Graffiti styles

[GoodPeoples]

How big is the Hip-Hop culture in China, specifically Graffiti Styles?

[adrianlondon]

Not very. Assuming, like most places, that graffiti is going to be concentrated in the big cities, I saw hardly any in Beijing and even less (ie virtually none) in Shanghai. The only graffiti I did see in Shanghai was done by an italian artist and was around the m50 art district, so more of a mural with a graffiti style, than real graffiti.

As for hiphop - apart from a couple of Chinese bands trying to copy American hiphop, or Jay Chou's version of it, I've seen none.

I suppose, as tagging and hiphop grew from the streetsounds electro movement (at least, that's how I got into it in the early to mid 80s) and came from the US, it's always going to be considered a copy, wherever it's done. However, I think French hiphop and rapping is great, even if I can''t quite follow the lyrics.

[GoodPeoples]

WORD

It's always going to be considered a copy, wherever it's done. However, I think French hiphop and rapping is great, even if I can''t quite follow the lyrics.

I would have considered any HipHop U.S. only as real HipHop back in the day, but now its more "outernational" HipHop has become a world culture. As for French HipHop...yeah they do it right.

I really hope I can find some writers A.K.A. Graff artist. Thanks for the reply.

Edited November 13, 2008 at 06:45 AM by imron
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[lilongyue]

Some really impressive graffitti has been appearing in Hangzhou recently. Unfortunately I don't have any pics. Beijing is the capital of hip-hop in China, but if you aren't actively searching for it you won't find it. I've met B-boys in China, inlcuding people into popping and locking, as well as scratch DJs, but not many. South Korea and Japan have huge hip-hop scenes, with world champion b-boys. China is rather far behind in comparison.

BTW, allthe graffitti I've seen has been in English, which is a shame, as I think people could go crazy with Chinese characters . . .

[akdn]

Your question reminded me of this short film from Danwei TV on the graffiti scene in Shanghai.

There's not much of note in Lanzhou. I've recently come across a few examples.

[doezeedoats]

You can see all kinds of graffiti styles in Taipei, from lame tags (someone should tell those losers to go eat death) to supercool Banksy-like stencils (My favorite is one with three guerrillas shouldering rpgs--the caption reads "What future?"). The poorer the neighborhood, the better the graffiti.