CNY Rap Gets Nonstop Views

Check out these students in Johor, Malaysia who found themselves in the spotlight after their Chinese New Year music video went viral on social media. 

The 3-minute-5-second video has 40 pupils from SJK(C) Pandan in Johor Bahru – boys and girls alike from Years Four to Six – rapping to a song titled "Nonstop CNY":

 

Ku Chong Sin, chairperson of the school's parent-teacher association, said the video was part of an annual school project involving six teachers. He added that the project took about a week to complete, including composing the song and using artificial intelligence software for recording and post-production. 

The music video features Year Four pupil Oswald Chong Bang Qin as one of its main characters, rapping in sunglasses and casual streetwear. In one scene, Chong appears alongside schoolmates Wong Yu Han and Tan Sze Qi, with the trio performing in a slow-moving car driven by teacher Guok Wei Loon, in a style reminiscent of hip-hop music videos. 

Chong’s role added to the ­video’s appeal, as his name was incorporated into the rap lyrics, giving the song a catchy and playful element. 

The upbeat, family-oriented song focuses on Chinese New Year traditions such as reuniting with loved ones, wearing new clothes and spending time with relatives. 

Uploaded to the school’s Facebook page [新山班兰国民型华文小学（班兰华小） (@official.sjkcpandan)] on January 29, the said video has since garnered more than 1.7 million views and over 60,000 likes as of noon today.