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There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to face the facts — that not every (alpha) dog has his day; that haters gon hate; that open bar doesn’t always mean what you think it means. And that all ABCs just looove Guandii. Well, not this ABC. Sure, one could chalk it up to difference in opinion, or taste in hip-hop, or a simple case of sour grapes (not picking up enough ladies, for instance). But let’s not consider all that. Let’s just nip it right in the bud: In order for the hip-hop “scene” in Shanghai to truly thrive, and blossom into the NBT (Next Big Thing) it so richly deserves to be, ABCs — and everyone else, for that matter — need to stop jocking Guandii so hard.
In a word: Diversity. We're tired of wannabe thugs and thugettes mad-dogging and huffing and puffing and sealing off the dance floor with yet another not-at-all improvised, not-as-slick-as-you-think dance routine. We're tired of top-40 hip-hop from last year being used as the measuring stick — note to DJs: it's high time you put the Black Eyed Peas’ “Where is the Love” out to pasture — for what constitutes off-the-chainness. Most of all though, we're tired of seeing the same faces over and over and over again. In a way, hip-hop culture is a microcosm of Shanghai; at its best, it's multicultural and all-inclusive, at its worst, there's a whole lot of macho posturing and broken bottles, if not worse. We'd like to think of the former as the rule and the latter the exception, but then, we've been wrong before (about the Black Eyed Peas not having any staying power, for instance). Or that the indomitable (or so we thought) Jay-Z would find a way to perform in Shanghai. (Can't you tell we're still bitter?)
Anyways, here’s Shanghaiist’s question to true hip-hop heads in the city (and don’t worry if you’re not an ABC ... chime in with your two cents ... or five): Where is the love for clubs not named Guandii? Or for that matter, not named BonBon (don't like the layout), Fabrique (everyone looks pouty), Babyface (too crowded), or The Lab (too small). Don’t make us say it again (though we kinda already did): Can we get a hip-hop revolution in the SH already? Preferably, one that doesn't involve the Black Eyed Peas.
Photo courtesy of www.itsablackthang.com.
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I love good quality hip hop as much as the next guy, but ... name a place outside of NYC or a handfull of other USA cities ... that has a good hip hop scene.
Guandii, like Windows, is the same as you'll find anywhere in the world -- a top 40 hip hop party for tourists. As long as there are teenagers, and desperate older men, this will not change. Because the formula works.
"Can we get a hip-hop revolution in the SH already?"
Haaaa....... Not until local Chinese start making real music. Which isn't likely to happen this semester. You whine about hating all the big, popular nightclubs in town - why not tell us where you're throwing a party?
The last time I went to Guandii, it was a Thursday night and a young presumably ABC guy was imitating an MC by shouting a barrage of profanities into a microphone, and commanding two skinny bikini-clad dancers to shake spasmodically for the crowd. The DJ played that predictably terrible hip-hop-40 setlist and I doubt I'll be back any time soon.
What's with the wannabe hiphop posturing so prevalent among ABCs anyhow?
Chi, I totally feel where you are coming from. To add my two cents, these international acts coming in to Shanghai are cool, but what needs to happen is the development of a stronger ORIGINAL local hip-hop scene and stronger support for that scene.
China needs some time. Events like the monthly Back to the Roots Block Party (held by the "small" The Lab, with more than 400 present at the last show) are a step in the right direction where folks can actually perform their own music and you can hear a mix of underground and old school hip-hop. (I do admit that I enjoy my top forty hip-hop hits every now and then)
A "small" response about The Lab: it isn't a club, it's a hip-hop center. No door fee, no open bar, the place is absolutely free. The Lab's all about alternative expressions of hip-hop as well as a place to learn about the artform, its sub-culture and positive activites related to Hip-Hop (learn how to DJ in Mandarin, Japanese and English; how to use an MPC, meet local artists in the city and literrally rap wth them). It's also a chill place to hang out, have a beer or soem BBQ. That's their mission. Living and learning hip-hop and good homegrown music. The sad part is, not enough people take advantage of its facilities or use it as a basis for exploring hip-hop and music in general. As you can tell, I fully support their cause and they are doing something different that not enough people know about. You have to meet Gary aka V-Nutz and hear where the dude is coming from. check out www.thelab.cn and www.organicsoul.cn.
One last thing, and this is for all the people out there that get mad about hip-hop in the city: don't sleep on some of these cats that you think are posers. talk to some of them and you will be surprised what you hear. I was impressed when my rapping partner Tangking (local Shanghaiese MC) could recite lyrics from Rakim's The Master. They may be able to teach even you a thing or two.
Anyway, Chi... I do feel where you are coming from. If these wannabe hip-hoppers came to Brooklyn (my home) with that stuff, haha... there would be problems. But this is China, things are changing and people are finding themselves. Not everyone is so passionate about hip-hop, locals, lao wai, ABC's, whatever. On the other hand, it's obvious that this is the first cultrue in China in a long time to have the opportunity to fully appreciate music and openly express that (be it through perfromance, dress, club-going, etc.) Give it time, keep writing stuff like this, teach and support the hip-hop you think is true and bring it to the people the best way you can think of.
-- MoJo
PS Quite a few clubs in the states still play BEP... i think the issue in Shanghai is finding other options in hip-hop. It's here, but it needs more support and more people getting involved.
Just the idea of a decent hip-hop scene in China is silly. There's nothing local, so all it could ever be doing is aping what's in the US. It's top 40 shit for foreigners who want to hear something familiar while they get drunk and try getting on impressionable local girls.
I don't believe good hip-hop can ever come from anywhere but an American city. Same way, cognac doesn't come from anywhere but France. It's just too much associated with the country and the culture.
y u gotta hate? "where is the love? the love? the love? the love?" haha. no on the real, good look'n out chi.
i been hearing that punjabi MC and jay-Z track and linkin park encore every single time i gone out here for the past 3 years. and doofuses still getting loud for it. that's just shanghai. it is what it is.
i think it's great some kids wanna rhyme, but in china the only thing underground means is that nobody knows or cares who you are. because of the nature of chinese media, "the scene" has no influence on nor relevance at all to "the industry". believe me. and if kids want to go from messing around with their buddies to holding down crowds, standing on stages, and making money, then in addition to getting much better musically, they need to figure out the hustle of hiphop music in china. (or they can ditch style and just do the usual gay crap on tv and cds here.)
because u can be the sickest, still if you don't have a business model, if you don't know how to market and promote yourself, if you don't understand how hiphop works as a hustle and how the hustle works in china.. if you think the music industry is simply putting CDs in stores and people buying them.. then you need to change your career aspirations.
Yeah, the Encore mash-up... uggghhh... I don't even think its that good... Hopefully someone will put up "show me what you got". This is the land of pirated material. Play this track!!! http://www.rocafella.com/News.aspx?item=102655§ionid=137
Real hip-hop in China means that people involved in that culture HAVE to go underground. Like Tim said, the general media out here isn't going to foster the real hip-hop. It's all pop hip-hop you see on the TV and hear on the radio... Funny thing is that in the states, the best hip-hop, in my opinion, IS the underground stuff.
And for Pretentious Tw*t, (haha, I am using the name I see...) Yeah, hip-hop is home in America. But I don;t think we could comepare cognac with hip-hop. This is a social sub-culture we're talking about here. But you know, hip-hop started in NYC,so then hip-hop should only be an NYC thing, right? Wrong, its in Cali too. since its in cali, you get in in the midwest, then over to the south, its in Canada, then its spreads.. Look at England with the Streets, Dizzy Rascal and Killa Kella then move to France for the Supa Sayan Crew... bring it into Japan and Korea. Ever heard of Drunken Tiger and YG Family. And people listen to their stuff anf enjoy it.
It's like breaking (hip-hop dance from commonly called breakdacning by popular media), that stuff started in the Bronx, but I think every bboy in the world would agree that its Korea that's making the largest impact on breaking today. (i.e. Hong 10, Expression Crew, Gamblers Crew)
No one area of the world OWNS hip-hop. There's importance of where it started amongst the hip-hop community but hip-hop is an urban/youthful form of expression, and I think people fail to realize that there are cities, towns, ghettos and youth all ver the world. I've said this once, and I'll say it again, if you want to see some people in China doing actual hip-hop, Pretentious Tw*t (i still can't belive that is your name...), stop by The Lab, get to know Mr. Tsang, rhyme with Redstar, meet local Shanghaineese Gary Wang (aka V-Nutz) and check out the next Back to the Roots this November.
I guarantee that this will open your mind about genuine, different and creative hip-hop in China. It ain't all top forty hip-hop to pick up chicks with out here.
-- MoJo
I may be wrong, but I'm sure that it doesn't help the situation that there are popular Chinese artists doing (some form of) hip-hop or rap, when these artists are primarily known for their pop tunes.
There will always be "pop" hip-hop that will steal the integrity of the hip-hop people really trying to develop the scene, it just takes the right people and media to recognize that real hip-hop in China actually exsists.
-- MoJo
There's an alternative hip hop night starting tonight at Tanghui. V-nutz,Fortune and myself will play.
-funk 45s
-underground hip hop
-disco
-original breaks
-bboy tunes
expect J-live, MF Doom, Ugly Duckling,Company Flow,Anticon,dj Zeph, Z-trip etc
I feel you about Guandii. It is the Super ABC hangoout but hey the girls are hot.
Mojo hey,we should hook up this weekend and record over that beat you like, can we us B6 recording studio? I got no mic's nah mean????