Hip hop’s roots delve deep into the crates of soul, funk, gospel and jazz. All of these stem from African forms of music and have created a rich fabric for the enduring art form.

Since its inception in the 70s, hip hop has expanded world wide and has taken on many different influences adding more and more layers to the foundation. 

Other traditional forms of music have found themselves intermingling with the “thump” of the kick drum and the “chick” of the hi-hat. Whether it be the merging of traditional Chinese folk songs or a throwback to classical baroque melodies, the medium has expanded far beyond its roots. 

The globalization of hip hop is a true testament to the persistent nature of the DIY ethic so well embedded in the culture and genre. Preserving tradition while creating new spins speaks of respect for the past but with a forward looking view. This very sentiment is so prevalent in Vietnam, so it’s intuitive to bring back older forms into the modern age through the medium of hip hop.

Xam, a centuries old form of music involving a monochord instrument, is often performed by blind street artists and paired with wavering vocals singing of the days of yore. Hanoi based group, Xam Ha Thanh, has paired xam with elements of hip hop resulting in a new, modern form which pays homage to tradition.

The group has been traveling all over the country seeking out performers of xam to collect melodies for their show.

“Whenever we heard about someone who can sing xam, we’d go and find them,” group member Nguyen Quang Long says.

All this hard work came to fruition with their recent performance at the Hanoi Opera House. Xam Ha Thanh is striving to keep the tradition alive, but have run into problems with funding the ongoing project. They are currently seeking government funding to create a fund “to support independent groups to preserve traditional music.”