Vibol Lim and the ROMBAK BATTLE: Hip hop, a driving force for life and hope in Cambodia

After a long break, and in order to re-motivate our youngest members (but also everyone else) following the war, as well as ahead of the hip hop charity event on 6 September, the Khmers Atypical interviews are back. And it is the highly inspiring VIBOL LIM, one of the founders of ROMBAK BATTLE, who will kick things off.

Vibol Lim

This child from Sarcelles, raised between his life in Cambodia and his childhood in Paris, proudly asserts that ‘hip hop can save lives’, citing the achievements of the NGO TINY TOONES as an example. Today, he has agreed to explain his life journey in greater depth, with honesty, humility and gratitude, for our very first interview of the 2025 academic year.

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You grew up in Sarcelles in a cosmopolitan environment that left you with fond memories. But as a lover of the arts in general, you were selected at the end of secondary school to study at the Lycée Auguste Renoir in Paris. Tell us about the extraordinary encounters you had there!

Although Sarcelles is not far away, Paris was unknown to me. I was determined to get into this school, as drawing and music were my greatest passions at the time. Despite the extremely competitive selection process, with only 30 places available in the programme, I was accepted, ironically due to the loss of my application file.

As ethnic diversity was uncommon at the time, I was automatically recruited into the breakdancing team, which became like a second family to me. This new sense of belonging can now be seen as the real start of the incredible adventure I am living today.

Tell us about your early years of dancing after that (until you were 23)

Those early years were mainly marked by my viewing of VHS tapes, which were my main source of connection with the various local and foreign hip hop scenes. At that time, the little information we had came from these tapes, which we all shared with each other. And although my level was still mixed, watching battles in neighbourhoods like Les Halles or La Défense became my source of inspiration (as did the DALTONS POSSE team).

Subsequently, one of the members of the high school breakdance club, NIAKO (after graduating from secondary school), joined the International Dance Academy and became one of the best in the world. This event, along with the expansion of battles in France, gradually led me to explore other styles of dance. However, when I entered the more conventional world of work, I stopped practising.

You were then offered an unusual job opportunity to go abroad. What was it and what happened after you made your decision?

I was offered a job as a creative manager, but in Cambodia. I accepted without thinking twice and, with only €700 in my pocket, I decided to embark on a whole new adventure. It was during this stay that I first encountered the Cambodian hip hop scene, notably DJ ILLEST, SOK VISAL and the FRÈRES VISES.

This also gave me a better understanding of my country of origin. During this period, experienced dancers such as BRIEUC CARPENTIER from France and B BOY PEANUT, a Khmerican, also arrived at Srok Khmer.

Now settled in Cambodia, you met the TINY TOONES in 2011. Do you remember your first impressions?

Our first meeting was in 2011 at PONTOON, during a dance event. I met B-Boy Freshh, B-Boy Suicide, B-Boy Slick, B-Boy Homie, B-Boy Erak (RIP)... and one girl - the only one - Bgirl Diamond.

A little later, your path crossed that of BBoy PEANUTS. He would later become your flatmate. That's when an idea was born. Could you explain it to us?

He had already told me a lot about Tiny Toones, where he taught several subjects.

But his wish was to be able to develop dance-related activities in a more concrete and official way. Tiny Toones organised battles for the children of the NGO.

A new encounter then took place with Bgirl Melski, who had come to discover the Cambodian scene. What did your discussions lead to?

The arrival of the Australian dancer marked a turning point in our decisions. Together, we decided to take the plunge: to turn the battles that were so dear to our hearts into a real event, open to the general public.

And from this agreement, in May 2013, the name was born, now considered a brand: ROAM KBAK, which simply means breakdancing in Khmer!

How will the first competition unfold?

hanks to Bboy Peanut's network, Meta House became our first venue. An immediate collaboration was then formed with DJ BREE, MC DOLLA, DEEJAY STOKE, the DreamTouch team, Joel de Andrade (founder of HotStepper in Denmark) and choreographer LIONEL HUN.

The audience and participants were there, including a French Khmer bboy who was passing through and reached the final against Bboy Freshh from Tiny Toones. That's when I realised the event had the potential to become an international stage.

At the same time, you started a career in real estate. Although this was diametrically opposed to your dance activities, this work brought you other benefits. What were they?

Although it was the polar opposite of my initial field of expertise, this new profession allowed me to discover the country in greater depth.

The Slur Bar marked a promising start for ROMBAK. How did the two battles organised there go?

Located a few metres from the Pontoon, its large capacity allowed us to hold new editions of the ROMBAK battle. The scene began to attract foreign dancers passing through Cambodia.

Then we had the support of performers from various countries, such as Australia and France. The audience response was extremely positive and rewarding, as much of the feedback came from newcomers.

In 2015, BBoy Peanut was forced to return to the United States. Now alone, you returned to France. But you didn't waste any time and embarked on a new training course. Why did you make that choice?

I was going through what you might call a ‘dry spell’. That's when I was offered the chance to join a cultural events management training course, but in France. As there were few local sponsors in Cambodia at the time, I decided to take this new path. I joined the European Cultural Management Agency in Paris in November 2016 and graduated in 2017.

Back at Srok, you're organising the battles again. How will they take place? (location, sponsors, etc.)

Everything was actually done in Paris during our training. A series of presentations by personalities from the artistic scene, such as Zakary Peang, a former dancer with Move&Art, brought the phoenix back to life from its ashes.

The name Rom Bak Battle was retained and the professional association was born. We received unexpected and exceptional help from KHENORY SOK, the only candidate who responded to our call for help with the organisation.

A crowdfunding campaign raised €4,500, mainly thanks to the KIA Facebook group, but also thanks to Dara Thong with Samaki Khon Khmer, and the Cambodian community in Lyon. So we returned to the Pontoon in 2017 for this new ROMBAK, the first professional edition, right in the middle of the festive season.

Then, in 2019, the first sponsor appeared for the second edition: Monster Energy. This edition took place over two days with a hip-hop jam session and workshop at the Dib Club and the battle the next day at the Pontoon.

This period allowed me to fulfil a big dream: to bring a friend I admired, NIAKO, to Cambodia. For the first time, dancers from Vietnam signed up. Subsequently, other nationalities followed suit.

As a result of all this new enthusiasm, a third category was created: RomBak Style. ROMBAK STYLE was a fusion of Khmer cultural dances and hip-hop. The winner of this new challenge, JUVIE LIN, performed a choreography combining Bokator and hip-hop.

Unfortunately, the arrival of Covid brought ROMBAK to a halt. What were your first actions when the restrictions ended?

The critical situation led me to retrain in IT. Once the restrictions were lifted, there were only two of us left: KHENORY SOK and myself. This time, it was the FACTORY that hosted the return of the event in 2024, a unique location in the capital. And since then, our editions have been surrounded by big names in the field, with the aim of reaching an international standard.

Today, ROMBAK is becoming very popular, but could you list the obstacles that still need to be overcome today?

The major issue remains funding. We are entirely dependent on sponsors. By way of comparison, countries such as Vietnam are able to offer a very sophisticated artistic scene.

And although it remains difficult for local dancers to get to know foreign scenes, it does inspire vocations. At present, we are able to attract participants (both dancers and DJs) from different countries, from diverse backgrounds and with excellent skills.

Presenting it at the Factory allows us to welcome even more people. The 2025 edition attracted an audience of around 900 people, as well as 60 dancers from all over the world.

Finally, what has this adventure brought you on a personal level?

A genuine passion. An unwavering enthusiasm. The opportunity for a unique space for expression.

What are your best memories so far? Unique and exceptional encounters.

Heart-warming mutual support.

What were the biggest obstacles?

A culture of discipline that is still underdeveloped in Cambodia. The lack of financial capacity to bring in international competitors and speakers. The ability to offer truly professional workshops, especially for locals, for whom local logistical support is still lacking, even if progress is palpable.

What would be your dearest wishes or plans for the future?

• The continuity of battles in the long term

• The establishment of hip-hop dance trips to Cambodia for groups, dance schools or international associations

• To promote and raise awareness of Cambodia through its hip-hop culture.

• To receive local support to help develop these projects

• To collaborate with neighbouring countries

• To make hip-hop values universal values: Peace, Love, Unity & Having fun!

by Chantha R