People enjoy hip-hop music at the Governors Ball music festival at Citi Field in New York City. Chinese rap music is becoming increasingly popular in the United States as hip-hop music is combined with Chinese content and culture. [Photo/GETTY IMAGES]
As American hip-hop music merges with Chinese content and culture, the emerging form of Chinese rap is becoming popular in both China and the United States.
Hip-hop is a very popular music genre in the United States, attracting mainly young people. Rap music, as a primary form of expression, provides artists with fresh ways to express their thoughts and emotions.
Chinese rap combines beats, melody, lyrics and cultural elements, providing the audience with a new way to enjoy music, allowing the audience to understand the different music cultures of different countries, and promoting exchanges between artists.
“I always incorporate Chinese culture into my music, whether it’s samples or things I talk about, because I feel like I can truly represent overseas Chinese and I can also relate to the Chinese people,” Ball$ told China Daily .
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Castle$ began his English rap journey at the age of 14.
“Hip-hop was always popular when I was growing up.”
He was one of the few Asian kids rapping in the streets, even in English. I was the only one walking around in jeans and a hat, and people used to say, “Why are you dressed like that” or “Why are you dressed like black?” I was like, “How do you dress for a game?”
“I just dress the way I want to express myself. The same goes for music.”
Castle$ said that he entered the Chinese rap scene because a TV show “China New Rap” in 2018 caught his attention.
The rap reality TV show premiered in 2017 and features influential Chinese rappers and young artists. After the performance, Chinese rap music moved from the underground to the mainstream music scene, attracting more fans and audiences.
“About three months before that show, I started writing Chinese lyrics,” Castle$ said. Although he speaks Chinese very well, because he grew up in the United States, he cannot understand some of the “quips” in Chinese. However, given his background, he said this could be a start for him. He said he would soon travel to China to compete in the new season of the show.
“It puts me in a situation where I have to speak Chinese, I have to speak Chinese, and that’s cool. I got to a point in China because of what I can do, what I can offer, whether it’s my music or my music.
He says knowing two languages and two cultures helps him write more meaningful songs that embrace the power of music. “I’m respected here. I feel like I’ll never lose my Chinese side. You can see that in my music.”
In addition to rapping, Castle$ has a background in film production and incorporates Chinese-style music from movies into his songwriting. Sampling Chinese elements or instruments is a common method used by many hip-hop artists, including Chinese rappers such as MC Jin and China Mac, who inspired him greatly.
The rise of Chinese hip-hop music in recent years reflects the pursuit of self-expression and cultural innovation by Asians in the United States, especially young people, and also reflects the trend of music diversification and internationalization.
“Because it’s not just music, it’s culture,” Castle$ said, noting that his style and fluency in both languages could help reach a wider audience around the world.
“I think music always crosses borders. We are made in China, and we may be squeezed in and find a place in the American music market.”
Wu Jiaxuan, the 2024 “China New Rap” overseas competition champion, told China Daily: “It turns out that these rap songs can be done so well using familiar Mandarin tones. There are two words, three words and four words in some lyrics that rhyme.”
Wu, who was born in Lianyungang, Jiangsu, said it was his impression of Chinese rap in high school that inspired him to start his own musical journey.
“I used to listen to Taiwanese rappers such as American rapper Eminem (Marshall Bruce Mathers III) and MC Hotdog,” he said, adding that his interest in hip-hop music was influenced by international music trends. “One day I discovered a playlist called Underground Chinese Rap on a music platform and I started listening to Chinese rap music.”
