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Hip hop in China

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Hip hop in China
News and insight on the music genre, from Communist Party crackdowns to the Rap of China - a reality-show that gains billions of online views.
Listen to the youth – Wu-Tang Clan at Clockenflap in Hong Kong. Photo: Dickson Lee
Fame and celebrity

Wu-Tang Clan on 50 years of hip-hop and Hong Kong kung fu cinema – interview

On their first visit to the city that inspired their name, the seminal 90s rap group talk John Woo, the movies that inspired debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) – and the OG MCs they really respect

China society

Karaoke ban: China fears people singing songs that ‘harm national unity’

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Tibet

‘Godfather’ of Tibetan rap leads home-grown hip hop with karmic rhymes

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Music

The rise of Gai, Chinese hip hop icon and reality show winner

Chinese hip hop star and The Rap of China winner Gai was once infamous for his numerous tattoos and rapping about the Chinese mafia, but now his songs are full of patriotic imagery and traditional Chinese elements.

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Chinese hip hop star Gai was crowned champion of reality show The Rap of China in 2017 together with fellow rapper PG One. Photo: iQiyi
K-pop, Mandopop, other Asian pop

K-pop star’s appointment to China rap show panel sparks anger

Korean-American K-pop star Jay Park will join the judging panel of The Rap of China for its fourth season, but the announcement was met with much criticism from fans of the Chinese hip hop reality show.

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George Floyd protests

Why China’s hip-hop stars are staying silent on Black Lives Matter

Response to the anti-racism movement highlights how the genre has been embraced by Chinese yet cut off from its African-American roots by cultural and political forces.

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Music

Chinese rappers back George Floyd protests, but not Hong Kong’s

Chinese hip-hop artists Vava and Higher Brothers have this week shown their support for the Black Lives Matter protests in the US despite slamming Hong Kong’s anti-government demonstrations last year.

Chinese hip-hop outfit Higher Brothers posted a black image on Instagram on Sunday in support of the Black Lives Matter protests in the US. Two of the band’s members made social media posts opposing anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019. Photo: Courtesy of 88rising
Music

‘Don’t matter where you from’: Asian rapper’s journey in hip-hop

When he first started rapping, Rich Brian was just an Indonesian teen looking to make waves on SoundCloud. He caused controversy with a persona that some felt mocked hip-hop culture, but, now in the US, he’s gained the rap world’s respect.

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Street style

Why limited edition sneaker collabs resell for a fortune

One-off sneaker designs and ‘hypebeast’ brand collaborations can command five-figure sums on resale platforms like Goat and StockX

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Clockenflap Music Festival

Clockenflap 2019: the Hong Kong bands to see at the festival

Established live favourites such as post-punk group David Boring and singer-songwriter Kevin Kaho Tsui will perform on Central Harbourfront, along with 50 other Hong Kong acts. These are the nine you shouldn’t miss.

David Boring performs during day two of Clockenflap 2017 at Central Harbourfront, Hong Kong. The post-punk group will be appearing again this year. Photo: James Wendlinger
Music

No place at Hong Kong festival for pro-police Chinese rapper Vava

China’s top female hip-hop star posted video captioned ‘Rolling Loud in Hong Kong … see ya’. Then she shared People’s Daily meme saying ‘I support Hong Kong police’. Was she dropped from line-up? Organisers won’t say.

“I support Hong Kong police, you can hit me now”, Chinese rapper Vava tweeted.
Music

Fighting talk: Taiwan rap track backs Hong Kong protests

Raise My Fist, by rapper Dwagie, contains lines such as ‘They want Hong Kong but not its people’, and comes after mainland Chinese rap acts such as Higher Brothers, Vava, PG One and CD Rev came out in support of Hong Kong police action against protesters.

Music

Opinion | ‘Love tha police’: how Chinese rappers are selling out hip hop

US rappers like NWA and Public Enemy once urged their followers to stand up to the government and police – but Chinese acts don’t feel the same. For artists like Higher Brothers, Vava and CD Rev, nationalistic pride comes first.

Business Insider

Chinese rappers remix Trump to undermine Hong Kong protests

Chinese state media broadcast a remix of Donald Trump telling people to avoid condemning China’s activities in Hong Kong, in the form of a music video by Chinese rappers designed to undermine the protest movement.

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Donald Trump told people to avoid condemning China’s activities in Hong Kong on August 2. Here he meets with China’s President Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka. Photo: Reuters
Music

MC Jin to Awkwafina: Asian-American hip-hop film goes viral

A compilation showing the history of Asian-American hip-hop through 46 music videos is inspiring the next generation. It shows that, far from being a neglected musical genre, a thriving community of Asian-American rap artists exists.

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Awkwafina is just one of the stars featured on a new video chronicling the development of Asian-American hip-hop. Photo: AFP
TV shows and streaming video

‘King of reality TV’ on The Rap of China, and indie music show

After Chinese streaming giant iQiyi struck gold with The Rap of China it launched a number of similar music contest series. Its latest, The Big Band, hopes to push Chinese indie music into the mainstream.

Music

Five Chinese rappers who went big after The Rap of China

With Season Three of The Rap of China approaching, here are five rappers who found fame and fortune (or misfortune) after appearing on the show. Rappers include PG One, who lost his street cred after an apology for his misogynistic lyrics, and Lexie Liu, who was signed to US label 88 Rising.

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Music

The Rap of China is in LA to find fresh hip hop talent

The reality-TV show was an instant success when it launched, and put Chinese hip hop on the map, but lost ground after rappers started self-censoring. It is holding auditions overseas to find new talent.

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An audition for The Rap of China in Los Angeles. The show helped elevate rap music in China, reaching more than three billion views in its first season. Photo: Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Music

The rise of the Higher Brothers: China’s hip hop heroes are back

Higher Brothers, who rap about daily life and culture in China, will tour the US and Europe after visiting Hong Kong.

Music

The label turning Asian hip hop acts into international stars

88rising, home to rappers Rich Brian, Higher Brothers and Keith Ape, has conquered the US and now finds itself a powerhouse in Asia thanks to giving struggling Asian talent, neglected by America, a platform to perform.

China society

Is Chinese dance sensation, 10, too young for sexed-up hip hop world?

Amy Zhu’s dance videos have a crazy number of views and the Chengdu native has already travelled the world to perform. But critics decry the sexualisation of a little girl and say a child has no place in the world of hip hop dancing.

Amy Zhu, a 10-year-old hip-hop dancer from Chengdu, seems unaffected by the controversy around her, saying she just wants to study hard at school and practise dance.
China society

Opinion | China’s thin-skinned netizens need to lighten up

Huffing and puffing at every perceived slight only exposes Chinese netizens’ lack of self-confidence. Given that Chinese people themselves have been unapologetically peddling racist tropes, the double standard is grating.

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Workers remove the title of Dolce & Gabbana’s fashion show at the Shanghai Expo Centre on November 22, after the show was cancelled in the wake of a Chinese backlash against the fashion brand’s perceived racism. Photo: Reuters
Racism and other prejudice

Letters | Chinese right to slam Lil Pump racism, but self-criticism may be in order

Criticism is more effective when it is turned inside as well as outside, when it opens the doors to taking a look at residual attitudes towards other cultures.

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Chinese culture

Letters | Lil Pump rightly rapped for Chinese slur, but much of rap isn’t PC

Rap has a very rich and fluid lexicography, not all of which is politically correct.

Fame and celebrity

Kris Wu: from K-pop singer with Exo to solo star and actor

Vancouver-raised, China-born Wu has a string of hit songs behind him and screen roles in films such as xXx: Return of Xander Cage and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. And he's just 28. Happy Birthday, Kris

Kris Wu at the production conference of reality show 72 Floors of Mystery in China in May 2017. Photo: Alamy
Crazy Rich Asians

China’s hip-hop queen makes her mark on Crazy Rich Asians

Sometimes described as the Rihanna of China, rapper Vava is receiving global exposure thanks to the Crazy Rich Asians film. The former Rap of China contestant’s single, My New Swag, features on the film’s soundtrack.

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Chinese rapper Vava is featured on the Crazy Rich Asians soundtrack.
Fashion in Hong Kong and China

Asian hip hop: racism, cultural appropriation or harmless fun?

The proliferation of Asian hip hop stars wearing ‘urban’ clothing could be a symptom of Asia’s lack of sensitivity toward other cultures. Or are they just dressing up and emulating their musical heroes?

Chinese rapper Kris Wu signs to Universal label in historic deal

Hip-hop singer-songwriter is the first ethnic Chinese artist to join the famous label, whose recording artists include Kanye West, Eminem, and Lady Gaga

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