Chinese rap musicians blend beats across borders

Medium for expression

"Rap songs are very relaxing. You can say whatever you want and express whatever you feel because it's a great medium for expression. It can capture your daily life, even if I just talk about what I ate or did today. With a rhythm, everyone can have a lot of fun, and it's also a great way to make friends."

He takes part in an open mic event every Friday at Musewav, a music group that brings together singers and producers from various countries to make music together.

"Even if we don't understand each other's language, we can still feel the vibe of rap, which feels very cool, and it allows us to communicate and learn from each other."

He often encounters non-Chinese who express appreciation for his music, which also helps him build many personal connections and friendships, he said.

Chinese rap music is highly playful, characterized by its use of Chinese rhymes, poetic and song allusions, and the diverse cultures of various ethnic minorities, which create rich regional variations through their distinct dialects.

The market for Chinese rap is gradually opening up and catching up, he said, as seen with the Higher Brothers of the US media company 88rising that focuses on Asian artists.

Their song Made in China has been very popular in mainstream music markets in the West. In the song the Higher Brothers play mahjong and rap about everything being made in China, blending Western style with Sichuan dialect. The track has had billions of views on the internet.

"As long as we make our own unique contributions, many Americans will find Chinese rap cool, different from the stereotypical image of classical music," Chen said.

"For Chinese rap and pop music there is a definite market internationally.

"For me, as a younger generation myself, I've heard excellent American music that has reached China, and we also want to bring our work to the US to let more people hear it. That's a responsibility."

mingmeili@chinadailyusa.com