If you’re a fan of classic hip-hop, R&B and soul, you may have seen The Styles Report’s posts on social media. Combining performance clips with insightful commentary, the fast growing page has accumulated an impressive following, with over 134,000 followers on Instagram and 66,000 on TikTok. We caught up with the site’s curator, M.K. Tsui, to explain the origins and motivations behind the page.
Growing up in the 80s, M.K. developed a love of hip-hop from an early age. “My older brother put me on, bringing home Big Daddy Kane and Public Enemy tapes”. M.K. recalls. “We used to listen to DJ Red Alert on 98.7 Kiss FM and watch VJ Ralph McDaniels on Video Music Box religiously.”
The child of first-generation Chinese immigrants who settled in the predominantly African-American neighborhood of Asbury Park, NJ, Tsui credits hip-hop culture as a major positive influence on his life and upbringing.
“Hip-Hop is all about diversity and inclusiveness of styles, thoughts, and backgrounds. As such, even though we looked different from our friends, we were nonetheless welcomed and embraced by the community because of our shared love of hip-hop music and culture. That global understanding, tolerance, and respect has helped me become a better, more conscientious human today.”
M.K. continues: “I started the Styles Report to showcase and honor the amazing music and positive culture that was so foundational in my life. It is a place for fellow fans who grew up in the 80s and 90s to congregate and share wonderful memories. In addition, I hope that I can help the new generation appreciate the quality and artistry of this grown folks’ music as well.”
His approach has proven successful, as the fandom of The Styles Report includes a growing number of celebrities, social media influencers and some of the very artists M.K. listened to in his youth.
For his part, Tsui takes this emergent fame humbly, in stride. “It’s really gratifying to receive such acknowledgement and validation from the content creators that I admired growing up”, he says. “It’s an honor and privilege that motivates me to keep The Styles Report going. I’m happy to contribute in my own small way by sharing their hard work and creativity with the world.”
Follow The Styles Report at @thestylesreport on Instagram and TikTok.
