year and song of the year), production awards (best producer and best music video), and special awards for categories such as best Asia flow and best hip-hop DJ.