"Banned" Rap Music Finds Life in Two Sessions Propaganda Video

Despite reports of a nationwide ban, rap music is being prominently featured in a newly-released video that promotes this week's Two Sessions gathering of Chinese lawmakers with promises of more prosperity to come

The song says "a wonderful life is waiting for you" due to the "bright blueprint" being drawn up at the Two Sessions and uses metaphors like "road of common prosperity" and "steps of building a moderately prosperous society" to tell Chinese citizens that "our lives will become even better."

Pictured: the public getting showered with governement "hongbao"

Similar to other Chinese government promotional materials, the video (see below) uses music and cartoons to explain that everything from education to health care to pensions is improving in China to the point that "all the people, men and women, old and young, applaud it."

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Made by the People's Daily and Haihainet, the video stakes its argument upon such claims that China will be "revitalizing rural areas" while keeping a lid on skyrocketing housing prices, an opinion expressed in one of the interviews shown in the clip. But in the case that this promise doesn't come to light, the video also hedges its bets by putting the responsibility upon the listeners themselves.

Workplace sign: "Strife begets happiness"

Hand-held sign: "Realizing our dreams through our own efforts"

Near the end of the video, the lyrics to the song explain that, "As there is no free lunch in the world/our dreams could only be realized through our own efforts." To drive this point home, an office employee seen working under a sign that reads, "Happiness is derived from struggle" suddenly improves his demeanor by displaying signs that read, "Make one's way in life by one's own efforts" and "Work hard and perseveringly."

And yet, immediately after telling the listener not to rely on others for support, numerous interviewees are shown expressing their passionate support, two of whom happen to be expats. But although their inclusion in the video's "man-on-the-street" interviews seem to be representative of a wider international perspective on China, they are actually both popular media personalities often seen praising China.

Lila Kidson, otherwise known as 星悦 Xīng Yuè in Chinese (Weibo here: weibo.com/pinkielila), is a frequent collaborator with the Foreigner Research Institute where she takes part in "man-on-the-street" interviews as both interviewer and interviewee. Heard in the rap video praising China's e-commerce sites, Kidson's praise for China has featured in Chinese media before, as with a Xinhua video (see below) in which Kidson promotes China's cashless payment systems.

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=o05647vqhuf&width=500&height=375&auto=0

Like Kidson, Stuart Wiggin is also a popular Chinese media personality who can be commonly heard praising China in online videos in addition to this one. As seen on his popular Weibo account (weibo.com/dudustu), Higgins is well-known on Chinese media as seen when the People's Daily reblogged his video (see below) upon International Women's Day on Thursday. Higgins is a part of the "Laowai Kan Dongxi" online show (weibo.com/youdaocidian) where he is routinely brow-beaten by his co-host Ali and does other shows, such as the one last week where he helped celebrate Lei Feng Day by dressing up like a Revolutionary Era Chinese soldier.

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Meanwhile, other noteworthy parts of the video include suggestions that the anti-corruption campaign that was first implemented when current Chinese President Xi Jinping came into power five years ago will continue. The lyrics explain that in order to "[foster] a healthy political atmosphere of integrity," China will "fully and strictly implement the Party discipline" by "taking out 'tigers', swatting 'flies,' and hunting down 'foxes.'"

Scopes allow better targeting of tigers, foxes and flies

Earlier this year, state censor State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television put a conditional ban on "immoral" rap and hip-hop culture from appearing in national media outlets after a celebrity scandal broke out involving rapper PG One.

But whereas PG One and other rap artists have been banned in China, Chinese authorities have stepped up to fill in the lack of rap music. Before the Two Sessions rap video (which also had a 2017 version), the Lhasa train police released a Spring Festival public safety video in which they rapped safety tips to their listener.

Photo: Weibo.com, People's Daily (tv.people.com.cn)

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