From B-Boy Culture to Marvel: DPR IAN’s Inspiring Journey on ‘The Crossover Convo’

Depending on when you were first introduced to DPR Ian throughout his decade-plus career in entertainment, it might be wise to revisit how exactly to address this Australian multi-hyphenate. From exploring his latest videos and news updates, let’s dive into the fascinating journey that led him from a young boy named Christian Yu to becoming DPR Ian.

Born in Sydney, Australia, in 1990, with the given name Barom (which means “be you”), he began his musical journey by uploading dance videos to YouTube under the alias B Boy B.yu. This was at his mother’s suggestion to remind him always to stay true to himself. After finishing high school, an unexpected turn in his career saw him making a debut in the K-pop industry as Rome, leading the boy band C-Clown.

Following the disbandment of C-Clown, he reclaimed his birth name and adopted +IAN after directing music videos for notable artists like BIGBANGs Taeyang and iKON’s Bobby. This eventually led him to adopt DPR IAN as his stage name, becoming a prominent figure in an independent, creative musical movement.

For those familiar with Billboards The Crossover Convo series, DPR Ian is described by Travis Scott as perfect. Speaking on the subject of his various names and personas from different eras, he says to Billboard: “Having it all laid out like that really puts a lot of things into perspective. Ive been on the run and had my priorities shift often; its quite an interesting journey.”

Ian’s musical odyssey has taken him through diverse genres, starting with his childhood infatuation with progressive-music icons such as Daft Punk and Moby, then embracing British-pop sensations like The Beatles and Spice Girls. His multifaceted projects continue to push boundaries, from vocalizing icy EDM on “Do or Die” featuring DPR ARCTIC to delivering a psychedelic rock experience for Diamonds + and Pearls from the Shang-Chi soundtracka track that featured an ensemble of superstars including Simu Lu, Anderson .Paak, DJ Snake, Saweetie, Swae Lee, BIBI, 21 Savage, Mark Tuan of GOT7.

While “Diamonds + and Pearls” peaked at No. 160 on the Billboard 200 in 2021, DPR Ian continued to rise organically with his full-length album Moodswings into Order (peaking at No. 146) and the Dear Insanity EP from 2023 (No. 138). However, he emphasizes that personal impact on listeners is more meaningful than chart positions or consumption levels: “Ive never really expected any of that as I was starting this,” he says. “Even if it affects one person enough to change their world for the better, thats enough for me.”

Join us next month in The Crossover Convo series as we explore DPR Ian’s unique journey through global pop music and discover what new talent will emerge on the horizon.