In the 1990’s Wutang Clan emerged from a small hole in Staten Island to making a big splash that reupholstered the way Hip Hop was accepted. Channeling ancient Chinese culture, The NYC duo internalized values for their music, fashion, and films that until this day continues to embed itself in our culture and even affect marketing strategies between continents.
–
Fast forward a few years and that influence has reflected back to their shores to where it originated from. With a unique, but universal interpretation – Hip Hop has spoken to the hearts across the globe familiar to struggle and social catharsis. Origins of the most ancient dynasties, now see their ancestors adopting the American imported vibrato. From a hopeless place to now growing alongside its marketability – its influence on culture has made Hip Hop the ultimate African American resource and everyone around the world is eating it up.
–
Michigan native, Dana Burton , traveled to China in 1999 with aspirations of surrounding himself around militant movements and unseen culture. What he found, however, was high-rise apartments resembling NYC project housings with EDM-like music blasting from their widows down to the clubs they overlooked. In just one year this would all change with some exposure.
–
Advertisement
After Burton saw an opportunity to shed light on the culture, he created Hip Hop nights in surrounding Appalachian areas that turned out to be a deep rooted love for the music. Today, Burton has created such a movement with Chinas love and interest for Hip-Hop that he now has multinational corporations including Intel, Coca-Cola, and Adidas turn to him when they need help in marketing their consumer goods; opening markets for major Hip-Hop artists looking to expand into Chinese territory. Artists have found a home that long awaited them , where their influence and militant movements against systematic oppression touch the hearts of those local rappers now creating their own style.
–
As Hip Hop continued to creep its way into microphones across China, the rapping has gone from Karaoke-like American interpretations to native tongue rap battles. Hip Hops universality has once again seen its original adoption transmuted into a unique interpretation with faster flows, using dynamic sentence structure and rhyme patterns.
–
The origins of hip hop are rooted in the civil discontent of a marginalized group. As an art form, American hip hop is usually filled with lyrics and visual depictions that expressively emphasize the struggle of the minority. China faces more and more social and economic problems; though such problems were once associated with traditional capitalist economic systems, Chinese disparities have become obvious and serious; thus giving the Chinese need for the expressive channel. The unifying force centered on themes and values in line with Chinese culture, has brought the art form new light. Rather than steal the song, they’ve borrowed the instrument.
–
Like Wutang Clan, the original package of two cultures coming together has seen a transcendence to a brand new Chinese form, unique on its own. Its lyrics is a reflection of their own culture. Prone to rap more about stories of everyday like life, love, and even food – rather than systematic oppression, violence, or drug abuse; their songs promote improvement as an artist which is a reflection of their more spiritual ideology in the Eastern hemisphere. Chinese hip hop is often accused of being soft, however, naturally this is a western point of view, coming from a perspective that does not understand nor respect patience, and love constituting the foundations of Chinese art and culture.
–
Hip Hop as a resource has become Americas bread and butter where influence on other cultures have opened up markets before unseen. Globalization has spread Western materialistic ideology of the West throughout the rest of the world; where new markets such as China are becoming increasingly important for U.S marketers. Studies have found young consumers of the urban subcultures in Hong Kong are similar to their U.S peers. As mass media reaches more audiences, Hip-Hop is serving as the cultural commonality between neighboring and distant countries. This urban segment has influenced markets by reducing animosity towards U.S products and increased their willingness to buy their products, Like Nike and New Era. From product positioning to message development and media strategies, Hip Hop has helped generate a more favorable view of U.S. products by reaching international consumers at an even platform.
–
In more ways then we can imagine, Hip Hop has changed the game more than we can understand.
*
–
Catch Wutang reunite at our SOURCE 360 expo September 19th-21
– Hurtjohn (@Mr_Hurtado_)
