‘Jianghu flow’: examining cultural resonance in The Rap of China

Taming rock music in communist states: Politicisation of Western popular culture in East Europe and mainland China

“…Like all rock subgenres, rap and hip-hop arrived in China with a delay (in the 1990s), but with their adaptability to cultural and social factors they became a remarkable part of the rock and pop scene. Being framed in terms of authenticity , Chinese rap and hip-hop express youth experiences, the young people ‘true nature’, the national culture, and creativity (Cheuk, 2020; Hodgman, 2013; Zhao and Lin, 2020). While rap and hip-hop both developed underground and in the pop scene, their massive spread and breakthrough into the commercial mainstream attracted attention from both the media and scholars (Cheuk, 2020; Young, 2018).…”

“…37 The theme of authenticity, and the implementation of Chinese cultural contexts in rap music, on the other hand, were appreciated by both Chinese fans and the Chinese media, as these features did not contradict the state nation-building culture policy and thus pleased both the audience and the authorities. Zhao and Lin (2020: 602) explore Chinese hip-hop lyrics, referring to the Song Dynasty era (960–1279) written stories called jiang hu [rivers and lakes], as they consider the gangsta rap-related conflicting authenticity theme to be reminiscent of the outlaw society codes of ‘loyalty, struggle, and compromise’ contained in the stories.…”

“…In 2018 the SAPPRFT issued a ban on hip-hop that prohibited it from being played on state radio and television programmes due to ‘four absolutely not needed’ standards 38 ; however, these restrictive measures and the negative labelling met with an unintended promotion effect among netizens (Luo and Ming, 2020: 5–6). In fact, however, the domestic restrictions on rap and hip-hop that keep it out of conventional media do not exclude these increasingly popular subgenres from the commercial private networks, social media, live performances, the general cultural scene that is modified so as to match the popular taste, the possibility of commercial success, as well as the state’s ‘positive energy’ policy (Zhao and Lin, 2020: 611). An example of this is the rise of the popular rap group CD Rev, whose patriotic hits like ‘This is China’, which calls for international respect for China, 39 ‘The Force of Red’, which challenges Hong Kong and Taiwan, and, more recently, ‘Hey Hong Kong Protesters!’, 40 gained the group Communist Youth League sponsorship.…”

Brotherhood and Hip-Hop: The Case of Chinese Hip-Hop Club Triple H

“…It is natural that hip-hop has to make changes in the face of censorship in different countries, but “keep it real” is still considered a benchmark for respected rappers. Zhao and Lin (2020, p. 1) reinterpret “real” as a globalized hybrid hip-hop core value modified with “distinct Chinese notions of conflicting authenticity, centered around the representation of ‘jianghu flow’ with loyalty, struggle, and compromise.” Nonofficial heroes from jianghu fighting for beliefs have always been appealing to young people. Traditionally jianghu means the “bottom society” (Li, 2011, p.39), while in this new era, this notion has been comprehended in a more interpersonal sense, and the code of brotherhood advocated by jianghu is cherished by both the grassroots community and elites.…”

“…For example, when PG One and Beibei competed with opponents at “Iron Mic” and “Underground 8 Miles,” their lyrics could be very fierce and merciless. However, given the fact that an increasing number of rappers have entered the vanity fair of fame and money, with their performances sponsored by companies, what “authenticity” is has become a debatable notion, because the purity of creation and brotherhood could be contaminated by the desire for something outside hip-hop itself, and the desire for commercial success as well as mainstream promotion, could lead to betrayal of the traditional understanding of “real.” As in the case of Gai, one of Triple H’s most well-known adversaries, who has been widely recognized outside the underground, he is satirized “as ‘socialist Gai’ rather than jianghu Gai” for his alignment with “the ‘positive energy’ policy,” and his performance on CCTV was criticized by some fans and rappers for being “inauthentic, seeking to frame ‘authenticity’ in relation to showing allegiance to—or betraying—the underground brotherhood” (Zhao & Lin, 2020, pp.9–10). It is common that rappers despise those hypocrites who prioritize personal interests and social status rather than underground authenticity, just as what is written in Triple H’s “Fake Friend”: “他昨天还称兄道弟, 但心里放不下的是名还有利” (“Yesterday he call you bro, but fame and wealth is let to grow”).…”