Lay Zhang
Born 1991 (age 35)·Chinese rapper·Birthday: October 7·Millennials
Biography
Lay Zhang launched his solo career in 2016 with the EP "Lose Control," which sold over 1.1 million digital copies and dominated Chinese music charts. As a member of EXO, he had already achieved massive fame, but this release established him as a standalone force in China’s music industry. He is frequently misunderstood as just a performer; Zhang is a producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who crafts his own material. His lasting impact is as a cultural ambassador, appointed as a Hunan Provincial Youth Ambassador in 2019 and consistently promoting Chinese culture through his "Mandopop" sound. By founding his own studio, Zhang Yixing Studio, he gained rare control over his art within the Chinese entertainment system. His career blueprint influences a generation of Chinese idols seeking creative autonomy and global reach.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Lay was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lay Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Lay's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
“I'm not just a rapper; I'm a producer, a dancer, an artist.”
