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China’s Communist Party turns 100
ChinaPolitics

Chinese Communist Party centenary rap falls flat as music fans diss-miss track

  • Song featuring 100 artists and lasting 15 minutes fails to get the nation’s toes tapping ahead of Communist Party centenary
  • Critics accuse the song of trying to make a quick buck while being objectively bad, blaming chaos of too many performers

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Popular Chinese rapper Jiang Yunsheng was one of 100 artists who took part in the project celebrating the centenary of the Communist Party. Photo: Handout
Linda Lew
A 15-minute rap celebrating the Chinese Communist Party’s centenary has been slammed by music critics and fans alike as “tasteless”.
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The song, featuring 100 artists, praises the country’s achievements – such as overcoming famine, developing 5G technology and sending rockets into space. There is also commentary related to China’s place in the world. Rapper Mercy takes aim at the G7 countries – which include the US, Canada and Germany – accusing them of antagonising China.

There was condemnation for 100% when it was released on Sunday, with some music industry insiders criticising the song for trying to make a quick buck.

The rap song celebrating the Communist Party’s centenary was produced by Shenzhen entertainment company Hip Hop Fusion. Photo: Handout
The rap song celebrating the Communist Party’s centenary was produced by Shenzhen entertainment company Hip Hop Fusion. Photo: Handout

Most of the artists were relatively unknown but high-profile names included Jiang Yunsheng, 26, a star of popular reality TV show Rap for Youth, and Wang Zixin from hip-hop group CD Rev. One critic called the rappers “100 slaves” for pandering to the country’s rising wave of nationalism.

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Producer Li Haiqin – who also founded Shenzhen entertainment company Hip Hop Fusion which released the song – said he was “shocked and disappointed” by its reception. “Since when have rappers loving their country become a shameful thing? Or a type of ‘suck-up’ behaviour?” he wrote on social media platform WeChat.

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