The hip-hop star talks about growing up in New Jersey, representation in music and how his identity influences his lyrics and style
Rising hip-hop artist Spence Lee is on a mission to inspire. The US-born rapper has been gaining attention for his fusion style of streetwise rap with nods to his Chinese Vietnamese heritage. Charting his path in the American rap scene, Lee’s hustler spirit is visible in his ambition and versatility as a musician.
Before his music career took off, his love for design and fashion took him to New York, where he sold clothing he designed and took on modelling gigs. He was notably the only Asian male model cast in Kanye West’s first full apparel collection in collaboration with Adidas, Yeezy Season 1.
Read more: Milli, the Gen Z rapper who made mango sticky rice cool
From Shotta Spence to Spence Lee
Lee first broke onto the musical scene as Shotta Spence, a nickname that was given to him by his neighbours from the Caribbean when he was growing up in Franklin Township, New Jersey. His interactions with other community members of Hispanic, African American and Asian cultures would also influence his style as a musician.
Later in his career, Lee felt a strong desire to reconnect with his Vietnamese and Chinese roots and channel his mixed-culture experiences into his music. His mother came to the US as a child seeking refuge from the Vietnam War while his Chinese father was born and raised in Brooklyn, with little skills in speaking Cantonese. As a kid, Lee’s parents would expose him to various Asian art forms. “My dad would put on movies from Hong Kong or other parts of Asia and my mom would show me different Asian art and fashion designers,” says Lee.
Read more: Actress and musician Annette Lee is made for the stage
So as he grew as a musician and established his name in the industry, Lee eventually decided to close the chapter on Shotta Spence and begin performing under his real name. But the decision to go by Spence Lee as a musician was more than a superficial change; it symbolised a transformation in his musical approach and artistic identity.
“[When I first started,] I was a teenager just saying stuff that was cool, right? And I don’t regret that at all. But as I got older, my mind has gotten wiser and I know what’s important to me and what I value in life. So my music has become more intentional. My lyrics have become more based on truth and spreading a positive message. [I am more] conscious of what I say in a song, [because it] can manifest in real life and [the kids listening to my music] might be saying it back to me at [a] show. So I don’t want to be saying nothing crazy.”
Lee adds that he is also not limiting himself to a particular genre of music. “I’m doing more melodies, taking more musical risks and experimenting more with music and, you know, different instrumentation [and genres]. I don't want to define myself as just an Asian rapper because I might make a rap song, a reggae song, a dance song, a soul song, or an alternative rock song.”