Phương NguyễnDinh Tien Dat is one of the pioneering figures in the Vietnamese rap scene. Starting his career in the early 2000s, he played an important role in bringing rap from underground to a closer connection with the public.
After nearly 10 years of pausing his artistic activities to focus on business and family, Dinh Tien Dat recently attracted attention when he appeared on the program "Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai."
In a conversation with a Dan Tri reporter, Dinh Tien Dat shared about why he decided to take a break when he was at the peak of his career, life during the "hidden" years, and his marriage to a wife 10 years younger.
"I used to be complacent because of success too early"
When you were at the peak of your career, why did Dinh Tien Dat decide to pause his activities?
- In the past, I achieved success too early, so I became complacent and started experimenting with new rap styles that were not well-received by audiences. This made me increasingly self-conscious. My passion and enthusiasm for the profession also diminished over time.
At that time, most of us artists had to manage everything ourselves, from choosing music to other tasks. I felt quite controlled and decided to pause my artistic activities.
Looking back now, I feel quite regretful, but everything that happens in life has its reasons. It is also a lesson for me to strive harder now.
Dinh Tien Dat still maintains a youthful look at the age of 43 (Photo: Hai Long).
What do you think about the current development of the rap music scene?
- Rap music is flourishing. The young rappers nowadays are very talented, good at composing, and playing with words. Their stage performance skills are also better than those of my generation. I think I need to learn and improve more to keep up with them.
Some audience members compare Dinh Tien Dat's rap style with young rappers like HIEUTHUHAI and MCK. How do you react to these opinions?
- I think that comparing different generations is inappropriate. For example, when I was young, I rode bicycles and Cub scooters, which cannot be compared to large-displacement motorcycles now. Each generation has its nostalgia and place. To compare two generations that are close to each other, the audience needs more sophisticated comparisons.
Do you feel sad about these comparison opinions?
- Actually, I am not bothered because I understand that at the present time, audiences love their idols, but in 10 years, the trend may change completely. Every trend will disappear with time, and if artists do not update and renew themselves, they will be swept away, as I once was.
The male rapper shares the reason for his comeback after many years of absence (Photo: Hai Long).
There are rumors that Dinh Tien Dat is a rich heir, singing out of passion rather than for "bread and butter." Is this true?
- People may think that I don't have to worry about anything, but I am not concerned about money. When I stopped singing, I even didn't know what to do to survive, wandering around for a few years.
When I was young, I was pushed into the world early to fend for myself, to be independent. I could sleep under a bridge, live like a beggar wandering around. There were times when I slept outside with my eyes closed and thought, "Oh, I'm also like a homeless person." That feeling was very refreshing, and I wasn't afraid at all.
I am not a rich heir. I don't have a lot of money. For me, whether I have money or not is not that important.
What difficulties did you encounter when starting a business?
- Business is not as simple as I thought at the beginning. If I opened a coffee shop and only relied on prices, it wouldn't be enough to cover expenses. Both business and artistic activities have their challenges, no job is easy.
Dinh Tien Dat performing at "Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai" (Photo: Organizing Committee).
"When getting to know someone, I also think about serious matters"
Many fans admire the harmonious marriage of Dinh Tien Dat. What is the secret to your happiness?
- I think that if a couple does not understand each other, they will not be compatible. When starting a family, I realized that now I have a wife, I have children, I cannot live for myself, I cannot wander around forever. I changed a lot since I got married.
There are long-term relationships that do not lead to marriage, but when you meet the right person, you will quickly move towards marriage. What do you think about this view?
- In my opinion, everything is fate. If there is no fate, we will not meet each other. There must be fate for us to be together.
Some people are lucky to find fate early, some have to go through many relationships to find it, this is a natural thing in life. However, you cannot impose your fate on others, you need to respect the fate of each person.
The happy home of Dinh Tien Dat (Photo: Character's Facebook).
What made you decide to stop "wandering" to start a family?
- When I get to know anyone, I always think about a serious relationship, think about marriage. However, at each stage in life, that thought may not be "ripe" because I lack experience.
When destined with my wife, I feel mature enough, understanding life more. I am also comfortable and not pressured because she does not demand too much from me. I realize that I am mature enough to think about marriage and family, something that I may have lacked before.
Building a home is very difficult. Getting a wife is already difficult, having children and raising them is even more difficult, so I am grateful for what I have, which is a great blessing to me.
Dinh Tien Dat turns to meditation for "healing" (Photo: Hai Long).
In the family, how do Dinh Tien Dat and his wife divide the tasks of caring and educating their children?
- We will take care of and educate the children together. But there is a principle that when one person is disciplining the child, the other person will avoid interfering so that the children do not get confused. If we have a disagreement, we will proactively pause to discuss and resolve the issue.
How has Dinh Tien Dat's spending habits changed with a family and children?
- In the past, I used to shop carelessly, for example, buying luxury items that I rarely used. But now with children, I have become more careful, thinking carefully before making purchases and usually not buying anything similar if I already have a similar item. As for food, I will eat what my wife buys (laughs).
In financial management, my wife and I also have a clear plan for investing in our children's education. Thorough preparation helps us reduce burdens and worries about the future, giving us time to do other things.
Why do Dinh Tien Dat and his wife rarely show affection on social media?
- In the past, I liked to share a lot on social media, but later I found it unnecessary. I realized that it took time and decided to limit posting private moments on social media to spend more time with family and friends.
Usually, people will see me post humorous photos because most audiences like to see such pictures (laughs).
Dinh Tien Dat returns to the showbiz world with a youthful image (Photo: Hai Long).
During the years of "hidden", what did Dinh Tien Dat do to "heal"?
- I happened to become acquainted with meditation. Meditation helped me to heal and calm my mind, making me more peaceful and deepening my understanding of life.
Even though I am busy now, I still often take the time to sit quietly, close my eyes to relax and reduce stress.
"Healing" and spiritual balance through meditation, but when returning to the stage, are you worried about being caught up in the whirlwind of showbiz again?
- I believe that I can balance myself after a long period of hiding. However, I am still mentally prepared for unforeseen challenges in the future.
After "Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai," I hope to release music products so that the audience will remember me. I am looking for suitable songs for myself and continue to kindle the flames of music passion.
Thank you for your sharing!
Hoang Ngan
