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