From Gai to Vava: five Chinese rappers who became famous (or infamous) after The Rap of China
- With Season Three of The Rap of China approaching, here are five rappers who found fame and fortune (or misfortune) after appearing on the show
- Rappers include PG One, who lost his street cred after an apology for his misogynistic lyrics, and Lexie Liu, who was signed to US label 88 Rising
Chinese reality show The Rap of China was a sensation – racking up nearly three billion online views – when it launched in 2017.
A competition in the model of The Voice, the show has been credited with launching hip hop mania across China and making stars out of many of its competitors. In the face of a government crackdown, resistance and overt censorship, the second season struggled to find as many viewers, with some observers saying the show had lost its edge – something of a death sentence in the world of hip hop where edginess is one of the genre’s most valuable currencies.
But now, in the run up to the third season, the show is rebranding and casting a net across the Chinese diaspora from the Americas to Malaysia hoping to find the next great Chinese rapper. Auditions all over the world have been packed and expectations are high. For good reason: The Rap of China remains a potent force for hip hop stardom.
In the run-up to the new season, which is expected to start airing soon, check out these five rappers, who got their start during the first two seasons of The Rap of China and became some of the biggest artists in Chinese hip hop.
PG One
