Underground Hip-Hop in Shanghai - Part 1: DJs, MCs

This post is the first of a 4-part series on Rock in Shanghai.  Here are links to other posts in the series: Part 2: Influences, People; Part 3: Venues, Nights; Part 4: Media, Crossover, Brands.

Many of the most well-known pop stars in China use elements of hip-hop and R&B in their music, including Jay Chou and Wilber Pan.  However, there is a scene of more pure or underground hip-hop in Shanghai that stays true to the original style and sound of hip-hop, which was started in the Bronx during the 1970s.  Additionally, there is a related genre of what can be called Chinese hip-hop ("嘻哈" in Chinese) which exists in between and overlaps with both the commercial "pop-rap" and underground hip-hop genres.

The Lab

To help define the underground hip-hop scene, it's best to read an introduction to a weekly event by Shanghai's most influential underground hip-hop organization, The Lab:

"The Lab crew present a weekly night of real hip-hop, breaks, funk and soul. If you are looking for 50 Cent, bling bling RnB anthems and sexy hiphop wet t-shirt ass shaking babe competitions then please go elsewhere. Sweet soul, raw funk, old school, golden era and the freshest hip-hop will be provided by rotating residents Fortune, Shige, V-Nutz and The Drunk Monk, with guest DJs and MCs each week."

This clearly differentiates underground hip-hop from the mainstream hip-hop / R&B scene and references the original influences from American hip-hop, including soul and funk music.  The majority of the musicians involved in this scene in Shanghai are DJs or turntabilists, who use various techniques to mix tracks, including beat mixing/matching, scratching, and beat juggling. 

In Shanghai, almost everything related to underground hip-hop orginates from or is related with The Lab, "a non-profit studio that supports a community of musicians in Shanghai, with an emphasis on DJ culture, local MC’s and live music."   The Lab organizes weekly DJ, MC workshops and events and is open for DJ parctice, lessons and jamming with live musicians. 

The Lab was founded by two Shanghai DJ’s, V-Nutz (Gary Wang / 王冬青) and Fortune (傅骏).  V-Nutz is the first DMC China Champion and continues to organize the DMC DJ Championship China Finals annually, and takes the winner to London each year for the world finals.  Other DJs involved in The Lab and the underground scene include a mix of Chinese, Japanese and American DJs and producers including DJ Big One, DJ Shige, DJ L-j, Kuli, Kyle, DJ HBD.

The Lab has brought a large number of world-reknown DJs to Shanghai, including DJ Qbert, Cut Chemist, Kentaro, DJ Nu-Mark, Kid Koala, Shortkut, Roc Raida, J-Smoke, Dopey, Kentaro, Roli Rho and Revolution.

Redstar

One hip-hop group that is an emerging leader in the underground hip-hop scene is Red Star, which is composed of two MCs, Shanghai native Tang King and Brooklyn-born Mojo, along with Taiwanese-American DJ/Producer Sickstar.

Redstar explains their music: "RedStar’s sound embodies classic and authentic Hip Hop music without any of the fake and phony additives seen in many of todays so-called hiphop acts...Redstar provides a clear alternative to the growing number of hiphop music fans that are not into the overtly hardcore commercialized Bling-Bling rap, or the equally diluted-down messages of the so called Pop-Rap genres."

Chinese Hip-Hop (or "嘻哈") Artists

Along with the more original underground hip-hop, a genre of Chinese hop-hop exists in Shanghai that oftens overlaps with more commercial "pop-rap."  The musicians in this scene are typically MCs or rappers, who often perform in groups and are recognizable by their attention to the fashion and aesthetics of hip-hop. In Shanghai, a local style of hip-hop lyrics have emerged in which MCs rap in the local Shanghainese dialect, often mixed in with Mandarin and English.

Some of the most prominent musicians in the Shanghai hip hop scene include: BlaKK Bubble, 竹游人, 南蟾, 黑棒 , KenWu, SRC, 喷嘭乐团, Mild Wild Child
Dogg Tribe, DBG Represent and TBC Crew.