What Needs to be Governed? Hip-Hop Cultural Governance in China through the Lens of Modifications to Rap Music Lyrics
Datos Bibliográficos
| ID | 24237751 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Tianyi Yang (0009-0006-8890-1357, University of Massachusetts Amherst), Ge Zhu (0000-0002-2109-4857, Renmin University of China), Yilin Luo (0009-0004-8195-3184, Renmin University of China), Fang Wu (0000-0002-8436-7293, Shanghai Jiao Tong University) |
| Año | 2026 |
| Páginas | 1-23 |
| Fecha de publicación | 2026-10-18 |
| Open Access | No |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Revista | Asian Studies Review (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores de la revista | ISSN: 1035-7823 • E-ISSN: 1467-8403 |
| Editorial | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10357823.2026.2731061 |
| OpenAlex | W7222902355 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Referencias citadas | 42 |
Rap music, as a core element of hip-hop culture, is often celebrated for its subcultural resistance but has undergone significant transformation in China amid processes of mainstreaming and state cultural governance. While previous research has highlighted the localisation and commercialisation of Chinese hip-hop, limited attention has been paid to the micro-level textual shifts in the mainstreaming of Chinese rap music. This study investigates how Chinese state ideology exerts an explicit and subtle impact on popular culture through the case of The Rap of China, a widely viewed hip-hop competition show. By analysing 934 pairs of live and studio versions of songs using thematic and critical discourse analysis, the study identifies three major patterns of lyrical modification: explicit depoliticisation, subtle depoliticisation, and the elimination of ‘badness’. We find that content perceived as politically sensitive or morally inappropriate is systematically altered, transforming hip-hop from a rebellious subculture into an ideologically compliant tool for moral education and social harmony. These transformations are not solely top-down; they reflect a negotiation between state agencies, streaming platforms, and artists under China’s model of cultural governance. This study contributes to understanding how subcultural forms are restructured to serve both market logics and ideological purposes in contemporary China.
Censorship · cultural governance · hip hop · music regulation · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Cultural Industries and Urban Development · Music History and Culture
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| Altamente citado | No |
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