Kanye West aka Ye is Tinseltown’s poster child, and it is only fitting that he repays the industry in kind. While his groundbreaking music has earned him a name above his contemporaries, his mercurial nature and introspective tendencies have led to his reputation as the most misunderstood rapper of all time. Despite the industry’s skepticism, Ye has often pushed boundaries, often ahead of the curve. Straight from the seismic success of his ‘Vultures’ listening experiences in Haikou, China, last year, Ye is now blazing a trail for fellow artists like Travis Scott and Cardi B to tap into the vast Chinese market.

With his love for China rooted in his childhood, Ye’s newfound partnership has unlocked doors to unprecedented opportunities for hip-hop’s legends.

According to a new report by South China Morning Post, Haikou's tourism officials currently have their eyes on tapping the highest-selling US rappers after Ye’s successful ‘Vultures’ shows in the Hainan province in 2024. They have reportedly invited Travis Scott and Cardi B to perform on the southern Chinese land of Hainan this year following the two-sold-out listening experiences in September at the Wuyuan River Stadium pocketed millions from tourists visiting for the concerts. 

Chief of the city’s Bureau of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Film, and Television, Wang Ke said during a government meeting on Friday that Haikou sees itself as one of the “world’s unique performing arts cities.” As per him, 95% of Ye’s 80,000 concert-going audience were from outside the province. The tickets were sold out within minutes of going live on Chinese ticketing platforms, and their attendance grossed tourism consumption of 730 million yuan, approximately $99.5 million. 

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Rolling out the carpet for hip-hop’s A-listers, China is on the way to becoming the ultimate destination for star-studded extravaganzas. Meanwhile, authorities are taking note of the venue’s amenities for a mutually beneficial synergy to shine a spotlight on the artists and arena alike.

According to South China Morning Post’s latest report, since Ye garnered record-breaking attendance for his ‘Vultures’ listening experiences in Haikou, Wuyuan River Stadium has a newly finished gymnasium with the accommodation capacity of 18,000 people on top of 45,000 spectators. Haikou’s mayor, Ding Hui, mentioned in the government report that they are on a mission to host a large-scale concert and theatre performances every week with a show from an international artist every month. 

The province has been host to a staggering 27 concerts and music festivals from 2023, and has welcomed over 600,000 visitors and locals since. Visitors alone have spent 3.3 billion yuan, which is $450 million. Wang Ke revealed Haikou has 31 direct international flying routes with 25 flights every week between the province and Hong Kong. While Ye may have seen Haikou’s potential way before the others could, thanks to him, now hip-hop has a new ground to break through.

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What do you think of Ye's influence in making Haikou the province of record-breaking artists? Let us know in the comments below!