China’s “Two Sessions” Rap: The Party’s New Spin on Spicy Political Hype
Picture this: a hoodie‑worn rapper blasting a chorus in English while a polished American voice gushes about something called “Chinese democracy.” It’s Beijing’s fresh take on political advertising, a move that has journalists and internet sleuths scratching their heads.
Why a Rap Video?
China’s state media has been turning to rap to make its propaganda feel like a dance‑floor anthem. The trend started with the “Two Sessions: To the World from China” clip, produced by Xinhua and the People’s Daily to celebrate the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress and the CPPCC.
- Built around seemingly random rhymes.
- Showcases achievements: anti‑pollution, poverty relief, a historic moon landing.
- Features a hip‑hop star, Su Han, wearing a hoodie and hype‑saying: “I got elation from inspiration writing a compliment song for the nation while I’m talking about ‘two sessions.’”
It’s not the first time Beijing’s propaganda team has dropped a beat. A month ago, People’s Daily released an animated rap about the same topic, complete with crowd‑sourced interviews and even a sprinkle of foreign faces.
Targeting the World Stage
Why ditch the Mandarin? Xinhua has been Swinging into the global social media scene—sending videos to Twitter and Facebook (yes, we’re the first to admit that those platforms are blocked in China). Last year’s “Belt and Road” rap, jammed with English subtitles, was posted on Twitter as a way to shout “China’s got this international deal thing covered.”
But the English lyrics are often a puzzle. For instance, Su Han raps:
“Eject all the rapaciousness like shaking off nephrolithiasis.”
“The Hanging Gardens so we turn the entire space into oasis.”
“We’ve truly entered a new era of propaganda as nonsense. Form is everything.”
“Clever? Eh,” mused David Bandurski, co‑director of the China Media Project at the University of Hong Kong, calling the piece “naked nationalism married to nonsense.”
Going Viral or Just Gaping?
Autonomous scholars have linked this new style to a deeper partnership between China’s propaganda machine and advertising firms. Since Xi Jinping rose to power, the message has been tweaked for virality, flirting with the “young, hip” crowd each year.
China’s “Democracy” Explained (In a Very Selected Way)
Alongside the rap, Xinhua launched a second clip: “Chinese democracy in the eyes of an American.” Highlights:
- Kicked off on Twitter, featuring Colin Linneweber, a Xinhua editor who loudly proclaimed how China’s “democracy” brings stability.
- Critics immediately began calling it “shameful” and questioning whether Linneweber was paid to say those lines.
- Reality check: The National People’s Congress is a rubber‑stamp cabinet—most bills are handed over by Communist Party leaders for a quick vote.
- Last year, the NPC endorsed removing presidential term limits by a staggering 2,958‑to‑2 vote, effectively giving Xi a near‑endless reign.
What’s the Bottom Line?
China’s mixing hip‑hop with grand political messages seems to aim at two goals:
Yet the real question begs: Who’s listening, and are the beats dropping truth or just smooth propaganda? Only time (and maybe a few more Twitter retweets) will tell.
