Daniel Otero

Every time a show from this particular series finishes, it concludes with a rap song in Mandarin. It is funky, and at the same time groovy. With the “fresh” sounds of “Soft Lipa,” “Young Jack” or those of the likes of Gordon, the rap is just a delicious blend of hip-hop, R&B and soul.

The series described above is called “Warrior,” a Cinemax crime drama inspired on the writings of Bruce Lee set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. But I am not here to talk about Bruce Lee, but the influence that Chinese-rap has done not only in Asia. It has gone further across China and into mainstream Hollywood.

Rap made its first introduction into the mainland back in 1984; however, it didn’t make much of a splash. Actually, it would take another 25 years for it to hit the mainstream and become popular throughout the entirety of China, and with the youth.

Recently with the hits on Bilibili music, the teenagers are enjoying a new sound from Chen Jinnan and her hit “Malice From the World,” which is sung specially against depression and cyberbulling. The other new act is a kid from Hangzhou. Tango Z sings “Love Paradise,” and he tries in a good way to blend his rap lyrics with the Hangzhou dialect.

Both artists deliver a strong message with their music and in their play of words, which makes them genius lyricists in the rap game.

Now, what these artists have done is amass an impressive audience of 350 million, bringing rap into the Chinese music culture and furthering its success.

Originally, rap itself came from the streets in 1979’s (in the Bronx borough) New York City, when it was underground music. It talked about the realities of life for those who grew up in the streets. But it was too crude and vulgar for some, so the genre stayed mostly within the ghetto and didn’t flourish properly, not until much later when some rap musicians didn’t feel the need to use vulgarity. Then, it was the time for rap to reach new heights.

From its underground origins, it went all over the world touching the hearts of youth who sometimes felt distant and that they didn’t belong in society.

The rhythm is bouncy, almost sweet in nature, but raw with the frustrations against cruelty; how people can be so bad to one another and how to make this world a better place.

Moreover, it tries to say in its own special way: peace out, keep it peaceful; unite, not divide!