Hershey, Pennsylvania
New York, New YorkBeijing, China
Style as Identity Politics in China: A Fresh Look at Rocker Cui Jian and Rapper GAI

Style as Identity Politics in China: A Fresh Look at Rocker Cui Jian and Rapper GAI

Zhaoxi Liu (Trinity University, USA)
Copyright: © 2023 |Pages: 26
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-5817-1.ch004
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Abstract

Cui Jian is the most famous Chinese rocker. GAI won the championship in China's very first rapping competition, “The Rap of China.” This chapter examines the styles of both stars to explore how they use unique styles to express and negotiate their identity within China's broader political context. Cui Jian's endorsement of the socialist idealism and hence the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) gives him some leeway in advocating for independent expression. GAI's gangsta swagger, on the other hand, was deemed subversive by the authorities and he was banned. Cui was able to maintain his style while GAI was forced to change. The chapter argues that musicians' styles mark their identity, which is in constant negotiation with the broader political environment. In China, it's about whether the musician's identity is compatible with the ruling party's hegemony. Cui and GAI provide two cases demonstrating how Chinese musicians negotiate their identity politics within the broader power structure.
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Introduction

Known as “the Father of Chinese Rock ‘n Roll” (Ho, 2006; Jones, 1992; Matusitz, 2010), Cui Jian (Cui is the last name) is the most famous Chinese rocker, who “shouted the first sound of China’s rock music” (Yao & Yang, 2010). GAI is the stage name of the rapper Zhou Yan (Zhou is the last name). In 2017, GAI won the championship of China’s first rapping competition, “The Rap of China” (hereafter “The Rap”), streamed on iQiyi, one of China’s main streaming services. He quickly became the face of China’s burgeoning hip hop culture. This chapter examines the styles of these two stars to explore how they use their distinct styles to express and negotiate their identity within China’s broader political environment and context.

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