Moving To The Beat

Hip-hop is emerging from its niche market in China to draw more fans. Chen Nan reports.

When the first season of The Rap of China opened on streaming site iQiyi in June, the country's first reality TV show focused on the genre ushered in an unprecedented wave of interest in hip-hop music.

The groups of Chinese rappers showcasing their talent, together with the four judges- Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu, Taiwan musicians Wilber Pan, Chang Chen-yue and MC Hotdog (the stage name of Yao Chung-jen) - lending their weight to show, have fueled the rising popularity of a largely underground culture among Chinese youth.