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We hear the voices everywhere we go in Shanghai. "Yo, I heard Jay-Z's gonna be in Shanghai" ... "Jay-Z is on October 23rd" ... "Hov will be in Shanghai for a show and maybe even try to open up a 40/40 Club (He's got one in Singapore, he can fly his private jet to the Middle Kingdom easily)." Yes, the rumors of the Jiggaman coming to town are out (we told you about it back in August) ... But is Young Hov REALLY coming to town?
Check the Rock-A-Fella Records website and it says it in clean, white, sans-serif letters:
October 23 - Shanghai, China (Hong Kou Stadium)
This is a new development since we last talked about Jay-Z.
Yes, there's a lot of talk, but we've heard from an inside source that the show has NOT been confirmed by Jay-Z's camp due to "political issues". Did somebody say, Culture Bureau? Whoever won the bid to get Jay-Z on board in Shanghai -- we read that it was an outfit called "KS production company," but we know nothing about them ... help anyone? -- did this quite recently with ONLY two months to prepare. They got him three to four weeks ago. Between all the set up for his concert (try matching the Fade to Black concert!), venue checks and investments into getting this multi-platinum artist (and his 'wifey') into town, one question tickles our brain ...
WHERE'S DA PERFORMANCE LICENSE???
The people are anxious -- we know we are. Will this end up like another tragic Robbie Williams story? (Not really our style of music, but it would have been fun to watch.)
Any thoughts out there?
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j.hova's knocking on shanghai's door, someone answer!
No rap acts are getting in until someone in the culural bureau finds out what a "skeezer" or a "ho" is.
Expect Jay-Z not to be admitted, he doesn't have enough songs about love and shopping (shanghai pop's fav subjects) to last 5 minutes on stage.
The Cultural people are especially wary after the Stones pulled a fast one on them by playing "start me up" as the first song in their concert. The Cultural ministry must have thought they were singing about driving a car until some sellout foreigner told them the real meaning, and the real meanings of the other Stones songs (45 years of sex, drugs and rebellion tunes). The cultural bureau staff had egg on their face that day! But it won't happen again.
Intresting point, nanheyangrouchuan. And wih that I leave you with Black Eyed Peas lovely song "My Humps"...
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/blackeyedpeas/myhumps.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3q87SfXQcM&mode=related&search=
The Black Eyed Peas concert was after the Stones, right?
As Puffy would say, "It's All about The Benjamins, Baby." Or "Mao's" in the case of China. Look at Xiangyang market. You pay the dough, or something brings dough to the country, things can happen.
Also, China looks good if they bring an American/Black/multi-millionaire/hip-hop star/business owner/sports team owner (part owner of the Nets and he's brining his team to Brooklyn, which is why traffic sucks so bad on Atlantic Avenue!) to China. I can hear it now, "Wow, China is so open, they even have Jay-Z there." This is great for that Olympics thing I think.
But then again, it could get shut down. This is China, expect the unexpected and lots of hammering. I'm keeping my eyes and ears open.
Ok, BEPs may have gotten away with some stuff, but really turning the screws takes time. The censors probably are not well-traveled and have to really on decades of english training with chinese characteristics, making them very vulnerable to linguistic slights of hand from the barrio, the 'hood, el barrio chino, the trailer park or the hollow.
Maybe you're right, nanheyangrouchuan, but then again, a lot of these government types arent fools. Quite a few have studied abroad and have checked out a hip-hop Web site or two. (Hence The Great Fire Wall!)
Right now, El Barrio China is turning into "El Barrio Internacionale" in Shanghai.
I agree, turning the screws takes time, but Jay-Z is a business man (I'm a business man, not a businessmaaaaaan! - Kanye West - Diamonds from Sierra Leone), so as far as his lyrics are concerned, he'll do what it takes to make it happen. If he has to tone down the level, he will.
Yo, give it 5-10 years, this global cultural stuff in China will open up. For now, people, stick to the clubs for your full-frontal explicit material.
I'm still looking for the liscense! Ya'll should have went with The Lab! (http://www.thelab.cn or http://www.myspace.com/thelabshanghai)