Binz
Binz, whose full name is Lê Nguyễn Trung Đan, was born on 24/5/1988 in Gia Lai. He is a rapper and musician who has been active in the arts from 2008 to the present.
Which generation of Vietnamese rappers does Binz belong to?
Binz is part of the class of artists associated with the period when Vietnamese rap moved from the underground scene into mainstream life. The years when he began his activity were also when domestic rap still circulated mainly within a narrow community of listeners, with few large stages and little attention from television programs. His journey therefore coincides with the period when rap gradually stepped out of the confines of small clubs to appear on concert stages and television broadcasts.
Music career
Binz became known in the Vietnamese rap community through many music products. He has taken part in reality television programs and large concerts, such as the concert "Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai" held in Hưng Yên in June, which drew tens of thousands of spectators. In the program, he attracted attention by learning to sing chèo with NSND Thu Huyền to prepare for a group performance, as well as taking part in a piece combining traditional and modern influences.
The fact that a concert could gather tens of thousands of spectators is a significant milestone for Vietnamese rap, because it shows that this genre is capable of filling large performance spaces usually reserved for pop music. The detail that Binz learned to sing chèo with NSND Thu Huyền is also noteworthy from another angle: it shows a direction of seeking material from traditional music, rather than standing only within the framework of pure rap. This is the kind of collision between two musical worlds that rarely meet on the mainstream stage.
Binz has also had collaborations with many other artists. He and singer Vũ released the MV "Bình yên", carrying a message of optimistic living. In addition, he collaborated with Myra Trần in the dance music MV "Môi chạm môi", and with rapper LK in LK's album marking 20 years of singing.
These collaborations show that Binz operates at the intersection of many musical genres: ballad through "Bình yên" with Vũ, dance music through "Môi chạm môi" with Myra Trần, and rap through LK's album. Appearing in the album marking LK's 20 years of singing carries its own meaning, because LK belongs to the earlier class of rappers, so Binz's presence there marks a connection between generations within the same genre.
Why is Binz's genre blending noteworthy?
Binz is known for his ability to compose and blend genres. He has combined bolero material in famous songs such as "Tình đời", "Duyên phận" with electronic music and rap to create new songs. He also took part in the program "5AM Concert mùa 3" with Soobin, Rhymastic, Cường Seven and APJ.
Bolero is a genre tied to an audience completely different from the audience of rap and electronic music, both in taste and in listening space. Taking material from familiar bolero songs and placing it on an electronic and rap foundation is a way to bring two groups of listeners closer together, while also raising the question of renewing the old without losing the part of it that is remembered. Taking part in "5AM Concert mùa 3" with Soobin, Rhymastic, Cường Seven and APJ shows that he also appears in lineups gathering many artists of the same generation, where performances are often staged together rather than performed individually.
Which part is solid documentation and which part is anecdote?
Facts such as birth name, date of birth, hometown, the starting point of activity and the list of products and programs are information that has been documented. Details told about learning to sing chèo with NSND Thu Huyền or about a tolerant girlfriend being the motivation for him to try harder are more anecdotal and personal statements than verifiable documentation. This distinction matters because the anecdotal part is often retold through the account of the person himself or through the media, so its reliability is lower than that of the factual part.
Personal life
Binz has a publicly known romantic relationship with fashionista Châu Bùi. He once shared about being inattentive because work pressure made his girlfriend sad, but she was tolerant and was the motivation for him to try harder. The two often appear together at events and on social media.