Research and Other Investigations from China

Indonesian Dispatches: Daighila Rocks Out Java

Mar 13, 2011 | Music

Duan, the lead singer of Daighila, rips into the mic during a performance in a small studio in Jakarta

The sole purpose of my trip to Indonesia this past month was to tour with hardcore bands and experience the explosive DIY music scene across Java. Right now I am still shifting through thousands of photographs, so I thought I would separately introduce one of the two bands I first toured with in Jakarta, Bandung, Solo and Yogya. Daighila is a hardcore screamo band from Malaysia and kick ass. While I might not go home after a long day of work and throw on their record to relax, they put on one of the most impassioned live performances I ever witnessed. The leader singer, Duan, outstripped himself ever time he got on stage and raised the hackles on the necks of audiences across Java. It was really unbelievable to see first hand and hopefully the attached video will give you an idea of the emotional heights Daighila can reach during their shows. Even though over ten bands played at every concert, Daighila always stood out from the pack.

Portraits of the members of Daighila during their tour in Indonesia. Portraits of the members of Daighila during their tour in Indonesia.

Portraits of the members of Daighila during their tour in Indonesia. Portraits of the members of Daighila during their tour in Indonesia.

Nasty Ray and Crew Whiling Out at Section Six

Feb 27, 2011 | Music, Youth

Nasty Ray is easily one of my favorite rappers in China – a true, homegrown, Beijing-back-alley freestlyer. First drawn to hip hop when he heard a Naughty by Nature track on an NBA videogame in 1998, he‘s now a battler who never shies from the mic. Nasty Ray is best known for his Dirty North CD released on the YinEnt label with Lao Zheng, but continues to collaborate with Aidge Rock of the Aesthetics Crew based in Los Angeles. A big fan of the Wu-Tang Clan, he also got to fulfill a dream by opening up for Ghostface Killah when he rolled through Beijing last year. The video above was taken at last month’s Section Six hip hop party. It showcases Nasty Ray whiling out with his crew followed by a song featuring heavyweight MC Daxiao. Also, as part of the upcoming Jue Festival, Nasty Ray will perform at the “Slam, Rap, Words” event held at 2 Kolegas. I’ll end the post with a rhyme he wrote for me when I took his portrait last September:

从我嘴里说的词, 到唐宋念的诗, 这跨越的是五千年文化的历史, 我代表团结湖讲着老北京的话, 欢迎来到我的家和我一起岔

The words from my mouth to poems of Tang and Song / Stretch over history 5,000 years long / I represent community, spit real Beijinghua /Come over to my house and we’ll cha (battle)

Nasty Ray Portrait - Beijing MCsNasty Ray Portrait - Beijing MCsNasty Ray Portrait - Beijing MCs

B-Boys & B-Girls: Breakdancing in the Jing

Feb 18, 2011 | Portraits, Youth

Breakdancers throw down at Section Six at Yugongyishan

Getting down to funky beats in China has been around much longer than grabbing the mic and spitting rhymes. Many point to pirated tapes of Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo getting wide circulation in the late eighties as really triggering the b-boy and b-girl movement. More established breakdancing scenes in Korea and Japan also influenced and catalyzed rockers in China. Now there are dance crews all over major cities with Beijing and Shanghai at the epicenter of this urban dance movement. One of the best places to catch these kids throw down on the dance floor in Beijing is the Section Six hip hop party held on the last Saturday of every month at Yugong Yishan, but competitions are held on the regular throughout the city. Otherwise there are plenty of dance studios in town if you feel like practicing before busting a move in public.

Breakdancers throw down at Section Six at YugongyishanBreakdancers throw down at Section Six at YugongyishanBreakdancers throw down at Section Six at Yugongyishan

Section Six Breakdancing PortraitsSection Six Breakdancing Portraits

Section Six Breakdancing PortraitsSection Six Breakdancing Portraits

Extreme Winter: Nanshan Snowboarding Events

Jan 26, 2011 | Sports, Youth

Busting a fat trick at Nanshan during the Nike "Five Gates" events

Nanshan is making a big push this winter with more and more kids strapping on snowboards and taking to the slopes. Although Nanshan might be an over-glorified hill, it is still home to one of the best snow parks in China and remains the closest one to Beijing. Every year it hosts The Red Bull Nanshan Open, now considered a top-level slopestyle competition, and attracts snowboarders from around the world with its large cash purse. Otherwise, it has been hosting a series of events called the Nike 6.0 “Five Gates” Jam Series which, “replicates the historic Three Kingdoms story of a captured General and the five gates he had to fight through to return to his rightful home and family – in this case replacing gates with obstacles and battles with jam sessions!” Quite an interesting way of incorporating Chinese history into a snowboarding event. All the same, it is bringing more and more snowboarders out to Nanshan and helping pave the way for yet another extreme sport in China. I predict we will be seeing many more visits like Shawn White’s during the Air & Style competition in the coming years. These photos were taken at the first Nike 6.0 “Five Gates” Jam Series event entitled The Ledge. There are still two more events left on February 12 and 26 at Nanshan. Catch a bus and head for the hills.

A crowd watches the show at Nanshan during the Nike "Five Gates" eventsOverlooking the course at Nanshan during the Nike "Five Gates" eventsSnowboarders battle it out during the Nike "Five Gates" events

Competitors take the tow to the top of the course at the first of the NIke "Five Gates" eventsCompetitors take the tow to the top of the course at the first of the NIke "Five Gates" events

Competitors take the tow to the top of the course at the first of the NIke "Five Gates" eventsCompetitors take the tow to the top of the course at the first of the NIke "Five Gates" events

Gum Bleed Releases Revolutionary EP: No War But Class War

Oct 27, 2010 | Music

Gum Bleed rocks out D-22 for the release of their new EP

Gum Bleed just released a new EP, No War But Class War, on October 15. The evening also celebrated their fifth year anniversary as a band. Gum Bleed are, “the youngest and most revolutionary street punx in People’s Republic of China,” according to their website. The lead singer rocks a hardcore, deep-throated growl as he expounds on the problems of the working class and the socioeconomic excesses of a now globalized China. It’s hard to discern what he is singing on stage, but the lyrics are incendiary to say the least. I don’t usually see punk bands openly publicize such lyrical discontent to this extent. On the website they also post separate links to a host of both international (Myspace, iTunes, YouTube) and domestic (Douban, Youku, Renren) media sites – very savvy. Buy some of their badass t-shirts which are also on sale. Here is to another five years of fighting the system. Onward and upward with Gum Bleed!

“Civilization Crime”

Whoa.. Oh..Whoa Civilization crime
Whoa.. Oh..Whoa Civilization crime

We was born in hate and dark
With this modern slavery
Bank and law has bleed white us
Hey what’s the hell, what’s going on

99 for new colony capital
Get paid 1 from the TNC
World free market brings us endless debt
Hey what’s the hell, what’s going on

Welcome to the brilliant world factory
Full of grandeur industrial parks and top airports
Working class pay the liabilities for the whole country
But die in private property social security system

Globalization imperialism , Civilization crime
Corporatocracy failed us, Civilization crime

Hey! look at the country’s GNP
Hey! why you still in terror n’ disease
Hey! wake up the jobless and tear up the reins
Hey that’s the future, keep going on

Globalization imperialism , Civilization crime
Corporatocracy failed us, Civilization crime

“Economy is Fake Anyway”

Struggle turns to market, Politic’s a business
People on high level said: “That’s not enough!”

Covered by the money, Covered by the profit
Greedy meat eater said: “That’s the human nature!”

Cheaper than the machines, Cheaper than the live stocks
We were betrayed by nation but: “Enough is enough!”

Used to be no words, Used to be no faces
We were zero but: “We won’t be silence!”

We won’t calculate anyway
We won’t produce anyway
We won’t buy you anything
We won’t sell you anything

Expose the truth

Cynicism
Egoism
Deferential to yield
Enough for us

We won’t buy you
We won’t sell you
We won’t buy you
We won’t sell you

Snow, lead guitarist for Gum Bleed, gives the stoic lookSnow, lead guitarist for Gum Bleed, gives the pyscho look

Play: Gum Bleed – No War But Class War

Play: Gum Bleed – Liberation Day