In most people's minds rap music is
associated with voices from the margins
of society and with black ghetto angst in
particular. So the notion of Chinese hip
hoppers may seem rather absurd.
Yet, the rap music scene in China is thriving. Since its emergence in Beijing in the 1980s it has spread to all major cities including Shanghai, Kunming, Tsingdao, Shenzhen, and even far-flung Urumchi.
Of course, as with Communism, the Mainland's take on rap is uniquely Chinese. "It's fashionable because it's a western art music form," says Dr Lee Watkins, who studied rap in South Africa, before taking up his position as a Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Music, last year.
Yet, the rap music scene in China is thriving. Since its emergence in Beijing in the 1980s it has spread to all major cities including Shanghai, Kunming, Tsingdao, Shenzhen, and even far-flung Urumchi.
Of course, as with Communism, the Mainland's take on rap is uniquely Chinese. "It's fashionable because it's a western art music form," says Dr Lee Watkins, who studied rap in South Africa, before taking up his position as a Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Music, last year.
"Hip hop is a fashion, it's 'cool' to be a hip hopper and learn a few dance tricks. African American rap is quite in your face, it has a lot of anger, but the Chinese hip hoppers are saying they are not experiencing gangsterism, or drive-by's, so there's no need for them to sing about that."
Indeed, it seems rap is hot in China simply by dint of being a western art form. "If it's western it's considered fashionable" explains Professor Watkins. "Even western classical music is; there's a strong drive to play western instruments, partly because they appear to be new but also because they allow a certain freedom that is not experienced so much in Chinese education, for example. Chinese culture has so many restraints to work through.
"Rock music in China in the early 1980s was also embracing this newfound freedom in China after the Cultural Revolution, and allowing young people to express views that may not have been consonant with the interests of the rulers."
Today, the another youth-dominated music genre – punk – is still fashionable amongst Chinese high school students. "It's usually a teenage phase and a way of expressing their frustrations with entrance examinations."
Government censorship relieves Chinese rap of the sting of its western counterpart, so no railing against the state here. "There's a lot of censorship," says Dr Watkins. "So language is used to suggest things, because if they say things in an outright manner it could elicit censorship."
"Censorship means they won't make as much of an impact on the music scene or develop a fan base. Early on rappers had to use record producers approved by the state and of course they would not produce music with confrontational messages."
Having grown up in Cape Town, where South Africa's first rap music scene flourished, Dr Watkins developed a natural interest in hip hop. "As an area of research it appeals to me because these are voices from the margins. It challenges one to think critically but also, musically, I find it fascinating the level of musical knowledge and creativity that these people have."
"Rap music actually brings together many different musical forms into a four minute piece of music. I find it fascinating how music from all these different locations work their way into one song. And I realized also that Chinese rap music is under-researched."
He's now combining anthropology with the musicological aspects of rap music. "A lot of aspects of hip hop are underground," he says, "and the opening up of the Internet has provided another avenue for expressing opinions.
"As far as the government in China is concerned as long as it stays underground, if it doesn't take to the street to mobilize the masses, then it's okay. At the moment it happens in nightclubs, it's seen as entertainment. In China, many of the symbolic associations of hip hop and rap music do not apply; they are only interested in one aspect of it, and turning it into a commodity.
"If they sing about political or social issues at all they tend to concentrate on the growing divide between rich and poor, the difficulty in finding employment for young people. They don't address state policies as such, there's no direct confrontation with the state, it's rather about issues affecting youth and so on.
"It's not like African American rap and French rap music where it's very direct. In South Africa and the United States people have realized the potential of rap as a money-making activity, with clothing lines and production companies. But the Chinese may not be looking towards making fortunes from it."
Indeed, it seems rap is hot in China simply by dint of being a western art form. "If it's western it's considered fashionable" explains Professor Watkins. "Even western classical music is; there's a strong drive to play western instruments, partly because they appear to be new but also because they allow a certain freedom that is not experienced so much in Chinese education, for example. Chinese culture has so many restraints to work through.
"Rock music in China in the early 1980s was also embracing this newfound freedom in China after the Cultural Revolution, and allowing young people to express views that may not have been consonant with the interests of the rulers."
Today, the another youth-dominated music genre – punk – is still fashionable amongst Chinese high school students. "It's usually a teenage phase and a way of expressing their frustrations with entrance examinations."
Government censorship relieves Chinese rap of the sting of its western counterpart, so no railing against the state here. "There's a lot of censorship," says Dr Watkins. "So language is used to suggest things, because if they say things in an outright manner it could elicit censorship."
"Censorship means they won't make as much of an impact on the music scene or develop a fan base. Early on rappers had to use record producers approved by the state and of course they would not produce music with confrontational messages."
Having grown up in Cape Town, where South Africa's first rap music scene flourished, Dr Watkins developed a natural interest in hip hop. "As an area of research it appeals to me because these are voices from the margins. It challenges one to think critically but also, musically, I find it fascinating the level of musical knowledge and creativity that these people have."
"Rap music actually brings together many different musical forms into a four minute piece of music. I find it fascinating how music from all these different locations work their way into one song. And I realized also that Chinese rap music is under-researched."
He's now combining anthropology with the musicological aspects of rap music. "A lot of aspects of hip hop are underground," he says, "and the opening up of the Internet has provided another avenue for expressing opinions.
"As far as the government in China is concerned as long as it stays underground, if it doesn't take to the street to mobilize the masses, then it's okay. At the moment it happens in nightclubs, it's seen as entertainment. In China, many of the symbolic associations of hip hop and rap music do not apply; they are only interested in one aspect of it, and turning it into a commodity.
"If they sing about political or social issues at all they tend to concentrate on the growing divide between rich and poor, the difficulty in finding employment for young people. They don't address state policies as such, there's no direct confrontation with the state, it's rather about issues affecting youth and so on.
"It's not like African American rap and French rap music where it's very direct. In South Africa and the United States people have realized the potential of rap as a money-making activity, with clothing lines and production companies. But the Chinese may not be looking towards making fortunes from it."