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Hàng Lâm Trang Anh (born January 14, 1990), known by her stage name Suboi, is a Vietnamese rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in
Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
, also where her musical career begins, Suboi is one of the first Vietnamese female rapper to become successful in her country and is considered Vietnam's queen of
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
.Vietnam rapper Suboi stays under the radar – for now
Hodal, Kate (2013-08-07). The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2013-09-07.


Biography

Suboi’s mother worked as an office worker at the Australian consulate in Saigon, and her father worked as a factory manager. Suboi revealed that she used to be a shy girl who spent much of her time on words and composing ridiculous poems. Suboi gained her onstage name during middle school, “Su” being her nickname at home and “boi” given to her by friends due to her tomboy nature. Growing up, she was a rebellious teenager who "got involved with some bad people" but turned to music for guidance. She became a fan of hip hop music at the age of 14 and improved her English by listening and rapping along to famous American rappers such as
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
. At the age of 15, she started spending time with people who she now considers bad guys, which worried her parents and made them keep a closer eye on her. She chose to have a career in music because it made her feel safe. She was also interested in skateboarding. She accepted an invitation to join a nu-metal band covering Linkin Park songs and quickly became a well-recognized and respected rapper from the Vietnamese underground scene. Suboi used to work as an English teacher and a clown in children’s birthday parties to pursue her passion for rap. She believes the main elements that make a successful rapper are to never give up, listen to others, take advice, and learn. From the first days of her career, Suboi had difficulties finding her own message to audience and forming her own style. Her family and the audience’s preconception that rap is only for men were two big challenges to the very first Vietnamese female rapper. Though her parents support her now, they didn’t want their daughter to be a tomboy who always listened to rock, rap and read lyrics on beats. At the age of 17, her talent was noticed even more so as she accompanied fellow rapper, Rapsoul, to Music Faces’ recording studio to record his track. However, it was her vocals that were noticed by the producer which then led to an invitation for her to join the record label. Her mainstream recognition grew when she was invited to rap on Vietnamese pop star Ho Ngoc Ha's chart topping singles "My Apology" and "Girls' Night" in 2009. At the age of 20, she released her debut album WALK in August 2010 which was well received both by her loyal fan base and music critics in Vietnam. After leaving her record label Music Faces in 2012, she began her own company, Suboi Entertainment, and released her second studio album entitled RUN in 2014. Run had beats produced by both local Vietnamese producers as well as international producers from England and the United States. Suboi was invited to perform at CAAMFest 2014, the largest Asian American media showcase in the United States; however, she couldn’t come to the U.S since she had trouble getting her visa. Instead, she made her debut in America on March 13, 2015, co-headlining with Awkwafina, a female rapper from New York. She also made her debut as actress in CAAMFest 2015 in San Francisco, in "Hollow", a horror movie directed by
Ham Tran Ham Tran () is a Vietnamese American film writer, editor, and director. He is of Hoa (Chinese Vietnamese) ancestry, specifically Teochew. He earned an MFA in film directing from the UCLA Film School and is most famous for his thesis film '' The ...
. The film became a box office hit and led to her first starring role in 2016's "Bitcoin Heist", a Vietnamese heist film also directed by Ham Tran.http://www.thanhnien.com.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/suboi-lan-dau-tiet-lo-tung-la-nan-nhan-bao-luc-hoc-duong-561865.html, Thiên Hương. "Suboi Lần đầu Tiết Lộ Từng Là Nạn Nhân Bạo Lực Học đường." Thanh Niên Online. N.p., 13 May 2015. Web. 30 Aug. 2015. In 2015, she was invited to perform an official showcase at
South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
(SXSW), becoming the first Vietnamese artist ever to be officially invited by the festival. She performed to rave reviews and in 2016, she was invited back to perform at SXSW for the second year in a row. In 2016, Suboi was rebuilding her musical career after what she considered a creative lull. She released a new single entitled "Doi" early in the year, showcasing a "dark beat" which she had been reluctant to release earlier in her career. On May 25, 2016, Suboi came to immediate international media attention after rapping for President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
at a Q&A session with young leaders in Ho Chi Minh City. The brief exchange between Suboi and the US President prompted him to reflect on the history of rap music and the importance of art to a nation.


Artistry

Suboi’s favorite kinds of music range from rock and rap to chamber music. Influenced by Eminem,
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
,
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn, bass ...
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Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...
among many others, her versatile rap style ranges from a laid-back delivery similar to Snoop Dogg to a fast paced style like Eminem. Asked about her style, she states "I can't pinpoint a particular style or artist but I'm a fan of
Mos Def Yasiin Bey ( ; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social an ...
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Da Brat Shawntae Harris-Dupart (née Harris; born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, she began her career in 1992 and signed with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings two years l ...
, Snoop Dogg, Aaliyah, Foxy Brown and the newest one
Azealia Banks Azealia Amanda Banks ( ; born May 31, 1991) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Raised in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, she began releasing music through Myspace in 2008 before being signed to XL Recordings at age 18. S ...
. I also enjoy everything nice from
Norah Jones Norah Jones ( ; born Geethali Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has won several awards for her music and, , has sold more than 53 million records worldwide. '' Billboard'' named her the top jazz artist of ...
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Erykah Badu Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu, is an American singer and songwriter. Influenced by rhythm and blues, R&B, Soul music, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the late 1990s when her debut al ...
, to German artist
Kool Savas Savaş Yurderi (born 10 February 1975), known by his stage name Kool Savas, is a German rapper of Turkish Origin. Along with Taktlo$$, he formed the highly influential German rap duo Westberlin Maskulin (1997–2000). He was also a founding me ...
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Xavier Naidoo Xavier Kurt Naidoo (; born 2 October 1971) is a German soul and R&B singer, songwriter and record producer. He is a founding member of German band Söhne Mannheims, and started two record labels, Beats Around the Bush and Naidoo Records. Naid ...
... all of these artists' music have played a very important role in my personal life."http://anyarena.com/en/magazine/2013/01/entertainment/Q&A-with-Rapper-Suboi_Young-Rapper-Singer-Suboi-Shares-Her-Influences-&-Inspirations_5516 (2013-01-30) "Q&A with Rapper Suboi Young Rapper/Singer Suboi Shares Her Influences & Inspirations". Any Arena. Ho Chi Minh City. Retrieved 2013-09-07. She raps in both English and Vietnamese, making her different from most rappers in Vietnam. Her lyrics are typically outspoken yet introspective and deal with family, love, social pressure, and daily life in Vietnam.


Discography


Studio albums


Extended plays


Singles


As lead artist


As featured artist


Filmography


Feature films


Television shows


Notes


References


External links

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Suboi
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{{Authority control 1990 births Living people Hip-hop singers Vietnamese women rappers Vietnamese idols Musicians from Ho Chi Minh City Women in electronic music 21st-century Vietnamese women singers 21st-century women rappers