Singapore’s B-Boy and DJ Slim Talks Hip-Hop in India

For Singapore’s B-boy and DJ Shawn Lim aka Slim, the prep for his recent India visit has been “immense.” He’s specifically talking about DJing at the breaking event Red Bull BC One Cypher India’s national finals in Bengaluru last weekend.

Previously acquainted to hip-hop in India after seeing artist Prabh Deep in Ho Chi Minh City and Indian B-boys like Flying Machine (who also raps under the moniker Yung Fly) in action, Lim says that the culture in India is “alive and thriving.” He adds, “I think Bangalore is a beautiful city for the hip-hop scene.”

On his first visit to the country, Lim is also a B-boy, MC at breaking events and a personal trainer/teacher. The India gig came to him through another friend (“he’s like my teacher of sorts,” Lim says) who was blocked for another DJ gig in Singapore and recommended Lim. He says about his prep for DJing in India, “You have to factor in a lot of things. Like, what kind of B-boys and B-girls are in India, and what kind of sounds are relevant today compared to maybe 10 years ago. [It’s about] having a mix of nostalgia and bringing the hype as well. The prep goes a month deep.”

He adds, “It goes deep into trying to bring out the best for each dancer. You can’t force something – you can’t ask a monkey to swim or you ask a fish to climb a tree, right? So you have to try to play the in-betweens, and go from there, as the battle progresses.”

Lim considers it a “blessing” that he can bring multiple elements of hip-hop – DJing, breaking and MCing – to the stage. “I’m in a very unique position […] I get to bring out the best in people through teaching as well,” he adds.

Red Bull BC One Cypher India crowned its India winners with Flying Machine aka Arif Chaudhary and B-Girl Glib aka Simran Ranga this past weekend. They will go on to compete at the Red Bull BC One World Final in Brazil on Dec. 7, 2024.