Hip-Hopping Across China: Intercultural Formulations of Local Identities

The linguistic dimensions of globalized hip-hop cannot be understood simply as a byproduct of English as an American export. As hip-hop mobilizes, it is common (and arguably necessary) for global hip-hop communities to struggle through purposeful, semiotically rooted dialectics over what constitutes “authentic” and respectable forms of local hip-hop identity (Pennycook, 2007 Pennycook, A. 2007. Language, localization, and the real: Hip-hop and the global spread of authenticity. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 6: 101–115. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]; Omoniyi, 2009 Omoniyi, T. 2009. “So I choose to do am naija style”. In Global linguistic flows: Hip-hop cultures, youth identities, and the politics of language, Edited by: Alim, H. S., Ibrahim, A. and Pennycook, A. 113–153. New York, NY: Routledge. [Google Scholar]). In many ways, hip-hop in China is in the midst of that very struggle. During the past decade, relaxed economic regulations (Fang, 2006 Fang, B. May 1 2006. “Spending spree”. In U.S. News & World Report May 1, 44–50. [Google Scholar]) and cultural allure have attracted several foreigners to China, many of whom have taken an active role alongside local enthusiasts in formulating a sense of Chinese hip-hop identity. This study uses Agha's emblematic figures of identity (2007) as a framework for bringing forth the following research question: How are intercultural processes of identity formation between local and foreign artists mediated by language in the Chinese hip-hop community? Data were gathered through interviews and lyric analysis, as well as recording-studio and live performance observations. Contrary to folk and academic criticisms claiming that foreign presence leads to mimicry or cultural “pollution” (De Kloet, 2005 De Kloet, J. (2005). Cultural synchronization: Hip-hop with Chinese characteristics? International Association for the Study of Popular Music, July 25–29. Retrieved from http://home.tiscali.nl/jeroendekloeth (http://home.tiscali.nl/jeroendekloeth) [Google Scholar]), the findings suggest that in many cases global hip-hop resources are interculturally recruited and (re)analyzed according to their ability to promote practices rooted in local significance.