That is true. I think the worst winters are just south of the Yangtze river. Winters get cold and damp, plus there's no central heating if you are just south of the river. Though it gets colder in the North, Northern people just wear thick winter clothes outdoors and it is more of a dry cold so it is easier on the body. It can actually get hot indoors during the winter time due to central heating, in the countryside they just light up the 火炕. The whole culture around comedy skits started because a bunch of people mainly in rural areas were together indoors for a long period of time to pass the time and be away from the cold.
He is from Sichuan, over there they basically speak Mandarin with a Sichuan accent, so there is mass appeal in China. Quite a lot of China's rappers comes from Sichuan and Chongqing. They love spicy food, it matches their regional personality.
Here's one of Ty.'s collaboration with a Cantonese rapper.
Vava is another hip hop artist/rapper from Sichuan.
I never really got deep into rap or hip hop but I can appreciate some of it because many of my friends like it. Normally I wouldn't tell people that I listen to classical music in my spare time because it would be seen as strange this day and age. Maybe it is what I am familiar with since I started playing piano and violin at a young age.