Chinese hip hop has been getting a lot of attention lately. A year ago, the underground movement got coverage from NPR and just Saturday, they landed a huge article in the New York Times and even an honors thesis from a student at Stanford.
As the NY Times article mentioned, what's interesting about this movement is not about a Chinese version of hop hop, because they don't have a clear distinct style, but it's about some of them are using the medium to criticize and call out the ugly realities of life that's usually swept away by the government or popular culture. The trick is balance. Musicians that are too popular have less room to say what they want because of their influence and reach. But those who are underground (well, more so than others) have the freedom to say what they want but no one to listen to them.
* note, the fifth song is actually a Taiwanese artist.
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