Hip Hop in China

Inquiries

2009-12-21T22:18:00.002+08:00

Hip Hop in China is no longer an active blog. It will remain up as an archive for people around the world to access information on Hip Hop in China.

Please direct any inquiries to dongting08@gmail.com.

Thanks for visiting the blog!

Sexy Beijing

2009-04-08T23:26:00.004+08:00

On a recent trip to Beijing, I had the opportunity to meet the producers of the Internet TV Show Sexy Beijing - 性感北京 - Anna Sophie Loewenberg, Luke Mines and Mia Li. (Many thanks to fellow Fulbrighter and Hip Hop scholar Jamel Mims for making the connections.) "Ask Smacker" is probably one of my all-time most emailed videos, so it was great to finally meet the makers. In addition to creating their own show, they also use the platform and audience they've built to help promote local and up-and-coming filmmakers. They came across the DongTing08 videos and an edited version of "Language & Chinese Rap" was chosen for the site. Check it out.

Many thanks to the great people at Sexy Beijing!

~ Angela

NYT Article and Bokane Backlash

2009-01-29T04:23:00.006+08:00

First, as my project has come to an end, there will not be many more postings on DongTing. I will keep it up as an archive for everyone interested in Hip Hop in China and I might occasionally add some interesting things that catch my attention. Like the recent New York Times article on Hip Hop in China and the subsequent critiques on several blogs.

Though many have assumed that I helped write the article because some of the pictures were taken from this blog, I never actually spoke with the authors. I think that the article is good and got the basic story right. Jimmy Wang and Wang Yao spoke to the right people in Beijing and gave Hip Hop in China some publicity in one of the most widely read newspapers in the US. All good. But of course the story is not flawless.

One scathing, though obviously uninformed critique was posted here on bokane.org. The post sparked a good discussion and I think rapper Andreas Hwang provided some much needed perspective. This is his commentary:

I am a Chinese Hip Hop artist and it seems to me like none of the participants of this forum are familiar with the Chinese Hip Hop scene. This is partly our fault, because we, the Chinese Hip Hop artists, are too caught up in our own egos and meaningless conflicts within our microscopic scene, which takes our focus away from improving, expanding and presenting ourselves adequately to the public. The talent is there, it simply lacks guidance.

I have been active in this scene since 2004 under the alias Young Kin. In 2005 I was asked to join Yin Ts’ang, but by then the crew was already dispersing, thus I decided to go my own way. The Yin Ts’ang members mentioned in the NYT article are close friends of mine and Jeremy Johnson is my business partner; we run YinEnt together, the independent label mentioned in the NYT article and hope to bring some relevant change to the Chinese hip hop scene in the coming year.

Let me start with the NYT article. I agree with what JH wrote: half of the NYT article was probably written before the first interview. I also think that if a journalist writes an article about “Chinese Rap”, he or she should interview more than one crew. Besides that, individuals who decide to write about Chinese hip hop should be able to comprehend Chinese; this would help them avoid faulty translations and misquotations.

Concerning the current state of Chinese hip hop in the mainstream I agree with Brendan. Jay Chou’s appearance on CCTV’s 新年晚会 sums it up quite nicely. It’s garbage and so is most of the underground hip hop. Why? Because most Chinese hip hop fans only listen to the music of a rap record but are oblivious to the lyrical content, which does not allow them to understand hip hop culture comprehensively. Naturally a Chinese kid, who does not speak English and tries to make a rap song that sounds just like the one he just heard at MIX (Beijing’s most popular hip hop club) will say “Make it rain” without knowing that the phrase entails poring dollar bills on a stripper.

Concerning Brendon’s comment on “在北京” by Yin Ts’ang: I can only partially agree with you. However, the song had to be simple, maybe almost retarded in order for it to get radio play and mainstream media attention. It had to be ”阳光“ (sunny), which seems to be the favorite term for the ministry of culture to describe lyrics that they endorse. I could have never written a song like that, however I do respect them for writing it, because it did break the mold for Beijing hip hop. I see it as a necessary stepping stone. I wonder if there would have been an NWA without there being a more lyrically subtle and sanguine Tripe Called Quest before them to pave the way.

In case anyone does not know what consequences political statements can cost Chinese artists, let me enlighten you: the terminations of ones public artistic career, jail time, exile or in a foreign national’s case: deportation. That is why I think foreign nationals are relevant in this scene. It is their responsibility to say what the locals cannot. It is a challenge to get your material to the years of the people though. The internet is like a big garbage pile. By the somewhat ignorant statements made by several participants of this forum alone one can see that finding some good material online is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Radio is even more controlled. Last time I was on China national radio, I was infuriated. It was against the stations policy to play a politically conscious songs. Instead they played American tracks with profane language and chauvinistic remarks. Even Chinese tracks with profane language could be played as long as they weren’t socially critical.

Even record labels are complaining that almost all Chinese underground hip hop artists are only writing about themselves and fail to address social issues. Paradoxically, every time they have a socially conscious artist in their hands they try to mold him into a pop idol, which entails dumbing the artist down considerably.

Concerning the remarks about Yin Sanr, their English name, by the way, is In3, and I do not think they are trying to be political at all. They simply enjoy making dirty tracks and venting over hip hop beats. Their key member Chen Hao Ran, writer of “老师好“ （the teacher song) is a clarinet player in the National Chinese Orchestra. I believe that In3 is his personal fun project, which he uses to ventilate verbally. I do not think that there is any other ideology behind it other than “I don’t give a flying fuck about what you think about me.” I do not see anything being wrong with that.

I would like to invite everyone to my myspace [www.myspace.com/youngkin010] so that you can see for yourself, if all angry Chinese rap is truly just “generalized teenage angst with no attempt at social commentary” as Brendan had wrote in his article. Maybe Mr. O’Kane should have waited a little longer before he stopped following the local scene and decided to deride it.

I wish everyone a belated happy Chinese new year and would like to thank you for taking interest in the Chinese rap scene. We certainly do need the dialogue.

- Andreas Yi Jun Hwang

Here are my two cents:

Andreas beat me to the punch but I wanted to add a few more thoughts about this post and several of the comments. I am an American citizen who researched Hip Hop in China in 2005 and 2008. Though I was not a part of writing the NYT article, several of the pictures in the article and video were taken from my research blog (www.dongting08.com).

I think the article is good, if overambitious. The author spoke with a few artists in Beijing and used his findings to generalize about Hip Hop throughout China. I’m happy he interviewed seminal artists like Yin Tsang and DJ Wordy. I think he got the basic story right. However, he undoubtedly overstated the popularity of rap music and the misrepresented the general tenor. Most rap music in China does not have a political agenda. Andreas touches on many important reasons why. Most rap music is being made by young kids who have no context or understanding of Hip Hop culture and can only emulate the posturing, style and attitude of popular Hip Hop artists. Quality, original rap music also lacks promotion. If the article had included Hip Hop dance instead of just rap, the statements of its popularity would be a bit more accurate as Hip Hop dance is much more widespread, visible in popular media, and recognized by average people. The article is also very short on history of how Hip Hop came to China. The audience has no understanding of the development of Hip Hop and the music industry in general to appreciate the significance of pop-rap and Jay Chou as compared to In3. The paragraphs on In3 and Jay Chou are also too sparse. Also, unlike the article suggests, I’ve read nothing to suggest that Jay Chou considers himself to be a rapper now and I do not think Jay Chou and In3 fans are mutually exclusive. I think the fleeting mention of “shuochang” and its mistranslation missed a great opportunity talk about local practices that have been incorporated into Hip Hop. Though Chinese “shuochang” is a completely different genre of music than rap, the article does not complicate the idea of one-way appropriation of rap music from the US to China.

As for Yin Ts’ang and the song “Welcome to Beijing”, I agree that this song is not Yin Ts’ang at their best. It is simple and catchy and makes kids and first year Chinese students excited that they too can learn a rap song. However, this song and the album were hugely influential. “Welcome to Beijing” is the song that rappers from Shantou to Urumqi will say is one of the first Mainland rap songs they ever heard, it’s the song and the album that helped them believe in the potential of Chinese rap in the Mainland and their own potential to become a rapper. Certainly MC Hotdog and Davey from Taiwan and LMF from HK were also early influences. But, in Mainland China I don’t believe any album lit a spark as hot as “Serve the People”. I think the fact that everyone is always talking about this one song is a testament to its popularity and power. Given context that Andreas listed about the limitations of rappers and the territoriality of Hip Hop in general, I don’t find it surprising that a song like “Welcome to Beijing” would exist. It is the obligatory anthem to one’s city. Just like Lyrics Born “The Bay”, Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz “Deja Vu”, or JD and Luda’s “Welcome to Atlanta”. And just like JD and Luda probably do not want their legacy to just be:
“Welcome to Atlanta where the playas play
And we ride on them things like every day
Big beats, hit streets, see gangsta's roamin'
And parties dont stop til' eight in the mornin'”
I’m sure the members of Yin Ts’ang want to be remembered for both the importance of “Welcome to Beijing” and “Serve the People” but also their best work.

I also think calling out Uranus and their song “Da Ma” for not being “daring” enough is similar to calling out In3. Uranus describes their style as “pop-party rap” and while they are interested in flow, rhymes and dope beats, they have no explicit political agenda. Given what they are actually interested in, it should be noted that Dai Bao Jing has an amazing flow and Garden is a very good producer.

As for In3’s originality, I think that they absolutely have to make their own music. They need beats that complement and give power to their lyrics. However, I think that they are offering lyrics that are insightful, entertaining and resonate with the crowd. Catch a In3 performance or go to Section 6 and witness dozens of kids literally spitting the words to “老师好”. Then, in the very anthropological view that all things are political, think about the fact what we laud as being “critical” is denouncing systemic and daily oppressions and injustices in ones’ life and society. With the future of the average Chinese kid so heavily determined by navigating the education system, how destabilizing would a widespread denunciation of the Chinese education system be?

As for finding more socially conscious rap, the Internet is certainly a crapshoot and if you only speak some Mandarin, like me, language is going to be a barrier. If you can get lyrics or have the opportunity to talk with the artists, I recommend Jiangzhe and Dumdue in Guangzhou and 6 City in Urumqi. In Beijing, check out Andreas and Big Dog.

I am clearly a fan of Chinese rap and I am quick to defend it, but I think that so many criticisms of Chinese rap for its lack of explicit political commentary are unfair and uninformed. I think most people making rap music are young kids and for most, the age of political maturation comes well after puberty, I don’t think many rapper are ready to or interested in having informed, explicit political commentary in their rap. Andreas certainly has more experience with dealing with censors and demands of record labels and has laid out many important reasons why there is no Chuck D in China. I also think a powerful form of censorship is self-censorship. Would you write and put out a song that no one will support and could potentially get you in trouble? I think lessons have been learned by all in the music industry from the heavy censorship of rock music and Hip Hop artists would be wise to try to avoid going down that road until the scene has matured.

I also think that, as foreigners with somewhat of an understanding of China, it is irresponsible to say to rappers, “Those extended metaphors and euphemisms really aren’t bringing home the message. Why not just come out and say ‘Our freedom of speech is freedom or death, We got to fight the power that be’?” when death is actually an option (or at least the death of your career). We know China is not very tolerant of ardent social critics with potential to gain a following. For now Hip Hop is under the radar and, perhaps that gives artists room to push the envelope, but I’m sure many artists want to keep it that way.

Also, I think that its too simplistic too look at the political nature of some Hip Hop in the U.S. and immediately look for the equivalent in China. Aren’t the critiques of a lack of creativity and originality based in the idea that Hip Hop in China is simply derivative of the U.S.? Is straight imitation only acceptable when it comes to lyrical content and explicit political agendas? I do hope to see more rappers pay attention to lyrical content and think critically about the intended meanings of their work, but I accept that political and social critiques may come in a form very different than U.S. rap.

Lastly I hope everyone remembers that Hip Hop is as much about parties as it is about politics. I would argue even more about parties at its inception. People say to the “first” political single was Grandmaster Flash “The Message” which came out in 1982 and the “first” political group to be Public Enemy whose first album was in 1987. What was everyone else talking about? Was there a lapse in political consciousness or was it simply not as direct as people like to assume Hip Hop to have always been? I don’t believe if you are a Hip Hop fan, even if you love “conscious” rap, that you are bumping Paris and KRS-One all day. There’s too much to enjoy in Hip Hop and everything needs balance. Political commentary also needs to be coupled with community action and organizing. As commentator Pete wrote “overindulged kids do not a social revolution make” but neither do political rappers a social revolution make. What tangible social changes has the music alone of Public Enemy or NWA brought about for Black Americans or poor urban communities? You can’t just speak about it, you have to be about it. Rappers can use their platform to speak to truth, raise awareness and galvanize communities but change comes from sound leadership and pushing for community development and progressive reform.

Ok, let me stop before I start going off about Obama. Happy New Year everyone! Please check out the blog www.dongting08.com if you want to find out about some of the artists I interviewed last year. I also have links to lots of MySpace pages. You can also look at www.Hiphop.cn, www.xjrap.com, www.alivenotdead.com, and tw.streetvoice.com.

For a much more nuanced critique, check out ChinaGeeks "Why Isn't Hip-Hop Popular in China?"

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-10-06T10:36:00.013+08:00

SIX CITY

"Biqara-Tuhmat"

This week's song comes from Urumqi rap crew Six City. "Biquara-Tuhmat" or "Pity - Blame" is a song about misplaced condemnation and the distress it causes. Six City's musical influences include heavy metal, R&B, traditional Uyghur music, American rapper Eminem, Turkish rapper Ceza, and Thai rap. One of their main goals is to represent the reality of life in Xinjiang today and promote Uyghur culture.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-09-25T10:59:00.007+08:00

This week's song "Enter the Dragon" comes from DJ DSK. A UK citizen now living in Kunming, China, DSK has spun at major Bboy events and battles around the world. He is involved in the organization of the Battle of the Year China (BOTY) and the UK B-Boy Championships of China. For this year's BOTY, DSK released a break beat compilation CD with 12 other Chinese DJs, producers and rap crews. "为了人民不停的跳舞 - The Chinese Battle of the Year Soundtrack 2008" was released on his record label Unity Recordings. Check out his work and upcoming shows at www.djdsk.com.

"ENTER THE DRAGON" temporarily unavailable

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-09-07T17:38:00.008+08:00

BIG SNAKE

This week’s song is off of the first solo EP of Shantou rapper Big Snake. Released in July of this year, Big Snake described About Rhythm as a candid revelation of his beliefs, dreams and struggles. Inspired by Bob Marley & The Wailers “Get Up, Stand Up”, “Still Alive” encourages listeners to think about the quality of their lives and the consequences of their actions.

本周的歌来自汕头说唱家Big Snake新的专辑《大约定律》。他说《大约定律》很坦率的显示了他的信仰，希望和争斗。Bob Marley & The Wailers的歌曲《Get Up, Stand Up》对这首歌有很明显的影响。像Marley一样，《还活着》鼓励听众反省他们的生活条件和他们采取行动的后果。

"Still Alive" / "还活着"

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-08-24T16:37:00.006+08:00

SHENZHEN RAPPER - JR FOG

"INDIA OIL"

This week’s song comes from Shenzhen rappers JR Fog and Fredii. JR Fog received the 2008 Chinese Hip Hop Award for “Rapper with the Most Potential”. At only 18 years old, his production and lyrical skills have gained the respect of seasoned rappers and the attention of record labels. JR has already licensed music for commercials and video games and is working with a domestic label on his first EP. He is poised to make a big contribution to Chinese rap. Performed with fellow Shenzhen rapper Fredii, “India Oil” is a humorous song about a much-favored topic in rap, getting high.

本周的歌曲来自深圳的说唱家JR Fog和Fredii。JR Fog得了2008中国
Hip Hop颁奖的“最有潜力的说唱家”的奖品。他今年18岁，但已经
得到了专业说唱家的尊敬和唱片公司的主义。他已有几首歌在广告
和游戏里面被放了，也开始跟一个国内唱片公司合作他第一个专辑。
他很有可能会对中国Hip Hop作出很大的贡献。这首歌《印度神油》
关于说唱家很喜欢的主体：抽飞。

~ Angela

A closer look at Dumdue

2008-08-23T19:50:00.006+08:00

Kidgod and Along of Guangzhou's Dumdue

We’ve mentioned Dumdue before in past posts, we’ve featured their music in our Song’s of the week section, and we’ve used a number of their quotes in our short videos. So while this short video might not be the “first look” you’ve gotten at the Guangzhou based rap group, it’s a chance to get a “closer look.”

Dumdue, made up of A-Long (rapper/producer), Kidgod (rapper), and Edi (DJ), has been making music together since 2003. They make all of their own beats and rap exclusively in Cantonese. Dumdue has also started their own music collective called Chee Productions, which includes a few other local Guangzhou Hip Hop artists, such as DJ Fatkit, DJ DJam and Hip Hop dancer, Ji An. Click here to go to Dumdue’s Myspace page.

With one of the most unique sounds in Chinese Hip Hop today, Dumdue commands considerable recognition and respect within the underground Hip Hop community. They are often featured in local Guangzhou Art and Style magazines as well as national Chinese Hip Hop websites like hiphop.cn. However without the support of being signed to a major record label Dumdue remains virtually unknown to the majority of Chinese youth.

Which is a shame, because they are really good.

See for yourself

-Lila

Finding Chinese Hip Hop Albums

2008-08-17T23:39:00.004+08:00

We know that some of your are looking for Chinese Hip Hop albums to purchase, download and/or review. And unfortunately there is no simple way for you to get an entire album. Amazon and iTunes haven't hit up the Chinese Hip Hop market (yet).

So our top recommendations are to:

1. See what's available on MySpace. We have linked to MySpace pages of several artists.

2. Check out the music (音乐流) and artists (艺人 A-Z) sections of www.Hiphop.cn.

3. Email us at dongting08@gmail.com and we can help you out.

Skateboarding and Hip Hop

2008-08-16T14:43:00.005+08:00

To quote Mike Wind, a rapper of Kunming’s Co Op Sol who grew up in Hong Kong and was part the local skate culture, “I wouldn’t say the connection between skateboarding and Hip Hop is the defining connection. Because there’s all different kinds of stuff going on.” The musical tastes of skaters often vary, from Metal, to Rock, to Punk, to Hip Hop, and sometimes this can cause music-based splits in their social scene. What Hip Hop and Skate culture do have in common is that they both tend to fall under the more general term of “Street Culture,” or in Mandarin, jietou wenhua. Both skate culture and Hip Hop culture continue to grow in popularity among Chinese youth, but they have had to struggle to carve out a niche for themselves in the Chinese market. These struggles are mostly due to negative stigmas that characterize skateboarding, Hip Hop and other elements of Street Culture (such as Street Ball and BMX biking), as “rebellious,” “crude,” “meaningless,” and something that “young trouble-makers” engage in. Click here to read Jonathan Chow’s article on the development of skateboarding in China.

In our interviews, we heard a number of today’s Chinese Hip Hop artists say that they first came into contact with Hip Hop through skateboarding. And in certain cities like Beijing, skateboarders have been crucial to the growth of local Hip Hop culture. The founders of Beijing’s Society Skateboard company, Raph Cooper and Li Qiu, have each played their respective roles in Beijing’s Hip Hop scene. Raph, who doubles as a rapper, co-organizes Beijing’s monthly Section 6, the city’s biggest Hip Hop party that features artist’s performances, open mics, and freestyle battles. Li Qiu is a renowned graffiti artist, and he has used his designs to develop the Society Skateboards Skate/Hip Hop-style clothing brand. Skate fashion and Hip Hop fashion tend to overlap, and in addition to selling skate gear and clothing, many Chinese skate shops will also sell CDs of local artists. While in the US, Hip Hop songs that celebrate skate culture, like Lupe Fiasco’s “Kick, push” and The Pack’s “Vans,” have solidified the link between Hip Hop and skateboarding in mainstream music, in China, collaborations like those between Guangzhou rap group Dumdue and Raph and Dan of Society Skateboards have solidified the link in underground Chinese Hip Hop.

Check out what some of China’s Hip Hop artists had to say about the connection between skateboarding and Hip Hop.

-Lila

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-08-13T14:47:00.003+08:00

MC Young Kin

This week’s song comes from Young Kin, of Beijing’s Yin Tsang, featuring Big Dog, formerly of Wuhan’s No Fear Family. In “为什么,” or weishenme, which is Mandarin for “Why,” Young Kin and Big Dog question many of the restrictions and inequalities they find in modern Chinese society. “Why” is a politically charged song that came out right before the beginning of the Beijing Olympics. It touches upon issues that range from freedom of expression, to the One-Child policy, to the right to congregate, to ethnic inequalities. With unique flows and strong lyricism, Young Kin and Big Dog have succeeded in creating a provocative anthem for Chinese youth.

本周的歌来自北京隐藏的Young Kin，feat. 来自武汉No Fear Family前员的大狗.
在“为什么,” Young Kin和Big Dog 说到现代中国社会普遍的限制和不平等的现象.
北京奥运开摸之前发布了，“为什么,” 这个充满政治色彩的一首歌发布了; 它涉及的问题
包括从言论自由到独生子女政策，从集合权利到种族不平等现象. 利用独特的flows和
强烈的歌词,Young Kin和Big Dog成功地证明“为什么”谈到的内容.

Click here to read what Young Kin has to say about his song "Why."

"Why" by Young Kin featuring Big Dog

-Lila

New Jersey State of Mind

2008-08-13T00:38:00.021+08:00

The celebrity of rappers Notorious BIG, Diddy, Jay-Z and 50 Cent have led many to equate “East Coast” rap with New York City. However, there are Hip Hop legends throughout the Northeast and New Jersey is home to more than a few. The Sugar Hill Gang, The Fugees, Queen Latifah, Naughty By Nature, Poor Righteous Teachers, Redman and Lords of the Underground are just some of New Jersey’s rap superstars.

Here in China, New Jersey is pretty much only known for basketball. 90% of the time when I tell someone I am from New Jersey, they respond with, “Yes I know, the New Jersey Nets. Did you know that Yi Jianlian plays for them now?” Got it, thanks. Chinese rappers don’t usually mention New Jersey rappers among their major inspirations. Young Chinese rappers point to MCs such as Eminem, 50 Cent and Jay Z and older rappers to MCs such as Public Enemy, MC Hammer and Dr. Dre.

But even though Hip Hop fans (in the U.S. and China) often know the hometowns of their favorite individual artists, many do not know the history of Hip Hop in a specific city or region (i.e. Houston or the Bay Area).

All in all, this Jersey Girl was very surprised to hear Shanghai MC BlaKK Bubble praise the accomplishments of New Jersey rappers and express his wish that the Shanghai Hip Hop community will take after New Jersey. I feel you BlaKK Bubble and as Lauryn would say, “You have to respect Jersey!”

Check out BlaKK Bubble’s comments.

~ Angela

UNITY

2008-08-11T16:24:00.007+08:00

One Love, One Heart,
Let's get together and feel all right,
As it was in the beginning,
So shall it be in the end,
Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right . . .
- Bob Marley

In the video, “What is Hip Hop?”, many Chinese artists said the power of Hip Hop lies in its ability to bring people together. People, who perhaps may not otherwise have reason or opportunity to, can bond over the mutual enjoyment of music, dance and art. For Hip Hop artists, the connection can be even deeper as they also have the shared experience of living a Hip Hop lifestyle in Chinese society. As they face similar struggles and have the same goal - to develop Hip Hop culture - many artists have called for the Hip Hop community to unite. Some have organized local and national UNITY or Da Tuanjie (大团结) parties and performances, while others have established online networks and artistic collectives. While these community-building activities have been successful, there is much criticism of both the UNITY parties and the Da Tuanjie movement. Both are undermined by conflict, in Hip Hop jargon - beef. How the Hip Hop community responds to these concurrent issues will be telling for the future growth of Chinese Hip Hop. Furthermore, the influence of unity and discord are especially relevant to China today.

Unity in Chinese Hip Hop

UNITY or Da Tuanjie parties began in the city of Guangzhou in 2007. They were first organized by Guangzhou crew Dumdue and, later by Hiphop.CN. The March UNITY party was held in Guangzhou and included performances from Beijing’s In3 and Kunming’s Co Op Sol. In May, the party was held in Beijing and included performances from Beijing’s Long Jing (龙井) and Xi An’s Luan Zhan Men (乱战门). Both events were highly attended by Hip Hop fans and artists, and they accomplished their objective of both throwing a great party and also promoting the unification of the Hip Hop community.

On the local level, efforts towards unification include organizing parties, performances and events, collaborating on songs, and forming online communities. In Kunming, Hip Hop artists are just starting to organize da tuanjie events with BBoy Crew KGS, BGirl crew KLT, rappers Co Op Sol and Green Clan, and DJ DSK all performing together. In Guangzhou, several rap crews worked together to produce a Guangzhou anthem titled “Guangzhou Rules”. In Xinjiang, artists share their work and Hip Hop news on the community website www.xjrap.com. These projects all serve to create and strengthen relationships between artists, to encourage them to pursue their artistic path, and to gain recognition of their existence and accomplishments.

On the national level, besides Da Tuanjie parties, artists also use the Internet as a forum to communicate and collaborate on projects. Hiphop.CN is the perfect example, a website and a company dedicated to building the national Chinese Hip Hop community. Hiphop.CN is often also a co-organizer of Da Tuanjie events. Many artists also create nation-wide informal networks or lianmeng (联盟), similar to the Native Tongues Posse or the Quannum Collective. Such networks provide support and strengthen individuals through association with other crews in China.

The vast majority of Hip Hop artists agree that, whether on the local or national level, Hip Hop artists in China should unify. Although, they vastly differ on the best method – focusing on just your city, creating a mainstream Hip Hop star and capitalizing on their popularity, establishing nationwide underground networks, etc. The question then becomes not whether or not unification is something that should happen, but whether or not it can happen.

Beef

Ever since the Tupac and Notorious BIG murders, the subject of "beef" has been popular in Hip Hop journalism and academic writing. "Beef" is a grudge between two individuals or a crew of Hip Hop artists. "Beef" is often settled through competition. Rappers "beef" by making dis tracks, criticizing their opponents lack of skills and championing their own talent. Bboys break against their rivals and writers write over their opponents tags. Audiences often decided who made the better track, busted the better move, or threw up the better tag, and that should settle the beef. However, today, "beef" is too often settled by violence. Many critique how beef is exploited by the industry and artists and hyped by the media to the benefit of sales and the detriment of communities and individuals. Though this is a very important critique, it does not relieve the necessity to talk about conflict, competition and violence in Hip Hop. Hip Hop is as competitive as it is creative and promotes as much aggression as love.

As Shanghai rapper BlaKK Bubble said, “Many of Hip Hop’s origins are related to beef”, conflict and/or competition. Hip Hoppers often battle in order to get status and improve their skills. While battling can substitute for other acts of aggression, battles can also instigate and perpetuate violence. Xi'An rapper and producer Mr. V makes the point that the reason is that, today, people do not differentiate between competition and beef, the former being a positive way to showcase your talent and the latter being a personal vendetta. But besides Hip Hop’s inherent competitiveness, longevity in any industry requires defending yourself challengers and creating continuous appeal. While the lack of a Hip Hop market in China means that being the “best” won’t bring material gains, maintaining status still matters for pride and underground celebrity.

Conflicts in Chinese Hip Hop arise from myriad sources – personal, artistic and social. Some artists find it impossible to come together because they simply don’t like one another. Others point to artistic differences, such as artists whose musical style is more pop as opposed to more underground or experimental. Conflicts also arise from people’s (lack of) understanding of Hip Hop, which often, but not always is the result of age differences. Still other conflicts come from different lifestyles and an individual’s reason for becoming a Hip Hop artist. For those who do Hip Hop professionally or live a Hip Hop lifestyle, it may be difficult to unify with those who just do Hip Hop for fun as a hobby. Social restrictions also undermine Hip Hop unity.

How do you really unify all of Chinese Hip Hop? Problems include language, culture, distance, and numbers. While Mandarin is the common language, China has numerous dialects (See the video on Language). Hip Hop artists would perhaps first have to support a common language to really unite. Language inevitably involves culture and the mutual biases and prejudices between the North and the South, the East and the West, and Han Chinese and ethnic minorities. One Hip Hop critic recently told me that an artist from the North could never really be accepted in the South and vice versa. How can Hip Hop artists transcend such deeply embedded cultural biases?

Two very practical obstacles are distance and numbers. China is a huge country and many Hip Hop artists don’t have the means to travel great distances for competitions, shows, or classes. While globalization is shrinking the world through tele-connections, face-to-face communication is still the most powerful. Lastly, the number of Hip Hop artists is always shifting and figuring out how to reach out to them all or who should represent each community is a daunting task. Considering all of the issues, what are the potential costs of beef and a lack of unity?

Consequences of Conflict

In talking with Hip Hop artists about beef, there was a widespread agreement that the time has not yet arrived for artists to beef. Considering that there is not Hip Hop market and beefing cannot bolster sales or media exposure, personal and artistic conflicts can only serve to divide Hip Hop artists and spread negativity at a time when Chinese Hip Hop is most vulnerable. Beef has undoubtedly hindered Hip Hop’s development, as people have been opposed to collaboration. It has also contributed to Hip Hop’s negative image, complicating acceptance by a larger audience.

However, conflict can also spur progress and artists can use beefs to grow personally and artistically, hopefully outweighing the negative consequences of their conflicts. The lack of beef also does not imply a dedication to unity, and an artist can be seriously embattled and simultaneously dedicated to developing the Hip Hop community on some level. The consequences of conflict are real and many but they are perhaps unavoidable and certainly will not stop the growth of Hip Hop in China. (See what Chinese Hip Hop artists have to say about UNITY and BEEF.) The concepts of unity and internal conflict are much bigger than Hip Hop and are especially salient in China today.

The Call for Unity in China

2008 has been a momentous year for China and responses to various events have frequently been calls for solidarity and appeals to national pride and civic responsibility. Following the Tibetan protests in March, Chinese people around the world banned together in support of a unified China and continued Chinese authority over Tibet. This sentiment spilled over into the Olympic torch protests and counter-protests. Many Chinese people saw the torch protests in the context of historical grievances with the West for (neo)colonial interference in China’s domestic affairs. Again, many Chinese people rallied against this affront. In the aftermath of the earthquake in Sichuan Province in May, there was an outpouring of sympathy and activism. Benefits and fundraising events frequently called on the civic responsibility of Chinese people to help one another (even though philanthropy is relatively new to China). The 24-hour coverage on local and national television of difficult rescues, emotional reunions, vigils, fundraisers, and dedications reinforced and helped sustain the unity of the people behind the relief effort. And, of course, there are the Olympic Games, already underway in the capital. The Olympics have required a tremendous unification effort, with the Chinese government and Olympic Committee rallying its citizens and for the past seven years. Many see the Games as China’s time to present itself to the world and the people have been asked to fully support every measure to ensure the success of the Olympics. Many Chinese people feel a deep sense of pride in hosting the Olympic Games and feel that it is a recognition of China’s achievements and a substantiation of China’s power. In response to all of these events, while the call has been for unity, the response has been anything but unanimous.

Unharmonious Society

Anatol Lievin wrote that appeals to national solidarity are a part of “the classic modern strategy of and endangered right-wing oligarchy, which is to divert mass discontent into nationalism” (London Review of Books, 3 October 2002). The fervor surrounding the Tibetan protests, the Sichuan Earthquake and the Olympic Games has often overshadowed serious grievances and the varying reactions to all of the events. Every call for unity has been undercut with dissension and opposition. The Tibet protests saw Chinese people on both sides of the picket lines and many Chinese question, not only the West, but China’s colonial ambitions. The earthquake response made many disillusioned with the corruption, graft, and lumbering bureaucracy that undermine all disaster relief efforts. People were also outraged by forced donations. Many companies and schools required people to donate money, often specifying amounts, and ridiculing those who failed to donate as much as others. The sanctioned oppression for the Olympic Games has been well documented by human rights groups, NGOs and the media. From expelling migrants from the city to forcing business to close for weeks without compensation, from the tens of millions of dollars outside cities have sent to Beijing for the Games for which they will have no return to public notices to immediately report Uighurs and Tibetans to the local police (literally on sight), the Olympic Games have effectively given officials carte blanche to discriminate against marginalized groups, devastate communities and businesses, and of course stifle criticism and protest. Many Beijing residents now wish the Olympics would be over already so their lives can get back to normal.

The hope for all of China is that, as in the Hip Hop community, hopefully these conflicts will foster growth. The response to the Sichuan Earthquake especially showed that if galvanized, Chinese citizens will take bold action to improve their community. With the number of NGOs increasing and community activism becoming more popular, perhaps community leaders can capitalize on this sentiment, unifying the Chinese people to make positive change.

~ Angela

2008 OTS Hip Hop Dance Competition

2008-08-06T23:29:00.005+08:00

Wuhan's Special King Crew - Winners of Best Team Routine at Shanghai's OTS

This past weekend we attended the three-day On The Stage (OTS) Hip Hop dance Competition at Dino Beach in Shanghai. OTS was organized by Stanly Wong, the founder and director of Shanghai’s Dragon Dance Studio. Stanly has been dancing for almost twenty years and has been very influential not only in the development of Hip Hop dance, but in the development of Chinese Hip Hop culture in general. To quote Shanghai rapper Tang King of Red Star: “Stanly, he is REAL Hip Hop.” And with students traveling all the way from Xinjiang to study with him (such as Purcat, the leader of Urumqi’s DSP Crew and Ha Shan, the leader of Karamai’s Dancekid Crew), praise for Stanly can still be heard far away from Shanghai.

Which means…when Stanly Wong holds a Hip Hop Dance Competition, Chinese Hip Hop dancers show up. Dancers and dance crews traveled from all over China to compete in OTS’s three main events:

Individual Battle, (click here for Individual Battle video)
Team Battle, (click here for Team Battle video)
and Team Routine Competition. (click here for Team Routine video)

The individual battles were divided into four categories, New Style, Funk Style, Girl’s Freestyle and Breaking, with each winner receiving a prize of 10,000 RMB (approx. $1,500 USD).

New Style: Cheng Jie of Hangzhou
Funk Style: Huang Jingxing of Beijing
Girl’s Freestyle: Zhao Qian of Shanghai
Breaking: Wu Yaofeng of Shanghai

Guangzhou’s Speed Crew won the Team Battle Competition, and Wuhan’s Special King Crew won for best Team Routine; each team received a prize of 15,000 RMB, approx. $2,250.

In addition to bringing out Chinese Hip Hop dancers from all over the country, the OTS Competition was judged by a panel of premier International Hip Hop artists, including Ken Swift of the USA’s Rock Steady Crew, break-dancers O-Hashi and ISOPP of Japan, and New Style dancers Meech and Clara of France.

Check out the highlights from the 2008 OTS Hip Hop Dance Competition by clicking the links above.

-Lila

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-08-05T23:31:00.007+08:00

This week’s song is a collaboration between two groups from the city of Urumqi in Xinjiang Province – Free Soul and Soul Clap. It is serendipitous that both of their names have the word “soul”, as soulful is exactly how I would describe this song.

Free Soul is an all-female group that formed a little over one year ago. They sing and rap in English, Uyghur and Mandarin. Their voices are already so strong (the influence of their idol Christina Aguilera can certainly be heard) that people doubt they sing their own songs!

Soul Clap is an all-male group that is also multilingual, rapping in English, Mandarin, Uyghur and Russian. Their self-produced tracks mirror their linguistic diversity ranging from melodic love songs to hardcore rap songs. “Lil Luv” is a perfect example of the former and talks about . . . well . . . young love.

本周的歌曲来自两个乌鲁木齐的团体－Free Soul和Soul Clap。真巧他们俩的名字都含有“soul”这个字。我觉得他们的音乐很有灵魂。Free Soul，一个女生团体，是大概一年前组合的。她们用英文，维语和普通话唱歌。她们的声音已经那么强，有时听众怀疑她们是真的在唱歌。（难怪其中一个影响是Christina Aguilera。）Soul Clap，一个男生团体也用好多语言唱歌，包括英文，普通话，维语和俄语。他们是自己作曲，风格也很丰富。他们有情歌，比较硬核的歌，等等。“Lil Luv”好代表他们的情歌。

~ Angela

Chinese Education and Chinese Hip Hop

2008-07-31T00:47:00.003+08:00

When Angela and I go to meet an artist for an interview we sometimes joke, “you’ll know it is us because one of us is an African American woman, and one of us has red hair. Don’t worry, you’ll find us.” But it is usually just as easy to recognize our interviewees. They look different from the people around them, mostly just from what they are wearing. But sometimes there is something else, maybe the way they carry themselves or the way they interact with those around them.

Having this identity as “something different” is at odds with many of the values instilled by the Chinese education system. The Chinese education system is one that relies heavily on rote memorization, where success and intelligence is often measured by how well a student can repeat a text or lesson word for word, rather than how well they can express a unique and well-developed thought or opinion. Many of the Hip Hop artists that we interviewed talked about their dissatisfaction and frustration with this type of education where personal expression is often equated with “acting out” or “showing off.”

Hip Hop, both as an art form and a culture, celebrates personal voice. While success in Hip Hop requires innate talent alongside rigorous practice and dedication, it remains a comparatively accessible art form. If you have sneakers you can dance, if you have a notebook you can write lyrics. It is Hip Hop’s accessibility that forces its artists to make sure their “voice” is heard out of the crowd. The battle, a staple of all of Hip Hop’s elements, requires an artist not only to prove their mastery of technique, but also to showcase their individual flair and style. When we asked Chinese Hip Hoppers what attracted them to Hip Hop culture, they often responded by saying, “Hip Hop is free,” “I can express myself through Hip Hop,” and “Hip Hop is way to vent my feelings about the world around me.”

Clearly, the relationship between Chinese education and Chinese Hip Hop is not as simple as “because of China’s approach to education, Chinese youth turned to Hip Hop culture and now they speak out on all pertinent issues.” I think it is more fitting to see the Chinese education system as one of the variables in the setting of Chinese Hip Hop’s development. It is important to know that many of these artists who now stand in front of a crowd of people rapping about their own life, or walk around their city wearing clothes that set them apart from the rest of the population, were taught in school that it would be better if they were more like everybody else. It is important to know that the Chinese education system is something that these young artists refer to in their music, something that they use Hip Hop to express.

Check out what some of China's Hip Hop artists had to say on the topic.

-Lila

China BOTY 2008 in Shanghai

2008-07-22T22:26:00.003+08:00

Shanghai is the place to be for China’s big, summertime Hip Hop competitions. The day after the China DMC DJ Competition, I attended China’s 2008 Battle of the Year (BOTY) Competition, organized by Shanghai’s Caster Dance Studio. Ten different crews from around the country competed. The BOTY is an international breakdancing tournament for B-boy crews, as opposed to individual breakdancers. There are national qualifying rounds, followed by regional qualifying rounds, followed by the Battle of the Year World Finals, held this year on October 18 in Braunschweig, Germany.

Hip Hop dance, or jiewu (“street dance”) as it is commonly called in Chinese, has had considerable success in China compared to the development of the other Hip Hop elements. Jiewu competitions are broadcast on national television, and many advertisements, promotional events, and other forms of pop media will often feature a Hip Hop dance crew. These opportunities come much less frequently for Chinese rappers, graffiti artists and DJs. However, China’s b-boys have yet to succeed on an international level. Common criticisms of Chinese breakdancing are that many b-boys are still in the imitation phase, and that an over-emphasis of power moves combined with a lack of creativity has made Chinese breakdance more acrobatic than artistic. The day before the 2008 China BOTY, we had the chance to talk with the three judges, all of them b-boys themselves (Lamie from France, Amjad from Switzerland, and Drunk from Hong Kong), and each one of them said that they would be looking for personal style, something besides “just copying moves they’ve seen on YouTube.”

In my opinion, the 2008 China BOTY was a success. The venue was packed with a diverse audience including fellow dancers, families, media representatives, and what seemed to be curious onlookers. The shouts and cheers from the audience were persistent throughout the event, reaching their high point whenever the crowd-favored Shanghai crew took the stage. Each of the crews had six minutes to perform a choreographed number, after which the judges decided which four of the ten crews would move on to the semi-final battle round. At least half of the choreographed numbers incorporated elements from Chinese traditional culture, from Tai Chi to fan dancing, all very well received by the crowd. Despite the occasional stumble, most of the crews’ performances were high-energy and included a number of impressive moves.
This year’s semi-finals featured Fujian’s Jingwumen vs. Guangzhou’s Energy, and Beijing’s X-Power vs. Shanghai’s Dust. Energy and Dust made it to the final round, where, after a close battle, Guangzhou’s Energy was pronounced the winner. Energy first place victory at China’s BOTY means that they will be flown to Thailand to compete in the regional BOTY Asia on August 7th. I wish Energy the best of luck.

Take a look at the highlights from the 2008 China BOTY.

-Lila

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-07-22T13:13:00.006+08:00

Mason and GEM of Xi'an's X.A.E.R.
This week’s song comes from Xi’an group, X.A.E.R., featuring XIV of Beijing’s Yin Tsang and Shenzhen R&B singer Lacedoll. In “爱够,” or “Enough Love,” X.A.E.R.’s MC Mason and MC Bo Shi rap about the obstacles facing Chinese rappers as they ask themselves: “do we have enough love for Hip Hop to keep doing it?”

本周的哥来自西安的X.A.E.R.团体跟北京隐藏的XIV还有来自深圳的R&B歌手Lacedoll一起合作的. 在“爱够”X.A.E.R.的MC Mason和MC GEM说道中国说唱家面对的问题,还有他们问自己：“我们对Hip Hop有没有足够爱坚持下去？”

X.A.E.R.- "爱够"

2008 China DMC Championship

2008-07-21T10:27:00.004+08:00

Last Friday Shanghai was host to the 2008 China DMC Championship. The DMC is the Olympics of turntablism and can launch a DJ into international stardom. China's first DMC Champion was DJ VNutz from Shanghai who took the title in 2002. DJ VNutz now organizes the DMC competition and is one of the founders of The Lab, a non-profit organization that promotes music education and DJ training. Previous China DMC Champions include DJ Shorty S (2003-2004) and DJ Wordy (2005-2007). This year's event showcased 15 DJs from across the country, many of whom were competing for the first time. DJing and turntablism have been slow to develop in China for numerous reasons, including lack of funds to purchase equipment, lack of access to vinyls, and lack of practice and performance spaces. But, as attendance at the DMC shows, the DJ community is growing and Chinese DJs are improving their skills. The competition was close this year and the final results were:

3rd Place - DJ Dragon V from Beijing
2nd Place - DJ LJ from Guiyang
1st PLace - DJ Cavia from Anhui

Check out the video for clips of each set and the guest performance from DJ Shortkut and DJ Swift Rock.

~ Angela

Chinese Language(s) and Rap Music

2008-07-15T14:38:00.004+08:00

Language and Lyricism

The adjective “Chinese” is a highly contested term and, perhaps, no more so than when it comes to language. The term “Chinese language” specifies more of a language family than one specific language. The common language in Mainland China is Standard Mandarin or Putonghua. While 700 million Chinese citizens speak Standard Mandarin and it is also the official language, it is by no means a “native” language. Standard Mandarin is a language that was created in the early 20th century and is based on Beijing and Mandarin dialects. Standard Mandarin is a tool that enables all Chinese people to communicate. But for many, Standard Mandarin is not their native or mother tongue. Chinese language has about twelve regional language groups, the most recognizable abroad being Cantonese. There are also numerous spoken dialects, with people from different provinces, cities, and even towns speaking completely unintelligible languages. This presents a unique challenge for Chinese rappers who must consider how language will impact their style, technique, potential audience and expression.

Since Chinese rappers first picked up the microphone, critics have claimed that Chinese language isn’t suited to rap music. Standard Mandarin is actually quite easy to rhyme but problems arise with tones and syllables. Standard Mandarin is a tonal language and has four strict tones. Changing the tone of a word can completely change its meaning. This is how Chinese rappers engage in really provocative wordplay, with one word taking on double meanings. However it also means that rappers must pay attention to their tones, particularly when determining their cadence and speed. Standard Mandarin is also monosyllabic. Whereas in English, rappers can rhyme multi-syllabic words like “fantastic” and “reality”, Chinese rappers (using Standard Mandarin) must use words like “ban” and “ting”. Consequently, it takes much creativity, patience and a lot of practice to develop a signature flow and interesting rhymes. For rappers whose native language is a dialect, technically speaking, rapping in Standard Mandarin can be a relief or a burden.

For Cantonese speakers, the comparative simplicity of Standard Mandarin might be appealing. Cantonese has about nine tones and that cannot be altered or inflected as much as Standard Mandarin. The enunciation of individual monosyllabic words is also critical to the rhythm of the language. For speakers of Guilin dialect, rapping in Standard Mandarin might be awkward. Guilin dialect is spoken at a faster speed than Standard Mandarin. It also allows speakers to string together syllables. This means that rappers can both rhyme multi-syllabic words and speak more syllables per second. It is not a coincidence that Beijing rapper Brass Face has been compared to Twista. When interviewed he revealed that he did not purposefully rap fast but simply rapped in the speed of Guilin dialect, his native language. Rapping in a dialect or Standard Mandarin reduces or increases a rapper’s technical constraints and potential audience.

Language and Longevity

One of the major complaints about record companies that have approached rap artists in China is that they force rappers to use Standard Mandarin. All of Mainland China’s music celebrities sing in Mandarin and it is the only language that will enable a rapper to create a nation-wide fan base. Rappers primarily concerned with or practically limited to performing and distributing music in their hometowns, using their local dialect makes their music more meaningful and poignant their community. However, it is very difficult for rappers to maintain only working clubs and promotional events in their city. Some joke that the shelf life of the average rap group is two years, two years before they discover they won’t be able to make a lot of money or have legions of fans and give up. Resources, opportunity and language all factor into reaching that conclusion.

Guangzhou MC Along from jazz-rap crew Dumdue basically summed up the language debate when he said, “Standard Mandarin is a tool for communication. Cantonese is the language of my life. If I want to talk about my life, I have to rap in Cantonese.” For crews like Dumdue, the need to use the language that expresses and helps define their life experience trumps all other concerns about language. The Mandarin vocabulary has thousands of characters, but the nature of spoken dialects ensures that not all of the words and phrases used in Chinese dialects can be expressed in Mandarin. Consequently a commitment to only rapping in Mandarin can potentially limit a rapper’s creative expression.

Every musician must negotiate their relationships with their music and their audience. For Chinese rappers, language crucially influences the dynamics of those relationships. Choosing not only what they want to say but also in what language they want to say it in will determine, in large part, their ability to perfect their skills, make their music meaningful to an audience, and establish a lasting career.

See what some rappers in China have to say about language.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-07-12T01:21:00.007+08:00

This week’s song comes from Urumqi group Jin-Qirah. Jin-Qirah’s group members are Uyghur, one of the ethnic minority groups in China, the majority of whom live in the northwestern province of Xinjiang. Rapped in Uyghur language over beats inspired by traditional Uyghur music, Jin-Qirah’s “Arman” is a song that confirms the often over-looked diversity of “Chinese” music.

本周的哥来自乌鲁木齐的Jin-Qirah团体. Jin-Qirah的团员都是维吾尔族,中国的少数民族之一，大多数在西北的新疆省住. 用维语说唱还有用被传统维族乐器影响的一个伴奏，Jin-Qirah的 “Arman”是一首哥能确定 “中国” 音乐平常忽略的多样性.

Jin-Qirah - "Arman"

Kunming's Hip Hop Community

2008-07-06T17:13:00.007+08:00

B-boy Baby, leader of Kunming's KGS breakdance crew

Kunming’s Hip Hop community is best described as a collection of parts rather than a cohesive whole. While there are artists from each of Hip Hop’s major elements, there is a lack of commonality amongst Kunming’s Hip Hoppers. There are stylistic differences between rap groups, and competition for students between dance crews. Hip Hop DJ’s are forced to compromise their personal music preference to please the unsupportive club owners they work for, and graffiti artists have to look for ways to commercialize their art in order to make a living. It is not that these struggles are singular to Kunming. Competition and financial pressures are issues faced by Hip Hop artists throughout the country, if not the world. But for Kunming, these struggles come without the different benefits that bigger and smaller cities can each offer. In Beijing and Shanghai, competition can often lead to recognition and already existing clubs, events and networks offer artists reliable opportunities. And in smaller cities like Shantou, the stresses of trying to make it as Hip Hop artist are shared, and thus somewhat assuaged, within the supportive, close-knit Hip Hop community.

However, the city is home a number of talented and unique artists, and these artists continue to stick with it in order to make a name for Hip Hop in Kunming. Recently there have been some positive steps forward. Uprock is a new club that opened up in March of 2008, with the goal of creating a space for good DJs and good music. Kunming-based DJ DSK, a former “battle DJ” in England who has been behind the decks in Asia for the past twelve years, is a manager at Uprock, which means that Hip Hop and Hip Hoppers will be welcomed with open arms. In addition, rap groups Co Op Sol and Green Clan have started to perform together and are testing the waters of a rap collective. As the Hip Hop scene grows, I believe that there will only be more interaction and collaboration between Kunming’s Hip Hoppers.
Click here to take a closer look at Kunming’s Hip Hop Community.

-Lila

DòngTīng Songs of the Week

2008-07-05T12:06:00.009+08:00

Over the past three weeks, we have been on the road in Shaanxi and Xinjiang Provinces and have gotten a little behind on the song of week. So this week you get a double dose and a little competition.

Many rappers in China lack the equipment, training and/or knowledge needed to make their own music. Some set up small studios in their homes or offices, but most work from personal computers. Consequently many rappers download beats off of the internet or rap over instrumentals. We have come across several songs that use the same instrumental but to different effect. So who flipped it best?

These two songs use the instrumentals from Tupac "Hit'em Up".

Chen Hao Ran "Hello Teacher" / "老师好"

Six City "6 Dolkun"

These two songs use the instrumentals from Scarface "My Block".

Chen Hao Ran "No Moni, No Friend"

No Fear "What Are You Doing?" / "你在干吗?"

~ Angela

Chinese Hip-Hop Radio Special

2008-06-26T00:38:00.003+08:00

06-18-08 - Nomadic Wax on Mo Glo

Over the past few weeks I have been working with Ben Herson of Nomadic Wax to produce a Chinese Hip-Hop radio show. The show aired on June 17 and Ben reports it was a big hit at KEXP/WNYE. The show is still available online. Click here to go the imeem Music page. I think the show was a success and a huge step in the right direction. This kind of exposure is invaluable to helping Chinese artists promote their work. Many thanks to Ben for taking on this project and to all of the artists who participated.
~ Angela

Young & Restless in China

2008-06-19T12:37:00.004+08:00

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sue Williams a new documentary film about China has been released. The film is an intimate portrait of the new generation that is transforming the country. Shot over four years, the film follows a group of nine young Chinese from across the country as they scramble to keep pace with a society changing as fast as any in history. One of the individuals profiled is rapper Wang Xiaolei AKA MC Sir. Their stories of ambition and desire, exuberance, crime and corruption are interwoven with moments of heartache and despair—from a successful entrepreneur opening his first Internet cafe to a migrant worker torn between romantic love and duty to her family, from an up-and-coming rap artist trying to make it big to a public interest lawyer suing over a power line built for the Olympic games.

- Jessica Smith, Publicist, Interactive Media

As for documentaries about life in China today, Young & Restless in China is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious and comprehensive. The dreams of prosperity, stability and happiness created by economic development remain elusive for most people in China. The individuals in this film not only reveal that disparity, but also the common struggle to find meaning in an ever-changing society. The film aired on PBS on June 17 and you can also watch it online. Check out the Young & Restless in China website.

~ Angela

Kunming's 邪作社／Co Op Sol

2008-06-13T15:20:00.005+08:00

In introducing the Kunming based rappers Hu Xuan a.k.a MC Tang Ren Ti and Mike Medcalf a.k.a Mike Wind or The Medic, I think taking a look at their group’s name, or names, is a good start. They go by two names. In Chinese, they call themselves 邪作社, or “Xie Zuo She.” In English, they are Co Op Sol. In both languages the names highlight the idea of cooperation. Hu Xuan is from Kunming and Mike is from Cincinnati and the two have come together to create music that highlights their unique approach to rapping in different languages and also manages to showcase their stylistic similarities. The fact that all of their music is produced by Hu Xuan only adds to their originality.

Co Op Sol is at the forefront of Kunming’s Hip Hop scene, and with recent performances in both Guangzhou and Beijing, they are gaining popularity on a national scale. The fact that they are a multinational, multilingual group touches upon the somewhat complex questions about who is considered a “Chinese” Hip Hop artist, and also the importance of which languages are used in making Chinese Hip Hop. Through their unique personal voices, both Hu Xuan and Mike use their lyrics to touch upon some of these issues, as well as a variety of other interests and topics that run the gamut from the alien network, to Sacagawea, to both of them being kind of skinny. Take a closer look at 邪作社/Co Op Sol.

-Lila

Shantou's Hip Hop Community

2008-06-12T10:41:00.005+08:00

“One of the major obstacles to the growth of Chinese Hip Hop right now is too much beef, too much criticism and disrespect between people from different cities and even groups within cities.”
- African-American Hip Hop producer V, Xi’An

“I’m happy to see Hip Hop growing but I miss the early days when everyone would hang out together, rappers, Bboys, writers. There were only a few of us then but we were really close. Now the scene is so scattered.”
- Rapper and Visual Artists Song Wei, Kunming

“In Shantou all of the Hip Hoppers have good relationships. The rappers, writers, dancers, we’re all good friends.”
- Rapper Big Snake, Shantou

Part of Hip Hop’s power is its ability to build communities, to bring people together for a few hours or for a lifetime to appreciate and create art, music and dance. However, this potential to build also has the potential to break down. A culture as creative, ambitious and competitive as Hip Hop will also produce divisiveness. There are many ways to evaluate Hip Hop communities in China and we have often chosen to compare the dynamics of different cities. In large cities, like Shanghai and Beijing, the Hip Hop communities are the most vibrant and the most at odds. Artists clash over personal and artistic differences and form alliances in opposition to ohttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifther groups. In medium-sized cities with growing Hip Hop communities, like Kunming and Xi’An, close-knit groups are beginning to splinter as they compete with one another and struggle to maintain. However, in small cities like Shantou, the Hip Hop community remains cohesive and supportive. The idea remains that Hip Hop artists from all of the elements can work together and improve the collective lot. Shantou artists can hold onto this, perhaps idealistic, vision because their numbers are still very small. However, this sentiment is also underscored by the strong friendships between Shantou rappers, dancers, DJs and artists. Meet some of Shantou's Hip Hop artists. Only time will tell how the growth of Hip Hop in Shantou will affect the character of the community, but I believe that the cooperative spirit alive today is something all Hip Hop artists can learn from.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Songs of the Week

2008-06-11T10:52:00.009+08:00

I have recently been engaged in a project to help an American DJ produce a Chinese Hip Hop program that will be broadcast in the coming weeks in New York and Seattle. I have been selecting songs that I think will well represent the current state of Hip Hop in China. Going through my catalogue made me think about what songs I would qualify as “classics” and why. Since most songs were released in the past ten years, I use the word “classic” to mean a very influential song, both aesthetically and for what it contributed to the growth of Hip Hop in China. This week I will share my first five selections.

#1 “Yellow Road” – by MC Webber
From Yin Tsang’s debut album “Serve the People” (2003), “Yellow Road” inspired many of China’s earliest Hip Hoppers to pursue rap. For many listeners this was the first time they would hear a Chinese rapper proudly claim, “I, too, am Hip Hop.”

#2 “I Feel Good” – by Sbazzo & Young Kin
Two of the hardest working MCs in China, Sbazzo and Young Kin helped introduce the mixtape. This was crucial for showing aspiring artists how to put out their work and make a name without institutional or financial support. This song comes from the “King of Beijing Mixtape” (2005).

#3 “No 1” – Hi Bomb
This song is arguably the most recognized Hip Hop song in China. Shanghai crew Hi-Bomb were the first Hip Hop crew to land a record deal with a multinational label (EMI). Released in 2004, their album was the first to bring Hip Hop to a mainstream audience.

#4 “Who Moved My Zhajiang Noodle?” – CMCB
The title track off of their 2003 album, this song is a CMCB favorite. Chinese MC Brothers (CMCB) is a Beijing rap-rock group that pushed the boundaries of Hip Hop and Rock & Roll with the creation of their unique sound.

#5 “460” – Dumdue
Exploding with pure creativity and originality, this song is from Guangzhou crew Dumdue’s 2006 album. This self-produced track showcases their lyrical and musical talents. Dumdue is at the fore of the alternative Hip Hop scene in China.

~ Angela

The Deal With Dakou

2008-06-10T15:29:00.005+08:00

The word dakou (打口) will be mentioned several times in the upcoming video on the Shantou Hip Hop community. Shantou rapper Big Snake even claims that Shantou was home to China’s first dakou record store. Shantou does, in fact, have a reputation for being the best city for purchasing dakou albums. But what is a dakou record and what is its importance to the independent music scene in China?

During the 1990s, dakou records were the primary way in which Chinese youth learned about new music. One Chinese blogger claims that every Chinese person in pursuit of musical freedom listened to dakou records. Dakou records were surplus albums, produced mostly in the United States, that were supposed to be destroyed. The majority were burned or otherwise destroyed with chemicals. However, some were simply damaged by punching a hole in the corner of the CD. This prevented the entire album from being played and usually the last few songs were lost. The term dakou or “打口” means to make a hole. These CDs were transported to China, sometimes first passing through Japan or HK, and sold in dakou CD stores and black markets. (The question of whether or not selling dakou CDs is illegal is up for debate since the albums are garbage plastics and artists and companies would not have received revenues anyway.) From classical to Rock & Roll to folk to Hip Hop, dakou albums encompassed all genres of music and introduced Chinese listeners to new musical possibilities.

The first Chinese musicians to claim the word dakou were Rock & Roll artists in Beijing who were part of the Beijing New Sound Movement in the late 1980s. They used the term "dakou generation" to define the generation of musicians born between 1970 and 1985. The term "dakou youth" would later be used to characterize a type of lifestyle assumed by idle and disaffected urban youth also labeled “urban fringe”.

The sale of dakou albums in cities through China still abounds, though most CDs are no longer damaged. Besides the previously mentioned uses of the term, today dakou basically just means surplus CDs that are reintroduced to the Chinese market. You can even purchase dakou albums in bulk on websites like www.dakoumusic.com. While the Internet has supplanted dakou CDs as the most important means of accessing new music, dakou albums continue to influence Chinese youth in pursuit of musical freedom.

Click here for more information on the dakou generation and dakou records and Beijing Rock & Roll.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-06-03T09:37:00.005+08:00

Brass Face "Forever Young"

This week’s song comes from Beijing MC Brass Face, the other half of hardcore rap duo Phoenix Cry. Easily recognized for his Twista-like flow and gritty voice, Brass Face is also a talented producer. His influences range from DMX to MC Solaar to Mongolian rap crew Vanquish. This self-produced track showcases both is lyrical prowess and production skills.

本周的歌来自北京说唱家Brass Face。他是另外凤凰鸣的团员。虽然
他的快速运录和声音很吸引人，但是他也是一个很有才的制作家。他的
影响包括DMX, MC Solaar和蒙古的Vanquish。这首歌展示了他的说唱
和制作能力。

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-05-25T10:18:00.007+08:00

Green Clan

Big Zoo & Green Clan: "Good Love"| "好爱"

This week’s song is a collaboration between Green Clan and Big Zoo. Green Clan is an up-and-coming Hip Hop collective in Kunming. Their crew has a dozen MCs, producers and beatboxers who are all passionate about making quality Hip Hop music. Formed by an original member of GUMBO, Kunming’s first rap group, Big Zoo is a Hip Hop crew in Chengdu. The two crews came together on “好爱” or “Good Love”, a cheerful, endearing love song.

本周的歌来自Green Clan和Big Zoo。Green Clan是个新出现的昆明
Hip Hop团体。他们有12多个说唱家, 制作家和口技家。他们都热爱Hip
Hop也想做好Hip Hop音乐。GUMBO是昆明第一说唱团体。他们其中一个
原来的团员建立了成都的Big Zoo. 这两个团体合作这首个叫 “好爱”,
一首快乐，可爱的情歌。

MC Yan's Hong Kong Studio

2008-05-21T22:42:00.010+08:00

MC Yan with MC Yan toy

During our time in Guangdong province we had the opportunity to take a day trip to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong we met with Duncan Jepson (director of “Follow your heart.” For more, take a look at Angela’s previous post) as well as Hong Kong rapper and artist, MC Yan. MC Yan is former member of Hong Kong’s Lazy Mutha Fucka, or LMF, a Hip Hop crew active throughout the mid 90s to the early 00’s, making them one of the first Chinese Hip Hop groups. Though LMF disbanded in 2003, it continues to be regarded as one of most influential Chinese Hip Hop groups. Their provocative lyrics and attitudes set them apart from mainstream Canto-pop music and grabbed the attention of Chinese youth both in Hong Kong as well as Mainland China. Take a look at LMF’s music video for their song “大懒堂，” the group’s name in Chinese. MC Yan, with fake handlebar moustache and real pigtail braids, does the main rap verses.

So far, MC Yan is the only Hong Kong rapper that we have interviewed. With our project’s main focus being Mainland Chinese Hip Hop artists, trying to include Hong Kong’s Hip Hop scene, or similarly, the Taiwan Hip Hop scene, would in some ways take away from the unique themes and concerns that characterize each place. Though the “One Country, Two Systems” policy enacted in 1997 brought “Hong Kong home to China,” the vastly different social and political histories of the two places continue to make them feel like two completely different countries. Director Duncan Jepson explained his decision not to include Hong Kong in his film “Follow your heart” by pointing out that Hong Kong youth and Mainland Chinese youth face different issues in their exploration and development of Hip Hop culture. Access to Western music and culture came much earlier and much easier in Hong Kong than in Mainland China, having a major influence on how the respective Hip Hop scenes developed. Hong Kong’s Hip Hop scene came first, but at this point, Mainland Chinese Hip Hop is growing and developing at a much faster rate, similar to the Chinese economy.

In our visit to his studio, MC Yan gave us his personal take on the differences between Hong Kong and Mainland China’s Hip Hop scenes, shared his thoughts on current world issues that interest him, and gave us a look at some of his current projects. Post-LMF, MC Yan has a lot going on. From developing memory sticks as a new platform for releasing music, to making it into the Guiness Book of World Records for the world’s farthest tag (using L.A.S.E.R. technology developed by GRL), to developing his label “宁死不屈,” or “rather die than dishonor,” MC Yan’s is putting his personal motto of “keep being creative all the time” into action. Our visit to MC Yan’s studio reminded me how lucky I am to have this opportunity to meet such interesting and thought-provoking artists. Check out our visit with MC Yan.

-Lila

Earthquake Relief

2008-05-20T18:08:00.004+08:00

On the morning of the 13th I woke up to an ominous message on a friend’s instant messenger. It simply said “Bless Angela and her friend”. Although my friend is a sweet person, I didn’t understand her sudden concern. I didn’t even have time to drop her a line before I received several text messages and emails asking if I was all right and if I had been affected by the earthquake. I was still in Kunming and hadn’t even heard about it. But by the end of the day, reports from domestic and international media agencies were already streaming in about the level of devastation and relief efforts already underway. The shock, sadness and sympathy felt by all after the earthquake, has turned many to action. People throughout China and the world have supported government relief efforts through donations and volunteering. Members of the Hip Hop community have also responded by organizing and participating in benefit concerts and donating proceeds from performances. If you would also like to help, the New York Times has compiled a list of organizations that are currently engaged in relief efforts.

As the nation continues to deal with this tragedy, every day there are more stories of suffering and loss, but also stories of hope. My heart goes out to everyone affected by the earthquake - survivors, families, relief personnel and volunteers. Bless them.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-05-17T18:07:00.005+08:00

Co Op Sol: "The Work Song"

This week’s song comes from Kunming's Co Op Sol. Made up of American MC Mike Metcalfe and Kunming MC Hu Xuan, Co Op Sol has succeeded in creating amazing multilingual rap music. They experiment with the sounds and rhythms of English and Chinese to make their verses smooth and natural. Heavily influenced by Guangzhou’s Dumdue, Hu Xuan produces the group’s jazzy beats. Combined with Mike’s poetic lyricism, the result is soulful and cerebral songs like “The Work Song”.

本周的个来自昆明的邪作社。美国说唱家Mike Metcalfe和昆明说唱家Hu Xuan一起创造奇妙的多语种说唱。他们巧妙地结合英文和中文。结果是他们的歌又流畅又自然。广州的噔哚对Hu Xuan是很大的影响。他制作邪作社爵士性的音乐。再加上Mike诗意的歌词，结果是又灵魂又知识的歌，像 “The Work Song”。

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-05-06T14:29:00.008+08:00

FK Moses and Mogo.com.cn Cameraman

This week’s song comes from Beijing rapper FK Moses. He is one of China’s few hardcore rappers and his deep, resonant voice is perfect for this style. FK Moses has collaborated with rappers, vocalists and musicians from around the world. His latest project brought together 12 MCs from 12 different countries. This yet untitled track is a testament to the unifying power of Hip Hop.

本周的歌来自北京的FK Moses。他是个硬核说唱家。他的声音又低又
谐振，也适合这种风格。FK Moses跟一些全世界的说唱家，歌唱家
和音乐家合作过。他最近的计划聚集了12个说唱家从12个不同的国家。
这首未名的歌证明了Hip Hop的统一力量。

Shenzhen Hip Hop Community

2008-04-29T12:09:00.005+08:00

In China, Shenzhen is somewhat of an anomaly. Unlike most other Chinese cities that can lay claim to a rich local history that goes back thousands of years, Shenzhen is a city that was created only about thirty years ago. Set up by former leader Deng Xiaoping, Shenzhen was China’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), meaning that economic laws are more liberal in Shenzhen than in the rest of the country in order to promote economic growth. Thirty years ago Shenzhen was a small fishing village, but today, Shenzhen is one of China’s fastest developing cities. Chinese people from all
travel to Shenzhen in order to find jobs and make money, and the majority of Shenzhen’s population come from other parts of the country.

And so what does this have to do with Chinese Hip Hop?
We had the opportunity to hear what native-Shenzhen rapper JR Fog had to say about his city and it’s Hip Hop development. JR Fog sees Shenzhen’s lack of traditional local culture as an advantage. In his opinion, Shenzhen isn’t held back by many of the traditional values that might be essential to Chinese cities with ancient history, values that might clash with a young and modern culture like Hip Hop. As a result, as Shenzhen’s population starts to get more settled, JR Fog looks forward to Shenzhen’s young people being the city’s first generation of “producers of culture.” It will be up to him and his peers to weave the cultural fabric, and he is excited.

When we were in Shenzhen we got the chance to see some examples of a vibrant youth culture. Our main focus was the Shenzhen Hip Hop Awards China, the perfect example of a group of young people using their own resources to put on an event to promote and spread their passion Hip Hop culture.

We also met a group of Shenzhen skateboarders who were proud to quote an international skateboarding magazine saying that Shenzhen was a “skate capital of the world, second only to Barcelona.” Who knew? They took us out to a couple of Shenzhen bars with great live music and laidback atmospheres, one being True Colors, a reggae-themed lounge with nightly DJ sets. In my opinion, Shenzhen has some of the best alternative nightlife in China – “alternative” meaning unlike the majority of Chinese bars and clubs which feature throbbing bass-heavy music, dice games, and watered down Chivas Regal. Which can be fun…if you have earplugs.

The night after our interview with the Hip Hop Awards organizers, the organizers brought us to a local Hip Hop dance competition. Most of the dancers were in High School and their raw excitement was infectious. They cheered for each other and joked around both in and out of the dance circle. It was clear that they were having a great time, getting the chance to showcase their moves and their own personal style. And for us, it was a chance to see some of Shenzhen’s next generation of Hip Hop lovers in their element. Take look at some of the night’s highlights!

-Lila

Women in Chinese Hip Hop

2008-04-28T13:00:00.007+08:00

When I tell people that I am researching Hip Hop, they often assume that I am strictly recording and examining the production of Hip Hop music. Though my main focus is on Hip Hop music, this project is anthropological in its design and methodology. In anthropology we like to talk about “subject positioning” of the researcher, which means analyzing how your gender, race, nationality, economic status, and other markers influence the ways in which you are being understood by study participants and how you are interpreting situations. So far on this project, one of the most critical identifiers has been gender.

In terms of methodology, being women in the field has given us a different level of access. Beyond the overwhelming hospitality to guests, I think we receive genuine feelings of affinity and trust. People are eager to help us and have faith that we have good intentions. These dynamics are defined by the fact that we are two young, female researchers interacting with mostly young, male artists. We like to joke that we are like Darla in The Little Rascals, the only girls in the boys club. As a result, I think in personal interactions we have avoided a lot of macho posturing common between males and, and endemic among Hip Hoppers. Though, of course, we are seeing behaviors tailored to our positions as female and foreign. We have also made a conscious effort to find female Hip Hop artists to see what kind of challenges they face and how they feel about being in the boys club.

In China today the majority of women in Hip Hop are dancers. Many studios organize crews that include Girls Hip Hop, New Jazz, or what is often just called “Sexy” Dance teams. Such studios include Shanghai’s Dragon Dance Studio, Wuhan’s Special King Crew, and Beijing’s Wujiawu Better Dance Family. There are also independent female dance crews like Beijing’s Spy Crew and Kunming’s KTS. This trend follows the general growth of Hip Hop in East Asia. From Japan to Korea to Laos, Hip Hop is often first popularized by dance. Consequently, the majority of all Hip Hoppers, male and female, are dancers. Many artists in China like DJ V-Nutz and MC Webber started as dancers then went on to other arts. In addition, the majority of roles played by women in music videos, Hip Hop movies, and other media are of dancers and models. This fixes a male gaze on Hip Hop and dance allows women to fit into normalized roles to be sexy and attractive. This is not to say that being a dancer does not present its own challenges or that it is seen as an acceptable hobby or occupation in China, but to clarify that there is more encouragement to become a dancer.

However, beyond dance, women are already staking their claim to Chinese Hip Hop history. One of China’s most acclaimed writers is a woman named SIC from Guangzhou and DJ Yuki from Tianjin is paving the way for female turntablists. Many women also work behind the scenes as managers, promoters and event organizers. Women are also sources of motivation as dedicated fans, friends, and mothers. (In Shantou, the mother of the leader of Keep On Hip Hop Studio was very active in her sons Hip Hop career and business. She was essentially the crew Mom and spent hours at the studio cleaning up, talking with the kids, and even cooking huge dinners. The kids at the studio loved her and she made them feel like a big family.) There are also several solo female rap artists and female artists in rap crews.

The challenges faced by female MCs in China are many, and undoubtedly similar to those faced by women in Hip Hop around the world. To be an MC you have to be able to pick up the mic and command respect and attention from an audience that will be scrutinizing what you say and how you say it. You are also operating in a creative community of predominantly males, which can be lonesome and frustrating. Though many say having a woman in a crew makes her the highlight and is attractive, it also carries a (perhaps unwanted) responsibility to represent all women. Fortunately, none of the women we interviewed felt pressured by being one of few female rappers and felt they were treated the same as male crew members and friends.

Whenever you talk about female rappers, I think you have to talk about representation. One of the reasons I fell in love with Hip Hop was because I was seeing women on television and hearing women on the radio that I felt represented me. One of my very first Hip Hop albums was a bootleg tape of Salt N Pepa “Very Necessary” and my sister and I would learn the verses and pretend to be Salt, Pepa, and Spin. I would rap along with every Lil Kim album that came out, which was probably traumatizing for my mom since I was only about 12, and debate about who was the better first lady of the crew Rah Digga of Flipmode or Eve of Ruff Ryders. (Still have to go with Rah Digga, Flipmode is the squad.) As a Black woman in America, I loved these women who were not only making music I was into but also representing an element of my life experience. Of course, they were not representing a complete image of Black female life but I won’t get into a discussion of bitches/queens stereotyping. Though I clearly did not become a rapper, I had played the part enough that the idea existed in the realm of possibilities and I always thought it was normal for a woman to rap. In terms of received global Hip Hop images from abroad, I question, when Chinese girls see female rappers on TV, movies and in the media, what, if anything, are they relating to? How do female artists from abroad also represent them? How is any encouragement gained from seeing the few women with global distribution like Missy Elliott and Lauryn Hill affected by the deluge of male-centered Hip Hop images? There are no female rappers in the mainstream music industry in Mainland China and no underground artists with national distribution aside from the Internet. So who are young girls in China looking up to and rapping along with? Who represents them?

We got to meet several rappers holding it down for women in Hip Hop. Aken is an artist in Shanghai who has been rapping for five years. She is now teaching rap at New Idol Arts School, a school that produced many of Shanghai’s earliest Hip Hoppers. ALion is an artist from Shantou’s AFinger Crew and is the youngest female MC profiled. TZ Jane is a singer and rapper from Wuhan’s No Fear Family. Dai Bao Jing is an artist from Guangzhou crew Uranus and is definitely one of China’s best rappers. Check out what these ladies have to say about their own Hip Hop careers and women in Chinese Hip Hop.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-04-28T11:06:00.006+08:00

MC Vyan of Guangzhou's Jiangzhe

This week’s song comes from Guangzhou group Jiangzhe. “The Generation” is Jiangzhe’s ode to Chinese youth born in the 80’s, as they discuss some of the unique problems and issues that their generation faces. In this song Jiangzhe’s main rappers Fat B and Vyan rap their verse in Cantonese while guest artist Q-Luv sings the chorus in Mandarin. Take a look at their music video.

本周的歌来自广州的讲者团体. “The Generation” 是讲者的一首歌关于中国
八十年代出生的青年人, 他们讨论他们这一代人面临的一些独特问题. 在这首，
讲者的主要说唱者 Fat-B和 Vyan 用广东话说唱，客户艺术家的Q – luv用
普通话唱合唱. 看一下他们这首歌的视频.

讲者- "The Generation"

Follow Your Heart

2008-04-27T14:26:00.007+08:00

Since its inception, feature and documentary films have been used to preserve and promote Hip Hop culture. In the 1980s films such as “Wild Style”, “Breakin’” and “Beat Street” captured the earliest days of Hip Hop and introduced it to audiences around the world. Recent films such as “8 Mile” and “You Got Served” became box office smashes and reignited interest in freestyle and dance battles. While the majority of Hollywood films focus on Hip Hop stories in the United States, there has been a surge in documentary films about global Hip Hop. Films of note include “Hip Hop Colony”, “Cuban Hip Hop: Desde El Principio” and “Resistencia: Hip Hop in Colombia”. While a few Chinese filmmakers have completed Chinese-language documentaries, until now, the only film released internationally that offered a glimpse of Hip Hop in China was Director Todd Angkasuwan’s 2007 film “No Sleep till Shanghai”, which chronicled Jin Au-Yeung’s tour. Director Duncan Jepson has just completed a documentary titled, “Follow Your Heart”, that provides the first comprehensive introduction to Hip Hop in China.

“Follow Your Heart” brings together four of the architects of Hip Hop in China. DJ VNutz, China’s first DMC Champion and founder of The Lab; MC Webber, China’s three-time Iron Mic Champion and one of the original members of Yin Tsang; Sic, China’s most acclaimed writer and Stanly, one of China’s earliest Bboys and owner of Dragon Dance Studio. The film presents their individual stories and brings them all together to throw a Hip Hop party in Guiyang, China. The growth of Hip Hop is contextualized within Chinese history and China's rapidly changing society. The characters voice their opinions on issues facing both Hip Hop artists and Chinese citizens, such as generational conflicts, consumerism and, of course, how to reconcile your dreams with the pressures of reality.

The film is excellent and a must-see for anyone interested in global Hip Hop, urban youth culture or modern Chinese society. We caught up with director Duncan Jepson in Hong Kong to get his thoughts on making the film. Check out what he had to say.

~ Angela

Shenzhen holds the first Hip Hop Awards China

2008-04-26T18:14:00.005+08:00

Last month we had the opportunity to attend a very special event, the first ever Hip Hop Awards China held in Shenzhen, Guangdong. We managed to stumble upon the event through a series of zany misadventures, which included a somewhat fortuitous bout of food poisoning and a particularly generous and hospitable skater from Changsha, Hunan. That is the somewhat irrelevant back story. Regardless, we heard about the awards show directly from an interview with a local Shenzhen rapper, JR Fog, who turned out to be involved in organizing the event himself. The day after the interview, JR Fog accompanied us to meet the event’s main organizers, Acome, King and Vincent. We spent the day with them and learned about their goals for the Awards show as well as their personal connection to Hip Hop. Besides JR Fog, who is younger than the rest of them, they had all met in college and in 2001 Acome and Vincent had formed Shenzhen’s first B-boy crew, B.O.F. Later on, Vincent studied abroad in England and switched his focus to DJing. And two years ago King and Come had embarked on an incredible journey to make a documentary film on Chinese Hip Hop, by walking all the way from Shenzhen to Beijing. And by walking, I meant walking.

We met the organizers about a week before the scheduled Awards Show, and we were surprised that this was the first time we had really heard about Awards. In Wuhan, No Fear Family leader Break D had mentioned the awards, and he had told me that they would probably be going. But there was no reference to it on the front page of Hiphop.cn, where some of China’s big Hip Hop events are usually posted. And when we asked some Hip Hop artists that we had met before if they were planning to go it seemed as though many of them didn’t even know that it was happening.

With all of the efforts towards community-building that do wonders for connecting Hip Hop artists throughout China, naturally there are also a number of things that manage to divide the Chinese Hip Hop community. With China being such a huge country, geography might be the most tangible factor in these divisions. Language is closely related to geography. In addition to Mandarin and Cantonese, there are over one hundred other Chinese dialects. Basically each place has its own language; Shanghai has Shanghainese, Kunming has Kunminghua, Fujian has Fujianhua, etc. (Language is a huge issue, and there will be much more to come in later posts!). Another huge division is the somewhat hazy line that has been drawn between “underground” and “commercial” Chinese Hip Hop.

The fact that a lot of artists either didn’t know about the awards or weren’t invited highlights some of these divisions. Many artists who identify themselves with “underground” Chinese Hip Hop, for whatever reason, were neither present nor nominated at the awards. And the majority of the artists who attended the awards were from Guangdong province, as were the audience members. But we must remember that this was the first Chinese Hip Hop Awards. It would be very idealistic to assume that, in its inaugural year, such an event would be able to bring together the entire Chinese Hip Hop Community.

The organizers told us that they hope to continue holding the Hip Hop Awards every year. Their ultimate goal is to have an annual Awards Show celebrating Chinese Hip Hop, and they want each year’s show to get bigger and better. From seeing how much they could accomplish in their first year, I have faith they will do just that. Take a closer look at the Awards Show.

-Lila

Longjing’s Beijing performance (…four months later!)

2008-04-22T14:41:00.005+08:00

MC Xiao and MC Lil' Panda of Longjing at Beijing's Man Max Club

As we travel from city to city (…to city to city) our bag of tapes gets heavier and heavier. Arriving in Kunming we set aside a full week just for watching and transcribing the more than forty hours of interview and performance footage that we have accumulated. While the clips from the following profile on the Beijing-based Longjing come from one of the first shows that we taped in late January, we found that the topics discussed in their interview are still extremely relevant to many of the issues which we continue to explore in our research.

Longjing is made up of three local Beijing MC’s - MC Xiao, MC Ghost, and MC Lil’ Panda – and they are a relatively new group within the Beijing Hip Hop scene. Full of energy and earnest excitement, Longjing explains their personal journey from first hearing Hip Hop music to identifying themselves with the Chinese Hip Hop scene to making their own Hip Hop music. Their stories have a lot in common with many of the other Hip Hop fans and artists that we have met across the country. These common themes include listening to US Hip Hop over the internet, struggling to understand English lyrics, regarding Hip Hop music and culture as a means of individual expression, starting out with imitation of Black American Hip Hop, and eventually, searching for ways to add personal style and culture to the music in order to create Chinese Hip Hop.

Next week we will get another opportunity to see Longjing perform. We will travel back to Beijing for the MIDI Music Festival, an annual four-day music festival held in Chaoyang park with stages set up for different music genres, including Rock, Punk, Folk, and Hip Hop. I’m excited to see how these past four months have treated the boys! But for now, take a look at Longjing this past January.

-Lila

Maya Azucena Performs in Kunming

2008-04-22T01:09:00.013+08:00

Last Friday we had the opportunity to experience an unbelievable day of live music. American soul singer Maya Azucena and her band conducted a workshop and performed at the Yunnan Arts University in Kunming. They are currently on the Rhythm Road Tour, which is organized by Jazz at Lincoln Center and sponsored by the U.S. State Department, and will travel to four countries in just five short weeks. Kunming was the band’s fourth stop in China alone. Despite the dizzying schedule, both the workshop and the performance were flawless.

The workshop was fun, engaging, and, though the auditorium was full of music students, it was accessible to people from all backgrounds. Each band member showcased their unique talent by demonstrating different genres of music from reggae to blues to drum & bass. Audience participation was the centerpiece of the workshop. Keyboardist Bruce Mack took everyone through a vocal a warm-up, drummer Ivan Katz showed how to play along with a sampler and then the band rocked with a student drummer; they even had the entire audience singing, clapping and stomping out a groove. Maya and the band were elated and the students were thrilled. I couldn’t help overhearing the whispers behind me of, “This is so much fun!” and “The band is so good!” Check out highlights from the workshop.

Following the afternoon workshop Maya and the band returned to the university in the evening to give a full concert. After attending the workshop and listening to their latest album Junkyard Jewel continuously for several days, I was really excited for the performance. Needless to say, I was blown away. Maya’s voice is divine and all of the band members are truly gifted. When Maya sang “Still Searchin” I honestly got chills and guitarist Christian Ver Halen’s strumming out “Hallelujah” was just beautiful. The best part was that all of the energy that the band was putting out, the audience was giving right back. They were clapping and cheering, making up their own lyrics and singing along, and rushing to the stage to give Maya flowers. The show was a huge success; the fact that the band gave two encores says it all. Check out highlights from the performance.

Performances and cultural exchanges like the Rhythm Road Tour are very meaningful to Chinese musicians. Outside of Beijing and Shanghai, there are few venues that support live music (specifically pop, punk, metal, Hip Hop and soul). Going to a performance usually means attending a music festival or a large concert in a giant stadium. Tours by foreign musicians also often hit the big three cities: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Consequently, musicians and audiences in second and third-tier cities do not get the same exposure to foreign musicians. So having the opportunity to attend a performance, learn about music production and jam with the band is invaluable. Interaction with other musicians is vital for honing skills, expanding knowledge, and staying motivated. Maya's workshop and performance certainly helped students progress towards these goals. If you doubt the affect of these exchanges, check out the end of the workshop video and look at the huge smile on student Wang Jie Chao’s face as he talks about singing in the cipher. Once he found his groove, there was nothing else, only the music. I think that’s pretty powerful.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-04-19T12:19:00.011+08:00

This week’s song comes from Shantou’s AFinger Crew. Language is the defining element of their style, and the 10-member crew raps in both Mandarin and their local Chaozhou dialect. Their self-produced tracks mix elements of Hip Hop, pop and reggae. This mixtape track is an introduction to their album, the first ever Chaozhou dialect Hip Hop album.

AFinger Crew - 專輯Mixtape試聽版

本周的歌来自汕头的一指团体。语言是他们风格的主要因素。他们的
团体一共有十个人。他们说唱时，用普通话和潮州方言。他们创作自
己的音乐也结合Hip Hop，流行音乐和雷鬼。这mixtape歌给大家
介绍他们的专辑，中国第一个潮州话Hip Hop专辑。

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-04-07T12:33:00.007+08:00

Dumdue‘s MC Kidgod at his Guangzhou pet store

This week’s song comes from Dumdue, Guangzhou’s underground kings of Chinese Jazz-Rap. Rapping in Cantonese over their own self-produced, sample-heavy beats, Dumdue has created a unique sound that has managed to attract fans from all over the country. The distinct voices of MC Kidgod, MC Along, and a well-sampled horn all come together on this track, “老后.”

本周的歌是来自广州噔哚，中国爵士说唱的地下国王. 由于用广东话
说唱和用采样自己制作节拍，噔哚的独特的声音已经吸引全国各地的歌迷。
MC Kidgod和MC Along 的鲜明声音跟一个采样喇叭的声音都结合起来，
创造 “老后”这首歌。

"老后” − 噔哚

Chinese Underground Hip Hop rocks out in Guangzhou

2008-04-01T22:31:00.011+08:00

Last weekend we got the chance to see an awesome show in Guangzhou that showcased three of China’s premier underground Hip Hop groups: Co op Sol from Kunming, In3 from Beijing, and Dumdue from Guangzhou. Lasting just under two hours, and with over two hundred people in attendance the live performances from each group were electric. The energy from the music mixed with the excitement from the crowd to create a great night of Hip Hop. Check it out.

Wuhan's Hip Hop scene: Community and Freestyling

2008-03-31T15:30:00.005+08:00

Two Examples of Community: Hiphop.cn and Wuhan’s Hip Hop Family
As we touched upon in our post “Hip Hop Hero,” the importance of community building in China’s growing Hip Hop scene should not be overlooked.
At this point, the Internet is the major vehicle for promoting and developing Chinese Hip Hop. In addition to extensive Hip Hop message boards and music downloading sites, the influence of sites like YouTube is tremendous, as they act as a visual and aural encyclopedia of Hip Hop from around the world. Chinese Hip Hop artists also rely on the Internet as a means to collaborate with other local artists. For example a Beijing artist will make a beat and send it to a Shanghai artist who will write the chorus and send it to a Wuhan artist who will add the verse. Hiphop.cn uses the Internet as a platform for their Hip Hop magazine/network, giving anyone with access to the Internet a chance to participate in the growing Hip Hop scene. On the website users can see profiles of local Chinese Hip Hop artists, hear their music and find out when their next performance is. The website also features album reviews of international Hip Hop stars (in Chinese) as well as articles on relevant Hip Hop related issues, ranging from explaining the importance of Black History month, to clarifying the various “beef” that Eminem has with other rap stars. (We hear that Hiphop.cn also wants to put up the links to our videos on Tudou.com, China’s equivalent, albeit censored, YouTube).
In Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, local Hip Hop artists refer to themselves as a “unit” and stress the value of connecting the different elements of Hip Hop culture. For them, these different elements include not only MCs, DJs, dancers, and graffiti artists but also skateboarders and street-ball players. Compared to Beijing and Shanghai, Wuhan’s Hip Hop scene is much smaller. Where Beijing has a relatively large number of active Hip Hop groups, Wuhan’s No Fear Family is the city’s only well-recognized group. Despite its smaller circle, Wuhan is home to some of China’s most successful Hip Hop artists. For example, at last weekend’s first Chinese Hip Hop Awards show Wuhan’s No Fear Family cleaned up, winning three awards, including “Most Popular Hip Hop Group.” While the Internet provides a virtual space for young people all over the country to appreciate and learn about Hip Hop culture, Wuhan is home to a vibrant physical community of Hip Hop artists from all different disciplines coming together to support each other. Check it out.

An Introduction to Wuhan’s No Fear Family
The members of No Fear Family do a good job introducing themselves, their group and their city; reiterating what they say might not be necessary. However, I think it is important to explain why No Fear Family is made up of two subgroups, Wu Ju and FATLIPZ. Wu Ju makes Pop/R&B-inspired Hip Hop music and was recently signed to a local Wuhan record label. FATLIPZ describes their music as “underground Hip Hop” their songs having more provocative lyrics and perhaps presenting a less market friendly image. Having both “commercial” and “underground” elements in one group make them unique in the Chinese Hip Hop scene. At this point, basically all Chinese Hip Hop artists exist in the underground. Perhaps a more correct description of Wu Ju and FATLIPZ should be “commercial underground” and “underground underground,” respectively. While adding that extra “underground” might seem a little overboard, for many Chinese Hip Hop artists these distinctions are of the utmost importance.
And so what is the difference between the two? It is hard to say, but perhaps one difference is the different attitudes each have towards the Chinese music market. The “commercial underground” artists incorporate existing models of what sells in the mainstream into their music and their image, their goal being to reach a wider audience so that they can use their music to support themselves. The “underground underground” pay little attention to the mainstream, scorning it in their search of “real” Hip Hop music, placing more emphasis on making music that satisfies there own desires rather than the general public. Within this kind of environment, No Fear Family is singular. Operating more as a music alliance, the self-defined goals of No Fear Family are to incorporate the ideals of the underground into Wu Ju’s more commercial style, and to have Wu Ju break open the music market so that artists like FATLIPZ will have a chance to reach a larger audience. Take a look.

No Fear Family’s Freestyle
With this project we are continuously on the road. We spend about two to four weeks in each city, trying to talk to as many Hip Hop artists as we can and going to as many events as possible. As we travel to these different parts of China, one of the questions that we ask over and over again is: “What is special about the Hip Hop in your city?”
When we asked members of Wuhan’s No Fear Family what they thought was special about Wuhan’s MCs, the answer seemed to roll right off of the tongue: Freestyling. For the past two years the winners of China's Iron Mic competition, the annual nationwide MC freestyle battle, have been from Wuhan. Talking with Big Dog, the 2007 Iron Mic champion, about why he thought Wuhan was able to win these back-to-back victories, he was humble in his response: “We practice a lot.” And practice they do. Every Saturday the members of No Fear Family hold their own Freestyle battle to crown that week's winner. Also in attendance at these informal battles are No Fear Family "students," Wuhan's more rookie MCs, who hope to learn and study the freestyle techniques of No Fear Family’s established members.
Saying that Wuhan's "speciality" is freestyling is not to say that we haven't come across MC's in other cities who can drop an amazing impromptu freestyle. We surely have. But it is No Fear Family’s organized emphasis on freestyle that is singular. It is their dedication to coming together every week to develop their craft that once again highlights Wuhan's attention to the importance of community. Check it out.

～ Lila

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-03-26T12:20:00.007+08:00

MCs Dai Bao Jing & Joe of Guangzhou Crew Uranus

This week’s song comes from MC Dai Bao Jing of Guangzhou crew Uranus and MC Davey from Taiwan. One of the few female MCs in China, Dai Bao Jing is definitely holding it down for the ladies. Her distinctive voice and rapid delivery light up this track. MC Davey adds his characteristic flow and rhymes. “什么屌” is the perfect song for bumping – loud – in your car.

本周的歌来自广州天王星的呆宝静和台湾的Davey。其中少数的女性MC在中国,呆宝静能让全国的女生很自豪。她独特的声音和快速的唱法让这首歌很精彩。Davey也加上了他特有的flow和押运。“什么屌” 是一首理想大声的听在你的车上的歌。

"什么屌“ －呆宝静 & Davey

Pioneers & Pianzi – Foreigners in Chinese Hip Hop

2008-03-20T18:26:00.008+08:00

Yesterday we had a very interesting lunch with a young man named Huang Zi’an, one of the organizers for the upcoming Chinese Hip Hop Awards in Shenzhen. For two hours we listened to him explain principles of the Yi Jing and Chinese history. His passion was infectious and it was one of those conversations that you need a few hours to process. One of the many things that really struck me was the way he spoke about personally reconciling the desire for modernity and preserving cultural heritage. Knowing that I had to go home (read: back to the internet café) and finish this post about foreigners in Chinese Hip Hop, I started rehashing these words – Westernization, globalization and cosmopolitanism. We use these words to define a combination of liberal economic development, consumption of global goods and representation of global cultures. Undoubtedly, the fact that foreigners have been able to participate in Chinese Hip Hop is a result of all of these processes. But these words often obscure the human stories behind them, a few of which are below.

Completing this post has really been a huge challenge. Technical difficulties and mysterious illnesses aside, any topic that deals with foreign influences in China is destined to be controversial. The issue is situated in a history of hundreds of years of exploitation and cooperation, mutual benefit couched in mutual suspicion; and a present where foreigners are criticized for their decadence and ignorance but will just as quickly be given special treatment to the point of sycophancy. Trying to write even one accurate, all-encompassing sentence about the countless ways foreigners have influenced Hip Hop in China proved impossible and I must suffice it to say that foreigners have had a profound impact on Chinese Hip Hop.

From forming online communities, to sending vinyl records to friends in China, foreigners affect Chinese Hip Hop in many ways. However, the foreigners I refer to are those who live in China and are active, on the ground, in the Chinese Hip Hop scene. So, what exactly have these foreigners done for Chinese Hip Hop?

On the positive side, foreign Hip Hop artists and fans were among the first people in China to form crews, organize events, and focus on building a Hip Hop community. Japanese and Korean exchange students began holding Hip Hop parties in Beijing’s university district around the year 2000. At the same time in Shanghai, a group of American, Canadian and Chinese Hip Hop fans were starting Shanghai’s first Hip Hop party at Club Pegasus. Foreign promoters have helped bring over artists such as Jin, Alchemist and Ice T and foreign and Chinese MCs across China have joined together to form groups such as Yin Tsang, Rap Republic and Redstar. (If the upcoming awards had an award for best live show, it would have to go to Redstar. Meet the members of Redstar and see some footage of their live show.

Perhaps the most important contribution of foreigners is communicating and translating the values and history of Hip Hop. This includes answering questions about Hip Hop history and form, such as “Did Hip Hop start with Dr. Dre?” or “What’s the difference between krumping and clowning?” as well as trying to make competing and conflicting Hip Hop themes meaningful to Chinese youth – themes such as individualism, materialism, social consciousness, self-awareness and community. Foreign MCs have also been able to use their knowledge of rhyming to push the boundaries of rapping in Chinese language. These are no small feats and not many foreigners have been willing or able to take up these challenges. A few foreigners who will be remembered among the pioneers of Chinese Hip Hop are Dana Burton, Paul Gray, Marcus Zhong and Jeremy Johnston. Check out all of their stories.

On the negative side, some foreigners in China have also exploited their foreigner privilege to gain opportunities in the Hip Hop scene. This is a complex issue. On one level, there is the question of personal intentions. Is someone just out to make quick money by DJing a few nights in a club? Is it alright for Hip Hop to just be a part of your job? Not everyone can be a pioneer and does not giving back to the community make you a pianzi (cheater, liar, fraud, poser)? On another level, there is the issue of categorizing Hip Hop as a foreign culture. Hip Hop began in the United States and American Hip Hop will always be seen as the original. Consequently, club owners and event organizers often seek foreigners for shows and gigs because of a misconception that foreigners are inherently better or will at least be more marketable. Which presents another question: how can people with a limited understanding of Hip Hop begin to differentiate between the real and the fake? Take a look at what some Hip Hop artists have to say about this issue.

In our interview with MC Tang King, he stressed that dazhong, or the masses, have to first recognize that anyone – Chinese or foreign - can do Hip Hop in order for Chinese artists to be considered alongside foreigners. But then who is responsible for educating the masses? The only solution seems to be for Chinese artists to keep working, keep putting themselves out there, so that people will begin to realize that China has a vibrant Hip Hop culture. This is not meant to absolve foreigners in Chinese Hip Hop of any responsibility to give back to that community. Rather it is to recognize that there are foreigners who are both supporting and undermining the growth of Chinese Hip Hop, and, despite the fact that Chinese artists may never escape comparisons to foreign Hip Hop artists, if Chinese artists continue to develop their skills, they will reach a level where they can no longer be ignored.

Call it Westernization, globalization or cosmopolitanism; Chinese society is undergoing rapid change much of which is initiated by exposure to foreign cultures. These processes are not just driven by abstract cultural flows but also by face-to-face exchanges. For better or for worse, the influence of foreigners has given Chinese Hip Hop artists and fans a particular understanding of Hip Hop that they will have to reconcile with their own knowledge, culture and ambitions.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song(s) of the Week

2008-03-19T11:02:00.009+08:00

No Fear Family at Freestyle Practice

This week we give you a double serving of Chinese Hip Hop. Both songs come from Wuhan’s No Fear Family, a Hip Hop alliance started in 2004 by leader Break-D. The No Fear Family split last year into two subgroups, Wu Ju and FATLIPZ. These two groups reflect two different directions in Hip Hop music, Wu Ju being more R&B inspired, commercial Hip Hop and FATLIPZ being more underground, alternative Hip Hop. As the two groups work on their respective Hip Hop development, both Wu Ju and FATLIPZ continue to primarily identify themselves as active members of the No Fear Family.

这个星期我们给你两首歌的中文Hip Hop. 两首歌曲是来自武汉的
No Fear Family, 一个Hip Hop 组织于2004年由领导者
Break-D创立的. 去年No Fear Family分裂到两个分组以反
映两个不同的方向在Hip Hop音乐. 无惧是更加流行, R&B等
商业Hip Hop和FATLIPZ是更多的地下Hip Hop. 在这两小组
继续在各自的Hip Hop发展工作中，无惧和FATLIPZ的成员
一直成为自己于No Fear Family的积极的成员.

无惧 - "文舞双台" temporarily unavailable

FATLIPZ feat. Break-D- "Ni Zai Gan Ma"

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-03-12T17:38:00.005+08:00

This week’s song comes from MC Lot Z of Shanghai’s 021 Crew. One of the few rappers on pop label SOMA Records, Lot Z skillfully synthesizes rap, R&B and pop music. The result is songs like “侬白相啥” - a lighthearted tune about life in Zanhei (aka Shanghai).

本周的歌来自上海021团体的MC Lot Z. 他是SOMA唱片公司其中一个说唱家。他巧妙地结合说唱，R&B和流行音乐。结果是像“侬白相啥”这首歌。

I Guess He Thought No One Would Notice.

2008-03-04T19:07:00.003+08:00

We have all seen our share of poorly written articles on China, articles that seem to be culled from Google searches and Associated Press updates by journalist who do not speak Chinese and have probably never set foot in China. While I’ve gotten used to the sensationalism and smut, I was furious after reading Stephen Armstrong's recent article “Kirby Lee and the curiously pleasant world of Chinese hip-hop” (February 10, 2008). I have never before seen such an egregious act of plagiarism. The author reprints, practically word for word, the writing of LA Times journalist Ralph Frammolino.

In a 2004 article titled, “Chinese find a way to tame hip-hop” Frammolino wrote:

"... But when Wang "MC Webber" Bo opens his mouth to rap, what comes out from one of China's hottest young artists would make an original gangsta' cry.

'In Beijing, walk along Chang'An Avenue. In Beijing, there are many exotic, beautiful women. In Beijing, you can burn incense at the Lama Temple. In Beijing ... '

China, accomplishing what millions of disapproving American parents could not, has tamed hip-hop music.

Instead of often obscene and violent tales from the inner city, Wang and other leading rappers here are taking to the stage with lyrics that glorify national pride, celebrate tourist attractions and preach against the dangers of adolescent impulsiveness.

One group is so proud of its songs that it has affixed a sticker to its debut album asking fans to share it with their parents."

Comparatively, in his article, Armstrong wrote:

"Now Beijing: “In Beijing, walk along Chang’an Avenue/In Beijing, there are many exotic beautiful women/In Beijing, you can burn incense at the Lama Temple/In Beijing, study history at the Forbidden City.” It’s enough to make Snoop Dogg weep. China has accomplished what millions of disapproving parents could not: tamed hip-hop music. Chinese rappers deliver lyrics that glorify national pride, celebrate tourist attractions and preach against the dangers of adolescent impulsiveness. One group is so proud of its songs, it has affixed a sticker to its debut album asking fans to share it with their parents."

Perhaps Armstrong believed no one would notice his caper since Frammolino’s article is no longer available on the LA Times website and is only archived on a handful of obscure sites. (To see Frammolino’s full article, click here.) Regardless, he is in clear violation of journalism ethics and standards.

I posted a response on the Times Online page about both the factual errors and the plagiarism. Unfortunately each comment box is limited to 500 characters so you will not be able to read everything I wrote. The page also doesn’t let you “Read All Comments”, which is suspicious. (The issues I have with the arguments of both articles is for another post.)

The Dragon Tongue Crew performance received this similarly uninspired review that, while at times is parochial and condescending, is at least in the author’s own words.

~ Angela

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-03-04T18:51:00.006+08:00

Jiverson - "Homie"

This week’s song comes from MC Jiverson, a member of Shanghai’s To Be Continued (TBC) Crew. Jiverson has a reputation as a comical, over-the-top battle rapper. Though his freestyle rhymes are wild and loose, his written rhymes are far more polished and introspective. “Homie” is his celebration of two positive themes in Hip Hop – friendship and brotherhood.

本周的歌来自MC Jiverson，上海To Be Continued (TBC)团体的团员。他的名誉是他说唱比赛的时候，他的歌词和行为又好笑又极端。虽然他的自由试很猖披，但是他写的歌词反省他的生活状况。 “Homie”这首歌庆祝Hip Hop文化里面其中两个积极的主体－友谊和兄弟情谊。

Hip Hop Hero

2008-02-28T19:33:00.006+08:00

Though a vibrant Hip Hop community exists in the underground, few Hip Hop artists enjoy mainstream success. We have met some extremely talented MCs and rap groups who not only create songs with contagious beats and insightful lyrics but also put on energetic and exciting live performances. Unfortunately, these artists receive little national media attention. While the music of popular singers, who define Hip Hop for many Chinese listeners, such as Jay Chou and Wang Li Hom, is regularly heard on the radio and on music television stations such as MTV Mandarin and Channel [V], it is difficult to even find a mixtape of talented underground artists. The success of Hip Hop-inspired pop music has introduced new audiences to Hip Hop music and dance; however, many underground artists do not qualify this music as “real” Hip Hop.

So, why isn't “real” Hip Hop in the mainstream? There are a number of different answers to this question. Some say that until Hip Hop “cleans up its image” it will not find a market in China; others say that the rhythm and feeling of Hip Hop do not “suit” Chinese people. Some say underground artists are still too raw and it will take time for people to develop their skills, while others say that Hip Hop is just a fad that will pass as soon as the next big thing comes along.

The most poignant reason why Hip Hop exists in the underground is that China’s music industry is dominated by pop music from Taiwan and Hong Kong, the majority of which is simple, romantic music. As a result, Chinese Rock, Electronica, Hip Hop, Bossanova (We met a Hip Hop artist who was EXTREMELY enthusiastic about Bossanova) and other music exists, for the most part, out of the public eye. These different styles of music are not played on the radio and major record labels are not willing to invest in their development. It seems as though the goals of major record labels are less about “discovering talent” and more about “creating talent from an existing mold that has been proven to sell.” We are not trying to slam Chinese pop music. There are some quality songs but we know there is more out there!

We asked a number of people in the Chinese Hip Hop community what they think needs to happen in order for Hip Hop to “blow up,” to reach a wider audience, to get to the point where Hip Hop artists can finally support themselves on their music. One solution we frequently heard was, “We need a Hip Hop hero. We need someone to make it big, someone who will pave the way for other Hip Hop artists.” However, the people at www.Hiphop.cn have another opinion. Hiphop.cn is a one-of-a-kind online Chinese Hip Hop magazine. It is a “Hip Hop bible” with bios and album reviews of international Hip Hop stars as well as frequently updated songs and concert footage of China’s own Hip Hop artists. (...yeah, we’re into Hiphop.cn). They feel as though it is important to first foster a sense of community, to create links between Hip Hop artists and fans across the country and provide a forum for them to come together. They believe you must first have a strong Hip Hop community before a Hip Hop hero will be able to have a meaningful impact on the growth of Chinese Hip Hop. These two different opinions are not mutually exclusive and we have met many people who are working behind the scenes and behind the mic.

It is exciting for us to hear from both sides, to talk with an artist who is working hard to find that crossover smash, and then to talk to the people who are working to ensure that building community remains a top priority. Most likely it is the combination of these efforts that will ultimately raise “real” Hip Hop out of the underground. From our vantage point, there is much to look forward to.

See what other Hip Hoppers in China have to say.

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-02-24T20:48:00.011+08:00

MC BlaKK Bubble - "Unbeautiful Moon"

This song comes from MC BlaKK Bubble, a pioneer of rap in Shanghai. He was a member of legendary Shanghai group Bamboo Crew and now runs his own label, Phat Blac Production. BlaKK Bubble is close to Angela’s heart because he is a huge fan of New Jersey rappers. Represent! A scholar of Chinese language, BlaKK Bubble experiments with Mandarin, Shanghainese and even Classical Chinese in his rhymes. “Unbeautiful Moon” uses all three languages to weave a poetic tale of an unbeautiful moon.

本周的歌来自MC BlaKK Bubble, 上海说唱的先驱。他以前是上海
Bamboo Crew的团员。现在他经营自己的唱片公司, Phat Blac
Production。BlaKK Bubble 也让Angela很自豪因为他特喜欢
新泽西的说唱家。代表！一位中文学者，他歌词里面有普通话，上海
话甚至古文。这首歌使用这三种语言叙述一个诗意的故事。

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-02-17T22:59:00.017+08:00

MC Phoenix XIV - "50 Questions"

This song comes from MC Phoenix XIV a.k.a Lao Zheng, another member of Beijing's Yin Ts'ang. From former club owner, to co-organizer of Yugong Yishan's Section 6 event, to www.Hiphop.cn contributor, to active MC, XIV is a key player in Beijing's Hip Hop scene. "50 Questions" is his cheeky (and perfectly accurate!) ode to 50 questions foreigners are frequently asked in China; "Where are you from?" "How much money do you make in a month?", and most importantly "Can you eat spicy food?".
Take a look at his music video.

本周的歌来自MC Phoenix XIV a.k.a 老郑，另外一个原来隐藏的艺人。
他不但以前经营很火的北京club, 组织北京愚公移山的Section 6,
投稿www.Hiphop.cn而且是很积极的说唱家。他在北京Hip Hop文化
中是一位主要的参与者。 “50 Questions”这首歌表示在中国外国人
最常听到的50个问题。他的歌词又好笑又准确。看一看这首歌的视频。

Why Exactly?

2008-02-09T21:36:00.004+08:00

We know many of you are wondering, "What exactly are they trying to find out about Hip Hop in China? What is their thesis? What are their analytical points of departure?" Honestly, the answers to these questions change every day but there are definitely overarching themes that intrigue us. This short video was made for Women Making Movies and it explores a few of the ideas Angela was tossing around before beginning her Fulbright research. To understand why this post title is hilarious see Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros. It might change your life.

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-02-09T14:22:00.013+08:00

MC Webber - "Choices"

This week's song comes from MC Webber. A Beijing native and one of the original members of Yin T'sang, MC Webber is an inspiration to many of China's young rappers. This song, with its ragga-inspired delivery and provocative lyrics, reflects his wide range of musical influences, which include Smif-n-Wessun, Damian Marley, Wu-Tang Clan, and Ayo.

本周的歌是来自MC Webber。他是北京人也是其中一个原来隐藏的艺人。他影响许多年轻的中国说唱家。这首个借鉴了ragga的唱法，也含有很宜
人的歌词。这首歌反映了他广泛的音乐影响，其中一些包括 Smif-n-Wes
sun, Damian Marley, Wu-Tang Clan和Ayo.

Happy New Year! 新年快乐！

2008-02-07T14:26:00.001+08:00

Yeah! Year of the Rat!

Sucka MC!

2008-02-04T23:55:00.002+08:00

There is always an element of surprise at any live show.

Last Saturday we went to Section 6 at Yugong Yishan, Beijing’s only monthly live Hip Hop show. After a set by Beijing Hip Hop’s legendary Yin Tsang, the stage turned into an Open Mic with DJ Wesley behind the decks. Many of Beijing’s Hip Hop greats were in attendance and, along with a few up-and-coming rappers, they delivered some awesome impromptu performances. The mood of the evening was one of inclusion, nobody hogged the mic and everyone was welcome to come up on stage and freestyle.

As soon as the Open Mic started the energy level in the club blew up. The MCs were having a great time and the crowd was with them, reacting to what they liked by dancing and cheering. However…there is always going to be the sucka MC! We are all for expressing yourself, for letting it hang loose, and more power to you if you dance to the beat of a different drum … but some things are just a little crazy. See for yourself.

Lil' Ray

2008-02-03T23:10:00.002+08:00

Though Chinese Hip Hoppers listen to Hip Hop from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, France, and all over the world, many still consider Hip Hop music from the U.S. to be the standard of “real” Hip Hop. The majority of Chinese Hip Hoppers do not speak English and literal meanings of U.S. Hip Hop songs are often lost on listeners. However, they still pick up on ideas, styles, movements, and individual words. In our interview with Beijing rapper Lil’Ray, we were interested in his use of three specific words – ghetto, nigga, and gangsta.

Lil’ Ray (Zhang Rui) a 19 year-old piano student, is quite a character in the Beijing Hip Hop scene. He’s a serious music fan and self-described “digger” (Our interview ended with Ray taking us to an underground music store to check out their vinyl LPs. The store was located through a bookstore, behind a locked door, and around the corner from someone’s pet duck.) He’s a member of the group Bad Blood and has recently gained a bit of fame from his appearance on an episode of “Sexy Beijing”. Before our interview we listened to some of his music including “In Da House” from the King of Beijing Mixtape, “Mighty Bad Blood” from the Section 6 Mixtape, and “Let’s Talk” and “Money in the Bank” from the FAR DVD. We found that Lil’ Ray uses a lot of English in his raps, but there were three English words in particular that we were surprised to hear . . . surprised may be too light of a description. Lil’ Ray used the words “nigga”, “ghetto” and “gangsta” as lightly, it seemed, as he used “yo” and “c’mon.” Each word setting off the, “What did he just say?!” reaction, followed by attempts to translate his verse. To be fair we singled out these words both because of their histories and also because they were spoken in English. We are sure there were similarly shocking or intriguing words that were spoken in Chinese that just passed us by. (Maybe our next post can be about Chinese Hip Hop slang & tag words.) So we decided to ask Lil’ Ray how he was using these words and what they mean in the context of China, especially the word “nigga,” a word that we both think no one should ever use.

Thoughts from Angela:

As a Black woman with strong opinions on the use of the word “nigga”, I was worried that getting Lil’ Ray to really explain his use of the word “nigga” might get awkward. I didn’t know if it would be worse if he had absolutely no understanding of the history of the word or if he knew exactly what the word means and still chose to use it. Fortunately, the whole exchange turned into a “Who’s on First?”-like comedy skit, which relieved any tension. When I asked the question, “What do you think ‘nigga’ means?” I had to make clear that I was not saying “那个” (pronounced “nei ge”). “那个” is Mandarin for “that” or "which". At first Lil’ Ray heard my question as, “What do you think ‘that’ word means?” To which he obviously responded, "Which word?" And back and forth it went. (Sigh.) So many layers of meaning getting lost in translation.

The moment made me remember the first time my Mom came to visit me in Beijing and she asked, “Angela, what is all of this nigga, nigga stuff about? I think people have been listening to too much Jay-Z in China.” Very true, Mom. (This joke would later be retold by Russell Peters.) Chinese Hip Hoppers are adding frequently used words, phrases and themes from Hip Hop from the United States to their active vocabularies.

To Lil’ Ray’s credit, after we turned off the camera he asked for the definition and history of each word. He also asked if I would be offended if someone called me a “nigga” and I told him that I would and gave him my reasons why. He then asked why so many Black Americans use the phrase if it has such a negative history. I tried to explain the difference between using the word as a pejorative, racist term and a term of endearment. I also explained that not all Black people see the issue the same, though he probably should not go around calling Black people “my nigga” and should stick with “哥们儿”.

Over the past couple of weeks we have been questioning the importance of content and form to defining “Hip Hop”. What makes a Hip Hop song “Hip Hop” – the beat, the melody, the structure, or the lyrical delivery? How much can you innovate Hip Hop before it is no longer recognizable as Hip Hop? Can we continuously expand the definition of Hip Hop without rendering it meaningless? Or, is content more critical than form? Is it the ideas and the emotions expressed through a song that make music Hip Hop? If so, what happens when content is lost in translation?

DòngTīng Song of the Week

2008-02-03T23:00:00.008+08:00

Chen Haoran "No Moni, No Friend" - Beijing

This week's song comes from Chen Haoran, a hilarious and extremely talented member of Beijing's In3. His style is a mix of ODB, Professor Longhair, Bob Marley, and a Beijing taxi driver. This song is about his everyday life, his thoughts on Hip Hop and his true love - DJ Wordy.

本周这首歌是来自陈浩然，一位很逗，很优秀的歌手。他参与北京的In3.他的风格结合ODB, Professor Longhair, Bob Marley和一个北京出租车司机。这首歌关于他的日常生活，他对Hip Hop的看法和他的真爱－DJ Wordy.

What is Hip Hop? | Hip Hop 是什么？

2008-01-25T19:36:00.001+08:00

Hello and welcome to Dongting! Over the next 10 months we will be traveling to 8 different cities to explore what's happening in the Chinese Hip Hop scene. We will examine not only the Who's Who of Chinese Hip Hop but also investigate why engaging with Hip Hop is meaningful to Chinese people. We welcome your questions and comments. You can email us at dongting08@gmail.com. For our first post we thought we might as well start from the beginning and find out how Chinese Hip Hoppers define "Hip Hop".
Check out their responses . . .

您好，欢迎来动听！在今后10个月中，我们将前往8个不同的城市调查
中国的Hip Hop文化。我们不但想发现谁是中国的Hip Hop艺人，
而且想调查中国的Hip Hop对中国人有什么意义。如果您有任何问题
或评论，请联系我们。我们的电子邮件地质是dongting08@gmail.com.
我们第一个博客职位关于中国的Hip Hop艺人怎么定义“Hip Hop”。
看一看他们的回应。。。