Asia’s Homegrown Hip-hop Artists Are Ready for the World

2018-10-15安迪史密斯郝福合

英语世界 2018年9期

文/安迪·史密斯译/郝福合

With a population of an estimated two billion people in the 16-34 age range, demographic numbers alone illustrate the Asian music market’s potential. At SXSW 2018, a number of hip-hop and R&B artists are out to demonstrate the region’s commercial promise.

[2] Hip-hop first took root in Japan.According to Ian Condry, a professor of Japanese Cultural Studies at MIT and author of Hip-Hop Japan, the country’s homegrown scene1scene活动领域。took root after Rapper’s Delight21979年由美国的“糖山帮”组合（Sugarhill Gang）推出的说唱歌曲。made the rounds3make the rounds流传，传播。at discos in 1979.

据估计，年龄在16至34岁之间的亚洲人口达20亿之多，单看人口数字就足以说明亚洲音乐市场的潜力。多名嘻哈和节奏蓝调艺人亮相2018西南偏南艺术节，将展现该地区音乐的商业前景。

[2]亚洲嘻哈乐最初在日本扎根。按照麻省理工学院日本文化学教授、《嘻哈日本》一书的作者伊恩·康德瑞的说法，1979年《说唱者的喜悦》风靡于各迪斯科舞厅之后，日本的本土嘻哈乐便生了根。

[3] Hip-hop grew through dancing—in both the higher-class clubs and with the breakers in Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park.“You have a couple breakthrough hits in 1994,” Condry says. “Up till then the record companies were skeptical.” The success of rap trio Scha Dara Parr in the'90s helped Japan’s grassroots hip-hop grow, and the genre is represented at SXSW by Rude-a and PRANKROOM.

[4] What started in Japan spread to Seoul, South Korea, which has asserted itself as a music hotspot with a welldeveloped industry promoting K-pop4K-pop韩国流行音乐，Korean pop的缩写。to a worldwide audience. More recently,hip-hop and R&B have challenged the K-pop establishment for commercial dominance.

[5] “The influence has been big in fashion as well. Street brands are performing far better than other lifestyle brands… Also, there’s always a rap verse5verse歌曲中的段落。in most Korean pop songs.” explains Jessica Oak, Editor-in-Chief of Billboard Korea.

[6] Among the most prominent of the Korean artists at SXSW 2018 is Jay Park. The Seattle-area native started as a member of K-pop band 2PM before breaking out on his own6break out on one’s own单飞，独自创业。. Since then,Park has become a major star, even signing with Roc Nation. In 2017, Park partnered with musical collaborator Cha Cha Malone to launch H1GHR MUSIC Records, a venture focusing on rappers from both the U.S. and South Korea.The two MCed a H1GHR showcase7showcase新歌推介会。at SXSW.

[3]日本嘻哈乐是通过高级夜总会和东京代代木公园霹雳舞者的舞蹈发展起来的。“1994年出现过几首红极一时的突破之作。”康德瑞说道，“此前，各家唱片公司一直抱有怀疑态度。”20世纪90年代说唱三人组Scha Dara Parr的成功促进了日本草根嘻哈乐的发展。在西南偏南艺术节上，Rude-a和PRANKROOM是这一音乐类型的代表。

[4]发端于日本的亚洲嘻哈乐，后传至韩国首尔，这座城市已成音乐之都，音乐产业发展成熟，将韩国流行音乐向全球听众推广。最近，嘻哈和节奏蓝调已对韩国流行音乐的商业统治地位构成挑战。

[5]“这种影响在时装领域也是巨大的。街头品牌的销售状况远胜其他时尚品牌……同时，在大多数韩国流行歌曲中总有一段说唱歌词。”韩国公告牌主编杰西卡·奥克解释说。

[6]在2018西南偏南艺术节上最引人注目的韩国艺人当属朴宰范。这位生于西雅图的歌手刚出道时是韩国流行音乐团体2PM成员，后来单飞。从此朴宰范成为一线明星，甚至签约Roc Nation公司。2017年，朴宰范携手音乐合作人恰恰马隆，成立H1GHR唱片公司，专门推出美韩说唱歌手。两人在西南偏南艺术节期间主持H1GHR新歌推介会。

[7] “I respect an artist who is an artist,” explains Malone about the type of acts8act演出团体。H1GHR RECORDS looks to work with. “Someone who can write their own songs, melodies, and have their own aspirations but could use some help ful filling them.”

[8] Crush has dominated the Korean music charts recently with his airy falsetto9falsetto（尤指男高音的）假声。and R&B sound, which he says is influenced by the likes of Stevie Wonder and Musiq Soulchild. He is excited to see the diverse array of artists at SXSW. “Watching the performances of the musicians from around the world,”Crush says. “I want to receive positive energy and be inspired by them.”

[9] DPR LIVE and L.A. native Junoflo represent the more grassroots side of Korean hip-hop at SXSW, earning acclaim without major label backing.

[10] Rappers have also emerged from Indonesia and Vietnam. Whether or not the East Asian twist10twist变化形式，变体。on hip-hop and R&B will turn into a global phenomenon remains to be seen. Music fans at SXSW can catch some of the artists trying to make it happen. ■