https://www.scmp.com/rss/326399/feed 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. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com It’s impossible to truly date the genesis of any musical movement, but just as Elvis was hailed for “inventing” rock ‘n’ roll in 1954, and James Brown laid down the “first” funk record – 1967’s “Cold Sweat” – hip-hop’s birth has been pinned to a birthday party in The Bronx, New York, on August 11, 1973. Which means the world’s most popular music genre is having an almighty 50th birthday moment this year. The subject was top of mind for the mighty Wu-Tang Clan when STYLE caught up with the group,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3213071/wu-tang-clan-50-years-hip-hop-and-hong-kong-kung-fu-cinema-rza-and-co-weigh-john-woo-movies-inspired?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3213071/wu-tang-clan-50-years-hip-hop-and-hong-kong-kung-fu-cinema-rza-and-co-weigh-john-woo-movies-inspired?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Mar 2023 02:00:16 +0000 China’s Ministry of Culture is planning a major crackdown on karaoke songs that it deems subversive or pose a threat to national unity. The ministry has proposed creating a centralised list of forbidden songs and it will expect karaoke venues to comply, according to a draft policy document published on the ministry’s website late last week. Under the plan, karaoke venues would be responsible for policing their song lists and deleting any songs that: “endanger national unity, sovereignty or... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3141406/china-seeks-ban-karaoke-songs-new-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3141406/china-seeks-ban-karaoke-songs-new-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jul 2021 12:00:20 +0000 In his tracksuit, silver chain and sparkling trainers, MC Tenzin would look like any other rapper if not for the backdrop of towering Himalayan peaks in his videos and rhyme-dropping about karma. The self-described “Godfather” of Tibetan rap is a leading light of the region’s hip-hop scene, where tight social constraints are at odds with the in-your-face art form. Tibetan rappers walk a tightrope unfamiliar to their peers overseas, with some cautiously exploring local pride and Buddhist identity... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3138425/godfather-tibetan-rap-mc-tenzin-spits-karmic-rhymes-pioneer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3138425/godfather-tibetan-rap-mc-tenzin-spits-karmic-rhymes-pioneer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jun 2021 06:04:52 +0000 Chinese hip-hop star Gai has come a long way since he first appeared as a contestant on season one of the hit music reality show The Rap of China three years ago. In the current fourth season of the show, Gai – real name Zhou Yan – has moved from contestant to judge alongside other stars including Kris Wu Yifan and Wilber Pan. It’s a spectacular achievement for Zhou, who just three years ago was virtually unknown. “I want to thank The Rap of China for nurturing me,” Zhou tells the South China... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3102883/rise-gai-chinese-hip-hop-icon-and-rap-china-winner-who-went?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3102883/rise-gai-chinese-hip-hop-icon-and-rap-china-winner-who-went?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2020 04:15:15 +0000 K-pop star Jay Park received a mixed reaction from Chinese netizens and rappers when it was announced he will be joining China’s biggest hip-hop reality show as a judge. The Rap of China, which is often credited for helping rap go mainstream in China, has racked up billions of views on iQiyi, one of China’s largest video streaming services, since its inaugural season in 2017. Blackpink to Wonho – this week’s biggest K-pop headlines wrapped Park, who was born in Seattle in the US but is based in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3097337/k-pop-star-jay-parks-appointment-judge-chinese-hip-hop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3097337/k-pop-star-jay-parks-appointment-judge-chinese-hip-hop?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Aug 2020 04:45:11 +0000 After a 2017 rap show got a generation of China’s youth hooked on hip hop, the musical genre has created dozens of Chinese stars and, along with them, billions of streaming views. But despite their enthusiasm for a culture that originated in the African-American community, Chinese hip-hop stars and their legions of fans have largely stayed silent on the Black Lives Matter movement, which has swept across the world after the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3089620/why-chinas-hip-hop-stars-are-staying-silent-black-lives-matter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3089620/why-chinas-hip-hop-stars-are-staying-silent-black-lives-matter?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jun 2020 21:00:15 +0000 A number of high-profile Chinese rappers who last year backed the police crackdown on Hong Kong protesters have this week expressed support for the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality in the United States. The move by the celebrities comes after Chinese officials and state media trolled the US government over the protests and looting that have spread across the US in the past week following the death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis, and after Washington issued... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3087386/chinese-rappers-support-black-lives-matter-protests-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3087386/chinese-rappers-support-black-lives-matter-protests-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2020 09:18:37 +0000 When Brian Imanuel was a budding teen rapper in Jakarta, Indonesia, he wanted a rap name that would go well with a song that he was putting out on SoundCloud. He felt his own name, Brian Imanuel Soewarno, was too long, but a suggestion by his friend caught his eye: “Rich Chigga”. As Rich Chigga – a portmanteau of Chinese and a racial slur – he would score a hit and become a viral sensation with the track Dat $tick, garnering millions of plays on platforms such as SoundCloud and YouTube and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3080669/asian-rapper-rich-brians-hip-hop-journey-resentment-respect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3080669/asian-rapper-rich-brians-hip-hop-journey-resentment-respect?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2020 14:00:08 +0000 If you’re like many of us, you’re probably working from home and trying to stay productive while your cat tries to climb on top of your laptop. But whatever your home environment is like, one way to get through this coronavirus crisis is chill beats. Our team of writers and producers have compiled Spotify playlists of music by artists we’ve covered on Goldthread. From the smooth sounds of Chinese jazz—inspired by the soundtrack of Crazy Rich Asians—to the latest in Chinese hip-hop, here are some... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music-social-isolation-chinese-jazz-hip-hop/article/3078291?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music-social-isolation-chinese-jazz-hip-hop/article/3078291?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2020 07:51:27 +0000 The Chinese of today are into raves, mixtapes, and baggy jeans. Hip-hop and street culture are influencing the youth of China today. They grew up listening to Jay-Z, Eminem, and 50 Cent on smuggled cassette tapes and now, streaming websites. When I was growing up in Hong Kong, I remember listening to Numb/Encore by Jay-Z and Linkin Park when I was 12. I didn’t know what hip-hop was then, but I was hooked. They grew up more familiar with Jay-Z than Jet Li. A lot of kids in China grew up like me,... https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinese-hip-hop-east-coast-video-series/article/3043373?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinese-hip-hop-east-coast-video-series/article/3043373?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Dec 2019 10:29:48 +0000 Collaboration trainers are the source of much of the resell industry’s value. Many of these trainers are hyped for months, and when they finally drop, they’re sold out in minutes. That’s where the boggling sneaker resale market comes in, bringing with it a huge jump in price. Sites like Goat and StockX bridge the gap between customers hungry to purchase streetwear fashion trends – also known as “hypebeasts” – and the scarcity of these styles. Collaboration trainers can make prices spike up by a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3038941/why-limited-edition-sneakers-and-hypebeast-brand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3038941/why-limited-edition-sneakers-and-hypebeast-brand?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Nov 2019 08:00:15 +0000 Stanley Yang was just 23 when his best friend was killed outside a nightclub in Vancouver, a gunshot wound to the head. The death hit Yang hard. In 2003, he had just graduated from film school in Vancouver and was living the high life. By day, he worked on the production sets of indie films, and at night, he partied hard. “I was a harsh raver,” he recalls. Yang was always a rebel. He grew up in a dysfunctional family that constantly fought, and tried to spend as much time as possible away from... https://www.scmp.com/culture/zhongtv-22k-stanley-yang-chinese-hip-hop/article/3037892?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/zhongtv-22k-stanley-yang-chinese-hip-hop/article/3037892?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2019 08:36:25 +0000 The 2019 edition of Hong Kong’s biggest music festival, Clockenflap, will feature big international acts such as Mumford and Sons, Halsey, Lil Pump and Bombay Bicycle Club, but it will also showcase many of the city’s best home-grown bands. In total, there are 52 Hong Kong acts listed on the line-up. Established live favourites – from post-punk group David Boring to singer-songwriter Kevin Kaho Tsui – will perform alongside a bursting roster of up-and-coming names. These are the nine local acts... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3036724/nine-hong-kong-bands-see-citys-biggest-music-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3036724/nine-hong-kong-bands-see-citys-biggest-music-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2019 10:00:12 +0000 For most people, winning Hong Kong’s Oscars would be a dream come true. But for one unknown rapper, it nearly derailed his career. In 2014, Dough-Boy was a 24-year-old producer just two years out of school when he won the award for Best Original Song at the Hong Kong Film Awards. He wrote the song for a small indie production called The Way We Dance on a miniscule budget of $200. “I didn’t even have anyone to thank,” recalls the rapper, whose real name is Galaxy Ho. “I didn’t even know what I... https://www.scmp.com/culture/dough-boy-hong-kong-hip-hop-rapper/article/3035795?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/dough-boy-hong-kong-hip-hop-rapper/article/3035795?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Oct 2019 11:21:22 +0000 When James Mao first started making music videos, he had a problem. Googling his name turned up a basketball player in Taiwan named James Mao. “The first five pages are that f---ing basketball player,” says Mao, now a music video director for the Asian-American label 88rising. So he came up with “mamesjao,” a moniker he still uses. “Now you Google mamesjao and it’s all my work,” he says. A stupid reason, he admits, but it helped build his career. Now, he’s the go-to director for hip-hop... https://www.scmp.com/culture/mamesjao-james-mao-88rising-hip-hop/article/3033073?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/mamesjao-james-mao-88rising-hip-hop/article/3033073?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Oct 2019 11:25:20 +0000 There’s a story that Chinese-born rapper Bohan Phoenix likes to tell about his first few years adjusting to life in America. Born Leng Bohan, he and his mother had just moved from China to Boston three years earlier. He was 14 years old and starting at a new high school. The building had a long hallway connecting the east and west wing. To avoid talking to anyone, Bohan would duck outside one end of the school and walk the entire perimeter to the other. “Because I was so terrified of being in... https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinese-american-rapper-bohan-phoenix-not-selling-out/article/3030617?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/chinese-american-rapper-bohan-phoenix-not-selling-out/article/3030617?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Sep 2019 05:31:18 +0000 China’s biggest female rapper will not be appearing at a large-scale hip-hop music festival in Hong Kong, despite having earlier suggested she would be on the line-up. Vava’s absence from the bill for the debut Rolling Loud event in the city comes after she expressed support for the city’s embattled police force amid the ongoing anti-government protests. On July 8, Vava – known as the Rihanna of China – posted a promotional video for the Rolling Loud festival on her Instagram page, with the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3026713/no-place-hong-kong-hip-hop-festival-rolling-loud-vava-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3026713/no-place-hong-kong-hip-hop-festival-rolling-loud-vava-after?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2019 07:48:58 +0000 An influential Taiwanese rapper has released a track in support of Hong Kong anti-government protesters, as hip hop artists from the Chinese mainland join forces to oppose the demonstrations and support the city’s embattled police force. The track, Raise My Fist, posted online this week by the rapper Dwagie, contains lines such as “They want Hong Kong but not its people / Kill all of you that love and fight for freedom” and “I stand near you and support you with my fists”. In the video for Raise... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3025616/rapper-taiwan-puts-out-track-backing-hong-kong-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3025616/rapper-taiwan-puts-out-track-backing-hong-kong-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Sep 2019 00:00:06 +0000 For decades, revolutionary songs – called red songs – praising the ruling Communist Party were a staple in Chinese society and part of the country’s propaganda push. The most famous of these tunes is arguably “The East is Red,” a hit in the 1960s, when China was engulfed in the destructive Cultural Revolution. Its lyrics lauded Mao Zedong as the “people’s great savior.” But, as anti-government protests continue in Hong Kong, Beijing has found a more modern way to convey its message: rap music, a... https://www.scmp.com/politics/rap-songs-fuel-chinas-propaganda-war-hong-kong-protests/article/3023932?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/rap-songs-fuel-chinas-propaganda-war-hong-kong-protests/article/3023932?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Aug 2019 10:47:12 +0000 Rap music was originally rebel music, a sound created by disenfranchised, downtrodden African-Americans often unfairly targeted by the police. Old-school rappers such as NWA said F*** tha Police and Public Enemy urged their followers to Fight the Power, but the biggest hip-hop artists in China today do not seem to have done their homework. Instead, as Hong Kong is rocked by protests and the city’s police force is accused of various abuses, Chinese rappers are calling on their fans to support the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3023712/how-chinese-rappers-are-selling-out-hip-hop-slamming-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3023712/how-chinese-rappers-are-selling-out-hip-hop-slamming-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Aug 2019 14:00:18 +0000 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. Hong Kong’s Fall by rap outfit CD Rev – reportedly a Chinese government-sponsored rap group – used the comment, made by the US President on August 2, to slam the protest movement. The protests are now in their third month. The song, in English and Mandarin, was simultaneously posted on social media by state media outlets... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3023689/chinese-rappers-turn-trump-comments-cringeworthy-remix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3023689/chinese-rappers-turn-trump-comments-cringeworthy-remix?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Aug 2019 04:45:30 +0000 It was a steamy July night in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin when the crowd erupted inside the 66 Live House concert venue. The rapper Jony J had just finished his set when he suddenly got down on one knee and turned to his girlfriend Baima. “Will you marry me?” he asked. Speechless, Baima reached out her left hand. It was a yes. The venue’s 3,000 fans started screaming, cheering, and frantically typing on their phones. Within minutes, Jony J’s proposal became the top trending topic on... https://www.scmp.com/identity/jony-j-rap-china/article/3021935?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/identity/jony-j-rap-china/article/3021935?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2019 09:03:03 +0000 A 37-minute video chronicling the development of Asian-American hip-hop, from pioneers such as AZN Pride and MC Jin through to modern artists including Awkwafina and Nitemrkt, has attracted new attention to the history of their music after going viral online. The documentary titled A Music Video History of Asian America was a labour of love for interns at the Pacific Arts Movement, previously known as the San Diego Asian Film Foundation. Using 46 separate music videos, mostly Asian-American... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3021760/mc-jin-awkwafina-asian-american-hip-hop-video-becomes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3021760/mc-jin-awkwafina-asian-american-hip-hop-video-becomes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2019 14:00:07 +0000 Following the smash-hit success of The Rap of China, China’s top video streaming company is trying to bring rock music to the Chinese masses. Since its launch in 2017 by Chinese streaming giant iQiyi, The Rap of China has become a cultural phenomenon, propelling China’s previously underground rap culture to the mainstream and making stars out of several of its contestants. Other subcultures linked to hip hop, such as break dancing, graffiti and street fashion have also enjoyed a boom, and in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3021177/chinas-king-reality-tv-rap-china-and-how-indie-music-could?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3021177/chinas-king-reality-tv-rap-china-and-how-indie-music-could?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Aug 2019 05:00:06 +0000 Chinese reality show The Rap of China was a sensation – racking up nearly three billion online views – when it launched in 2017. A competition in the model of The Voice, the show has been credited with launching hip hop mania across China and making stars out of many of its competitors. In the face of a government crackdown, resistance and overt censorship, the second season struggled to find as many viewers, with some observers saying the show had lost its edge – something of a death sentence... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3013554/gai-vava-five-chinese-rappers-who-became-famous-or-infamous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3013554/gai-vava-five-chinese-rappers-who-became-famous-or-infamous?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jun 2019 02:00:09 +0000 Li Xingyu is excited. The 20-year-old chemistry student travelled almost 200km (125 miles) from San Diego, California, to downtown Los Angeles, where he is about to do something he hasn’t done before: rap on the helipad of a skyscraper. Wearing glasses, a backpack and an oversized red sweatshirt, Li takes to the stage. He awkwardly grabs the mic from another contestant before launching into his 50-second rap in Chinese: “Success will come sooner or later/ Music is my baby/ While I’m still young... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3009989/chinese-reality-tv-hip-hop-show-rap-china-taps-los-angeles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3009989/chinese-reality-tv-hip-hop-show-rap-china-taps-los-angeles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 May 2019 14:00:13 +0000 Higher Brothers are not only the biggest hip hop artists in China, they’re also the first Chinese rap crew to make a splash internationally. This won’t come as a surprise to anyone who caught their blistering performance at Hong Kong’s Clockenflap music festival in 2017, as the four-man Chengdu trap outfit are charismatic performers, with an onstage mixture of slick moves and clowning that looks entirely unforced. Grounded in and clearly enamoured of US hip hop culture, they also adhere to rap’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3002779/chinas-hip-hop-heroes-higher-brothers-are-back-new-album?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3002779/chinas-hip-hop-heroes-higher-brothers-are-back-new-album?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Mar 2019 14:00:08 +0000 Chinese state news agency Xinhua has published an English-language propaganda rap video all about the “two sessions” – the country’s annual parliamentary meetings. Performed by rapper Su Han, who rose to fame in popular reality show Sing! China, the video celebrates China’s recent developments, including its landing on the far side of the moon, its battles against pollution and poverty, and its greening campaign. While hip hop culture and propaganda don’t seem like natural bedfellows, in recent... https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinese-state-media-releases-two-sessions-propaganda-rap/article/3001045?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinese-state-media-releases-two-sessions-propaganda-rap/article/3001045?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2019 09:55:13 +0000 Sean Miyashiro, founder of the record label and artist collective 88rising, is tough to get on the phone these days. When we finally get hold of him, he is in his hotel room in Tokyo – “the best city in the world straight up” as he puts it – halfway through his label’s second Asian tour, and feeling equal parts elated and overwhelmed. Despite the growing impact of the label – home to breakthrough Asian hip-hop acts Rich Brian, Higher Brothers and Keith Ape – in the United States, its clout in... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2182685/88rising-label-behind-rich-brian-and-keith-ape-turning-asian-hip-hop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2182685/88rising-label-behind-rich-brian-and-keith-ape-turning-asian-hip-hop?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jan 2019 14:30:30 +0000 She’s worked with some of the world’s best choreographers, appeared on Ellen—and she’s just 10 years old. Amy Zhu is a bona fide hip-hop prodigy, moving with the grace, confidence, and attitude of a pro three times her age. Whenever she dances, her videos get hundreds of thousands of views in China and the United States.         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Sinostage-Amy (@sinostage_amy) on Jan 15, 2019 at 7:35pm PST But if her age... https://www.scmp.com/culture/10-year-old-chinese-girl-whos-owning-hip-hop-scene/article/3000512?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/10-year-old-chinese-girl-whos-owning-hip-hop-scene/article/3000512?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jan 2019 10:53:59 +0000 Watch her speak – such as during a recent appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, for example – and Amy Zhu seems like any other 10-year-old girl, albeit with hipper clothes. But watch her dance and you see someone transformed: when the beats start, Zhu moves with the confidence, grace and attitude of someone three times her age. Zhu is an archetypal star of the internet age. Her dance videos garner hundreds of thousands of views on social media platforms in China and the United States. But if... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2182097/chinas-10-year-old-hip-hop-dance-sensation-has-got-moves-critics-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2182097/chinas-10-year-old-hip-hop-dance-sensation-has-got-moves-critics-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jan 2019 14:03:14 +0000 Lighten up, for goodness’ sake. Learn to laugh at yourself. That’s my advice to China’s army of netizens who get hysterical at every little thing they perceive as a slight against their race or country. Don’t they know it sends a global message that they have a chip on their shoulder?  People who are self-confident know how to take things in their stride. Only those who lack confidence in themselves cry racism even when none was intended. I have lost count of the times mainlanders have demanded... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/united-states/article/2181320/lil-pump-dolce-gabbana-chinas-thin-skinned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/united-states/article/2181320/lil-pump-dolce-gabbana-chinas-thin-skinned?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jan 2019 22:30:45 +0000 Everyone is lining up to criticise American rapper Lil Pump for racial slurs in the preview clip of his new single Butterfly Doors on Instagram, since deleted (“Rapper Lil Pump’s apology for racial slurs only fuels Chinese backlash”, December 28). Social media is truly a viral medium. It can also get very repetitive very fast. The anger is justified. Any critique of ignorance is justified, especially if it opens the doors to self-knowledge and a new look at residual attitudes towards other... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2180094/chinese-anger-lil-pump-racism-justified-china-needs-look-mirror?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2180094/chinese-anger-lil-pump-racism-justified-china-needs-look-mirror?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Dec 2018 09:06:42 +0000 I refer to the report: “Chinese rappers hit back at Lil Pump’s racial slurs amid backlash” (December 18). “CD Rev”? A hip-hop group that works with/for the Communist Youth League? That would be like American rappers singing for the GOP Young Conservatives. However, you ignored the “Chinese” American rappers at the other end of the diss. The rapper who rapped the stupid lines and signs is American, and Americans have called him out for it. Might be an interesting idea to look into China Mac, as a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2179017/lil-pump-rightly-rapped-chinese-slur-much-rap-gangsta-and-not-pc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2179017/lil-pump-rightly-rapped-chinese-slur-much-rap-gangsta-and-not-pc?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Dec 2018 05:00:44 +0000 Chinese singer and actor Kris Wu has enjoyed a meteoric rise since he entered show business in 2012, going from a member of South Korean boy band Exo to one of the biggest Asian stars in the world today. Born in Guangzhou, Wu moved to Canada at the age of 10. When he was 18 he attended an audition in Vancouver for South Korean entertainment company SM Entertainment, which offered him a role in K-pop band Exo in 2012. Sehun from K-pop band Exo: meet the lead rapper and dancer Since going solo in... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2171779/happy-birthday-kris-wu-k-pop-star-and-actors-career-pictures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2171779/happy-birthday-kris-wu-k-pop-star-and-actors-career-pictures?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Nov 2018 19:30:15 +0000 Already a quick rising star in China, rapper Vava is now heating up internationally, thanks to "Crazy Rich Asians." The 22-year-old rapper is on the new movie's soundtrack, with her single "My New Swag." Vava, described as the Rihanna of China in local media, first rose to fame as a contestant on the first season of "The Rap of China." The reality show spread hip hop fever across the country, but authorities shut it down by banning hip hop-related content from television for several months last... https://www.scmp.com/culture/whos-girl-behind-crazy-rich-asians-explosive-single/article/2160893?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/whos-girl-behind-crazy-rich-asians-explosive-single/article/2160893?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Aug 2018 08:00:15 +0000 After rising to fame in China on a hugely popular hip-hop reality TV show, Vava is now receiving her big international break – and she has the film Crazy Rich Asians to thank. The 22-year-old rapper from Sichuan province contributed to the film’s soundtrack with her single My New Swag – originally released in October last year. The song sits alongside others from the likes of 1950s Hong Kong singer Grace Chang, 1980s Canto-pop star Sally Yeh and modern Chinese jazz vocalist Jasmine Chen. Crazy... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2160493/crazy-rich-asians-gives-chinas-hip-hop-queen-vava-international?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2160493/crazy-rich-asians-gives-chinas-hip-hop-queen-vava-international?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Aug 2018 05:00:30 +0000 What do you get when you live in China, but have your art shaped by American culture and media? The answer: a mix of Buddhism, hip hop, and guns. Meet Huang Yulong, named one of COMPLEX’s “25 Contemporary Chinese Artists You Need to Know” in 2013. He is an international sculptor based in Beijing and took us around his studio to show us how he combines everything from gun violence to hip hop movies, with Chinese Buddhism and symbolism to create a unique style of sculptures. Written and voiceover... https://www.scmp.com/videos/inside-beijing-art-studio-where-rifles-hip-hop-and-buddhism-meet-ft-huang-yulong/article/2157867?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/videos/inside-beijing-art-studio-where-rifles-hip-hop-and-buddhism-meet-ft-huang-yulong/article/2157867?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Aug 2018 13:15:45 +0000 Last summer, an online reality show single-handedly ignited China’s passion for hip hop, racking up more than 2.5 billion views and shooting its contestants to stardom. Now The Rap of China is back for a second season, and it’s determined to keep hip hop in the mainstream -- even as audiences and censors alike get tougher. Here’s this season’s opening, which features the show’s five judges spitting bars: The show’s debut in 2017 brought the hip hop subculture into the national limelight for the... https://www.scmp.com/society/hip-hop-reality-show-rap-china-makes-comeback-chinese-stage/article/2156141?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/hip-hop-reality-show-rap-china-makes-comeback-chinese-stage/article/2156141?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jul 2018 09:45:00 +0000 In 2018, China banned what it deemed to be controversial hip hop content from television. In this interview with 36th Chamber, one of Beijing’s original b-boy dance crews, the group talked about how the ban affected China’s culture, the Black-American struggle that gave rise to the early hip hop pioneers in New York, and the intersection of Shaolin martial arts and hip hop from the 1970s to modern day. Just like the Wu-Tang Clan album of 1993, 36th Chamber was inspired by the art of discipline... https://www.scmp.com/identity/shaolin-and-hip-hop-age-rap-ban-china/article/2153558?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/identity/shaolin-and-hip-hop-age-rap-ban-china/article/2153558?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jul 2018 06:45:45 +0000 The death of American rapper XXXTentacion has saddened not only American fans and celebrities, but also the growing number of hip-hop lovers in China. The 20-year-old rapper died on Tuesday after being fatally shot during a possible robbery in Deerfield Beach, Florida, according to the Broward County sheriff’s office. XXXTentacion’s Chinese fans are also mourning. Zhang Hongxing, a 19-year-old art student in the southwestern city of Chongqing, said he fell in love with the rapper when he was... https://www.scmp.com/arts/chinese-hip-hop-fans-mourn-death-american-rapper-xxxtentacion/article/2151427?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/chinese-hip-hop-fans-mourn-death-american-rapper-xxxtentacion/article/2151427?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jun 2018 09:15:30 +0000 Over the past year, China, Japan and South Korea have all had their own instances of blackface on national TV. During a televised Chinese New Year national gala in February, a Chinese actress appeared in blackface during a skit where she played an African villager. In Japan, during a 2018 New Year’s Eve countdown special, an actor appeared in blackface as African-American comedian Eddie Murphy. It’s quite bizarre to be seeing this, given the widespread popularity and increasing prominence of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2148143/asian-hip-hop-homage-genre-or-cultural-appropriation-driven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/2148143/asian-hip-hop-homage-genre-or-cultural-appropriation-driven?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 May 2018 12:30:30 +0000 China-born singer-songwriter Kris Wu has been signed by Universal Music Group (UMG), becoming the first ethnic Chinese artist to join the prestigious international label. Universal is considered one of the “big three” record labels, along with Sony Music and Warner Music Group, and is also home to the likes of Kanye West, Eminem, and Lady Gaga.  Seven Chinese hip-hop acts who’ve leapt the Great Firewall to make China look cool UMG chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge said: “Kris is an incredibly... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2143298/chinese-rapper-kris-wu-signs-universal-record-label-after-historic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2143298/chinese-rapper-kris-wu-signs-universal-record-label-after-historic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Apr 2018 10:30:45 +0000 Amid restrictions aimed at China’s burgeoning hip-hop scene, some elements associated with the culture appear to be getting a pass. Although rules specifically targeting hip hop were not available on official platforms, Chinese news site Sina Entertainment reported in January that regulators had requested that television programmes avoided guests associated with the genre. Hip hop in China bounces back as new show gives next-gen rappers mainstream appeal, despite censorship Still, Hot Blood... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2142444/chinas-hip-hop-culture-ban-authorities-send-mixed-messages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2142444/chinas-hip-hop-culture-ban-authorities-send-mixed-messages?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Apr 2018 12:32:59 +0000 During one notable performance in the US, Bohan Phoenix raps over a simple drum beat when he suddenly switches from English to Mandarin. Surprised looks spread across the faces in the crowd as the rapper, wearing a knowing smile, delivers his lines with a downward drawl, hyping up the crowd. Scenes such as this were common during his live shows in the US, but the 25-year-old Chinese-American rapper named Bohan Leng does not only perform in the States. Last year, he grew tired of travelling... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2139489/chinese-american-rapper-and-hip-hop-star-his-rise-and-why-he-turned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2139489/chinese-american-rapper-and-hip-hop-star-his-rise-and-why-he-turned?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000 About six months after hip-hop fever swept through China, propelled by the huge success of The Rap of China TV competition, authorities banned depictions of hip-hop culture in mainstream media in January 2018 on the grounds that it “encourages immoral behaviour”. The ban has been a setback for the hip-hop artists – within China, they must now navigate their way around the new restrictions, such as by incorporating more positive elements in their lyrics (in accordance with what the Ministry of... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2135393/seven-chinese-hip-hop-acts-whove-leapt-great-firewall-make-china-look?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/2135393/seven-chinese-hip-hop-acts-whove-leapt-great-firewall-make-china-look?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Mar 2018 10:01:19 +0000 Chinese rap and hip hop seemed poised to break out after a wildly popular singing show bestowed fame and legitimacy on a musical scene that had struggled to find its voice in China. But an abrupt official backlash against the edginess of hip-hop culture has tamed the swagger of artists who fear that Chinese rap, like a once-promising home-grown rock 'n' roll movement, will be nipped in the bud by Communist politics. “I don’t need to be such a superstar – it’s very dangerous,” Shanghai rapper Mr... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2132549/sponsors-flee-chinese-rap-acts-amid-fears-censors-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2132549/sponsors-flee-chinese-rap-acts-amid-fears-censors-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Feb 2018 06:28:52 +0000 iQiyi, which has been likened to China’s Netflix, was casting around for a hit series last year when the idea for a hip-hop talent show bubbled up. The executives at the Baidu unit were not sure. Rap is a niche genre in Chinese music and far from the mainstream, which is dominated over the years by crooners like Faye Wong to pop princesses like Jolin Tsai. Would hip-hop culture find broad appeal in China?  To get the answer, the Beijing-based company consulted its in-house artificial... https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-tech/article/2131206/chinas-netflix-lands-itself-massive-reality-tv-blockbuster-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-tech/article/2131206/chinas-netflix-lands-itself-massive-reality-tv-blockbuster-use?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jan 2018 22:00:15 +0000 Chinese music fans are bracing for a crackdown on hip hop after a rapper was apparently dropped from a popular singing programme, as reports emerged that the often-provocative genre had fallen out of official favour. Hip hop is a late arrival to China’s cultural scene, but home-grown artists have steadily gained fans, getting a major boost over the past year thanks to singing-contest reality programmes showcasing their talent. But rappers have recently raised hackles with vulgar or edgy lyrics.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2130011/chinese-music-fans-fear-rap-latest-fall-foul-censors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2130011/chinese-music-fans-fear-rap-latest-fall-foul-censors?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jan 2018 07:28:51 +0000 After drawing public criticism for lyrics deemed sexist and promoting drug use, one of China’s best-known rappers has dug an even deeper hole by blaming the influence of “black music”. PG One came under fire after official media on Thursday highlighted lyrics from the 24-year-old rapper’s 2015 song Christmas Eve, in which he uses obscene language to boast about forcing himself on a woman. He also raps of “sleeping in the day, shouting at night, pure white powder walking on the board”. The China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2127038/chinese-rapper-under-fire-sexist-lyrics-blames-influence-black?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2127038/chinese-rapper-under-fire-sexist-lyrics-blames-influence-black?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jan 2018 11:00:45 +0000