Blog #5: Is Hip-Hop Really Global?
What’s up everyone? I am a huge sports fan but my true love is basketball. I still play to this day and I coach my son Alex’s AAU team, the Del Ray Blazers. Needless to say I was one of the one billion people that watched the USA “Redeem Team” defeat China. With the Olympics upon us it is great to turn on the television and find sports on all day long.
Between Lebron and Yao the major American companies have a tight grip on basketball in the Olympics as far as advertising is concerned. Basketball is a global game at this point but with companies like Nike bringing the culture of basketball to China where does that leave music? Do you guys think China would ever be open to hip hop? Does having Lebron and Yao be such big stars make a better case for hip hop’s acceptance into the Chinese culture? Keep in mind one of China’s biggest artists, Edison Chen, has already collaborated with Kanye West and Just Blaze. I would love to know your thoughts.
Tags: asian, basketball, blog, hiphop, music, olympics, rap, steve rifkind
August 12th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
What’s up Steve..
I definitely feel hip-hop should be trying to market in other countries more than we do now. The more wide-spread the more influences our messages have on other parts of the world and let’s not forget the financial gain that comes along with it. You already know, it’s all about thinking outside the box. By focusing only on our part of the world we’re limiting ourselves. Reach for the stars. I heard a saying one time that goes “How can the sky be the limit when there’s footprints on the moon”. I live by that saying and remind myself everyday to be keep pushing.
YUNG JERZ..
August 12th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
IN MY OPINION THE UNIVERSAL “LANGUAGE” OF BASKETBALL IS A STUNNING EXAMPLE HOW ICONIC PERFORMANCES IN ANY INDUSTRY CAN TRANSCEND CULTURAL BOUNDARIES… TO PUT IT SHORT : IF YOU’RE HOT AT WHAT YOU DO, YOU’RE HOT.PERIOD. !!!!! STUNTIN IS A HABIT, THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS TOO!!!!
-L.E.X.
August 12th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Rap And Basketball Are The World To Me…And I’m Nasty At Both! YES…I AM !
I Think HipHop Is World Wide…Its Contagious And Addictive!
But If HipHop Had More Variety It Would Be Even More Contagious And Addictive On A WorldWide Scale !
August 12th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Thank you for this wonderful blog post.
What’s up?
I love the name Alex, nice to hear about you and your son.
Thanks for telling me some more about China and sports…especially, basketball and getting me to think about the “advertisers.”
Yes, I think there are tons of peeps in China who are very “open” to rap, in fact, they would probably rap the hardest! In China, Christians are really treated poorly, they have to hold house church meetings secretly and stuff, and if they get caught, they get in big trouble. Christians are praying fervently for China. Many pastors and others have been severely wronged there because they want to worship and follow Christ. It’s a mess right now, but we shall overcome someday.
I am VERY close to China now? For some reason, it just all came out of the blue, before, it seemed that the only connected I ever had really with China, was that my hubby liked that one old song by David Bowie, “My Little China Girl,” :)!
NOW, however, China is just bomarding the mystical elements of my EVERYDAY life. China is ALWAYS coming up in my life right now!
One of the ways was when I donated money to this Christian organization online, and they sent me like 100 or more little rubber wristbands that say “Pray for China” on them, along with some Chinese writing and I had to quick hide them in my basement so my hubby wouldn’t see and send me to the mental ward of our local hospital again because he thinks I’m getting too religious and am crazy.
Then, there’s this dollar store that they just created in the outdoor shopping mall near my house. Me and hubby were sort of irritated that they had created a dollar store in there, thinking that it would “bring down the neighborhood,” as before, there used to be a lovely Hallmark store in it’s place, but they took the Hallmark store out and put in a dollar store and me and my hubby both frowned upon that at first. HOWEVER, when I went into that dollar store, for like the second time, I was amazed and delighted with this store. It is like no other dollar store I’ve ever been in. Not only is it very neat and orderly, but they have tons of items from China in there, really cheap, household things and what not. Great Chinese designs, like dragons and elephants, and Chinese popular plants, and Chinese popular styled clothes…but best of all, when I was last in there, I saw these little cheapie to me, bracelets, but when I looked more closely at the bracelets, I was delighted, they had little charms on them with like a pic of the blessed virgin mary, and then, some saints, I almost cried, I think, of course, I bought some of them, and the next time I go in there, I will make sure to buy ALL of them, I’m sure, but I’m good friends now with one of the owners of the store, a Chinese 20 something guy, I’ve met him and his brother so far and we talk a lot and they really like me, I know, because they let me pee in their bathroom that they don’t allow the public to use.
THEN, of course, there’s the Olympics in China this, then, there’s all the pastors getting on me about praying for and sending Bibles to China and helping the Christian prisoners there, and trying to get me to help change the heads of China mind about being more freedom of religion oriented.
I’m just a little China girl, now, too, it seems…I feel so, so close to China at the moment, even though I never asked to be and never really wanted to be. I even have plans of someday of maybe visiting China, if only for a little while, but, first, I really want to get to Spain in the year 2011 for World Youth Day, a creation of the Roman Catholic Church, then, I’d like to get to Africa, but, who knows if I’ll ever go anywhere but basically my own backyard, we’ll have to see where God leads.
I pray you and your family are having a glorious day today, Steve, and that you are all happy and content and satisifed.
I love you guys, take great care, and God bless,
Your friend from Pennsylvania, U.S.A.!
Carolina
August 12th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Of course. Thats whats so good about hip hop. Its diversity. EVERYBODY and they mama raps now. It ain’t just a black thang, it ain’t just a young thang, hip hop can be for everybody.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:33 am
What up Steve?
I believe hip-hop is like a religion and although its got its own code-of-ethics, it can easily be adopted by any culture across the world. I think its important to note that we have to be ready for the affects that other cultures may have on hip-hop itself and accept that for what it is.
Hip-Hop will never die, we just have to celebrate its evolution as it gets global.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Big Steve, wats good wit you Boss..
Truth be told, Hip Hop is “THEE LARGEST” music genre right now and generating the most revenue on a worldwide scale so i can easily see china adopting the culture. Especially given that kanye and jus blaze have already been making moves over there. Im pretty sure many large scale artist have also done touring so it seems pretty valid to say they will eventually accept it out there when they realize the revenue it will generate. I dont really know if having celebrity basketball players from America will make that much of an impact but it does go to show that they are open to us and welcoming in a sense. I like the sayin jerz dropped ” how can the sky be the limit when theres footprints on the moon” ..its true…our culture of music has broadend and got so large over the past couple decades that it very well seems like we are damn near in space on the moon if not further. The thing about hip hop is that it is so versatile in content with mixtures of other genres like rock, pop, r&b and so on that it attracts a broad audience because you dont consistently here the same concept and vibe on every song. The underground hip hop, soulful, eastcoast, westcoast, gangsta rap, party, south, mixed-genre colabs and so on. Its become a huge influnce in many other other culture and countries outside of the us. Its crazy how much they look up to and get inspiration from “our” artist.
I most definitely can see china adding our creation to there roster of music.
-Jouce
(Quote of the Week)
“Some people grow under responsibility, others merely swell.”
-Carl Hubbell
August 14th, 2008 at 4:01 am
yo dont forget jin!! get him back in da game! he kinda fell off after the ruff rydaz but im sure hes game if you drop him a line.. and yo, u seriously need an asian producer in the game rite now too. that would be me! holla back at me Steve for really realz…
August 14th, 2008 at 5:38 am
WHAT IT THIZZ STEVE,
IM MY OPINION,
basketball and hip hop go hand in hand ….like some yak and a blunt YA DIG …
hip hop in china has a steady buzz to the point where they are reconstructing our old skool breakin moves and adding kung fu and shit into it so companies like nike and so on with there million dollar campaign’s are only helping the push so to speak……
chinese teenagers are drawn to hip-hop not just by its music and fashion, but also by the free spirit it represents.
AMERICA has had the luxury of the hip hop culture for some time & as it spreads to other cultures such as china they already are embracing it!!!!
its still something new to them….
“ITS NOT DEAD” its alive and just begun……theres soo many people over there its ridicoulous….
ridicoulous sales…..
kanye is not dumb he keeps looking for ways to change up his sound and shyt i mean he is who he is and that only speaks in large amounts fuckin with a china artist ya dig…
anyway this is tha loud.com/Mexican yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
yadada
MEXICAN
August 14th, 2008 at 8:26 am
CHINA IS DOING A LOT OF HIP-HOP ALREADY……AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF ASIAN BEATS THAT I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO RAP ON…..HIP-HOP IS A LOT BIGGER THEN WHAT EVERYONE THINKS….IF YOU GO TO YOU TUBE AND TYPE IN HIP-HOP DANCING A LOT OF THE DANCERS ARE ASIAN…..THESE DUDES AND GIRLS CAN HOLD IT DOWN TOO……ASIAN HIP-HOP IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN BECAUSE ITS SOMETHING DIFFERENT……TO BE HONEST WITH YOU I HATE WHERE HIP-HOP IN AMERICA IS GOING AND WE NEED ALL THE NEW IDEAS WE CAN GET……I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD SEE THE DAY THAT I HATE TURNING ON THE RADIO TO LISTEN TO HIP-HOP MUSIC……BUT SINCE IT CHANGED TO CLUB AND COMMERCIAL SONGS I CAN’T STAND LISTENING TO ANY OF IT…..ITS LIKE THE SAME SONG COMES ON ALL DAY…..THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE VOICES AND AN OCCASSIONAL HOOK CHANGE…..BUT LYRIC WISE IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ALL SAYING THA SAME THING….SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION……YES I THINK HIP-HOP WILL WORK IN ASIA….BUT IT WILL ALSO WORK HERE TOO……EVERYONE IS READY FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT…….
JeRnY
August 16th, 2008 at 4:20 am
whether it be hip hop or not, music will always be a major part the world– Hip hop still has alot of doors to kick open ,but just like twenty some odd years ago “We wont stop”
Diversity will be the key to China or any other country embracing our sensational art form. Nike definatly doesnt have a problem being diverse and can be an extreme strong force. Kanye collaborating with their biggest artist definately is a step in the right direction, since he embodies doing whats not the norm. We scare people wtih our street essence in hip hop. Riding some major coatails may help hip hop Cross foreign borders
August 17th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Well honestly china is a very huge Hip Hop market. Look at Wu-Tang china loved there music because most of it was based on there cultural things but from our ghetto. Music over all is universal and truthfuly more artist take off once there music goes overseas!!
The people that don’t have the coolest things and trends right on hand try the hardest to get or become that!!
There is a Ghetto every place in the world.. Poverty and people just barely surviving!! That is the Essence of Hip Hop.. THE LOVE, THE STREETS & THE CHANCE OF LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM!!! The Small mans voice the Guy thats been stepped on ,overlooked and shuned now have a Voice!!!
THE GHETTO FRANK SANATRA
TRU O.G
August 17th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
what up doe boss! hip-hop is all over the world and I feel that they would embrace hip-hop because it is a real art form and impacts every walks of life.Now if these rappers would realize that anyone can rap , but to be a true Mc takes skill and talent!
August 19th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
i feel that hip hop has touched a spot over there in china, they have a pretty good grip on there hip hop scene, but i still think they have a long way to go to really accept it, and to branch out one of there own natives. i do think they are way better with some of there creative aspects with djaying, and breakdancing, i really think they masterd that and brought there own culture in that, and some of the fashion over there that has sprung out over here i think a majority of some of it started over there, thats just my thuoghts…..
August 21st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
WUT KINDA QUESTION IS THAT STEVE? YOU ALLREDY KNOW HIPHOP IS ALIVE AND WELL IN ASIA..AS FAR AS AN AMERICAN ARTIST SELLING UPWARDS OF ACOUPLE THOUSAND DOWNLOADS/CD’S OUT THERE LONDON HAS TO APPROVE FIRST..LONDON IS LIKE THE NEXXUS OF GLOBAL MARKETING FOR ANY PRODUCT BE IT MUSIC MOVIES ECT…IF YOU CAN MAKE THAT LEAP ACROSS THE POND INTO EUROPE THEN IT SPREADS FROM THERE..CHINA WILL FOLLOW..
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:52 pm
IM GETTING TIRES OF THESE FAKE ASS RAP ACTORS CLAIMING THEY ARE TRYING TO SAVE THE GAME. I FEEL LIKE IM THE HOTTESET ARTIST ON THIS SIGHT HANDS DOWN. IF YOU WANT HIT AFTER HIT FUCK WIT ME
August 25th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Steve thats a good question. I know that the Hip Hop Culture is spreading around the world. It has gone from the Bronx New York to Europe, China, and just recently I have seen a profile on here from Iran. I see Hip Hop itself a growing influence as a sub culture. Honestly I think it will take a while before it is respected as a form of music. Especially giving the recent reputation America has with the rest of the world. It is sad to say that our politics as a nation has had a negative effect on things like this..
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