New Rage: Shanghai Rap

Shanghai Hiphop/Rap is a newborn music style from the street culture, but actually with a long history if you'd like to explore it further. It's based on Shanghai dialect, mixed with rhythmic beat and free-styles rap, represented by a band of pioneer rappers: Lotz, Luffy, etc. Its lyrics could cover various topics in Shanghai, ranging from daily trivial to life dreams; its unique music style could freely express the youth's mood and mindset: passion, anger, sentiment, depression or even revolt. The young people could release their life negative, positive mood or even just show off their individuality through this funky style of music, free of charge, which is the main reason for its rage. But firstly you have to brush up your Shanghainese a bit to fully enjoy this Shanghai rap. But it is also nice when you do not get it as well, the same story for foreign songs to local people. When you browse through Chinese pop song lyrics, you'll find the English phrases spotted here and there. Sometime it doesn't make any sense, but will give a vogue style to the songs and singers as well. And could you imagine one day we'll hum a theme song from Hollywood blockbuster with Shanghai Rap?

Still remember Eminem's funky music and arguably hippie lyrics in 8 Miles, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, DMC, 50 Cent several years ago? Many people might consider Black American Hiphop to be the very root of Shanghai Rap. Hey you're wrong. We can only say that it's just played a big role in the development of this music style in Shanghai.

Shanghai Rap has been evolved based on the tunes of "monodrama". In the early days, when the monodrama actor was to change a scene, there tended to be a performer to sing a tune, whose libretto was mostly improvised, without any script prepared beforehand. This is the early form of Shanghai Rap. Gradually, Shanghai Rap will be blended with other dialects and even foreign languages as the plot requires. And another reason for its hit is that the lyrics much more focus on the average people's daily life, which is rooted in Shanghai's tradition. It's not only for self-expression but also for reminiscence.

It's a good sign that Shanghai could create her own culture, blended with overseas arts. However, don't make it too much. They'll look silly with the oversized basketball jerseys and baseball caps askew when they blabla-ed rapidly, just so-called "ultimate wannabes". Wannabe ain't cool. They don't wanna be a copycat if they prefer individuality.

Just check out Shanghai Rap right from here. (for music mp3)

Lyrics (Chinese/Pinyin/English):

大上海 / Great Shanghai
Composer/Rapper: Lotz
Copyright: ShanghaiNing.com
Release Time: Aug. 2009

Chorus:
大上海，上海大，差头快要追不上公交车
du zang hei, sang hei du, ca dou kua yo zei ve sang gong jo cu
Great Shanghai, Shanghai Great, Taxi could hardly catch up with the bus.
人挤人，挤死人，上班下班 侬要当心
nin ge nin, ge se nin, sang bei wu bei nong yo dang xin
The bus is so crowded that you should take care.
挤地铁，穿隧道，弄部 F1 我去买股票
ge di tie, cu sei do, nong bu F1 ngu qi ma gu pio
Crowd in metro, traffic jam in tunnel, I’ll go buy stocks for F1.
要是有人问你们在啥地方？阿拉了海上海!
yo z yu nin men na le he sa di fang? e le le hei sang hei
If someone asked where you are, just tell them we’re in Shanghai.

哇~我看到老外又在马路上头 捣蛋捣蛋
wa~ ngu ku do lo nga yu lei le mu lu zang dou do dei do dei
Oops~ I saw Laowai making mess on the road again.
叫伊皮夹子伐要乱丢 伊讲 ok ok
jo yi bi ge z vio lu do yi gang ok ok
Ask him not to leave the wallet anywhere. Ok, ok.
他们在 这里 夜到都胆子大
yi la lei ge de ya do zei dei zi du
They are too brave to do anything at night.
因为上海的治安好得来么闲话
yin wei zang hei e z u ho de lei me ei wu
Cos the security in Shanghai is fantastic.
上海小孩读外文唔哩嘛哩
zang hei xio ju do nga ven vu li ma li
Shanghai kids could learn ABC.
就算伐懂的东西也 不会的想赖节皮
jiu su ve dong e me z a ve wei de xiang la jie bi
who won’t cheat anyone even thought they know nothing.
那外文学好了但是 洋泾浜伐忘记
ne nga ven o ho le dei z yang jin bang ve mang ji
They’ve learnt English, but still dodgy.

有时候夜里 想买点东西
you zen guang ya li xiang ma di me z
If you want to buy something at midnight,
侬可以到附近100米里相去寻便利店
nong ku yi do vu jin ye be mi li xiang qi xin bi li di
you could go to the convenient store within a stone’s throw.
老方便 就像是登了阿拉自家的屋里
lo fang bi jiu xiang z deng le e le z ga e o li
It is as free as at home.
唔~真额老飞
ooo~ zen e lo fi
ooo~ it is free.
出门拉部差头开到上海人的 Party
ce men la bu ca dou kei do zang hei nin e Party
It’s easy to hail a taxi to go Shanghainese’s party
侬伐想出去阿可以来屋里上 ShanghaiNing.com
nong ve xiang ce qi a ku yi lei o li zang ShanghaiNing.com
If you prefer to stay at home, you could log on ShanghaiNing.com.
上海嗲囡囡帮侬洗眼睛
zang hei dia nv nv bang nong da ngei jing
Shanghai cuties will come to you.
侬魂被勾特 寻伐着方向
nong wen be gou te xin ve ze fang xiang
You’ll be charmed with their killing beauty.

我来 我来 上海我先敬侬一杯
ngu lei ngu lei, zang hei ngu xi jing nong ye bei
C’mon, c’mon, Shanghai, I’ll toast to you.
变化快了飞起来阿这里好赞
bi hu kua le fi qi lei a ge de lo zei
It’s amazing that Shanghai’s changed rapidly.
小时候的茶只要一角一杯
xio zen guang e zu z yo ye go ye bei
In childhood, a cup of tea is only one jiao.
小时候用11路去买包橄榄
xio zen guang yong ze ye lu qi ma bo gei lei
In childhood, we walked to buy a pack of snacks.
周立波！阿哥现在老帅气
zou lie bu! a gu yi zei lo suei qi
Zhou Libo is much popular.
海派清口大家 才欢喜
ha pa qing kou dag a zei hv xi
We all like his Shanghainese stand-up comedy.
朋友划大 朋友帮我划米（划胖！划胖！）
bang you hue du bang you bang ngu hue mi (hue pang! hue pang!)
Hey dude, you’ve talked big.
但是老百姓 阿拉还是要守规矩
dei z lo be xing a la e z yo sou guei ju
However, as average people, we should still obey the rules.

实际上排排队 来是桩小事体
ze ji zang ba ba dei lei z zang xio z ti
It’s not a big deal to line up.
有人插队伐搭界 就当伊十三点
yu nin ce dei ve de ga jiu dang yi ze sei di
A queque-jumper is too stupid to bother with.
做商活伐舒意 呢要来讲两句
zu sang wo ve se yi nei yo lei gang liang ju
But not the same as doing business.
老是伐讲出来 真额会的伐舒意
lo zi ve gang ce lei zen e wei de ve se yi
You’ll feel upset if holding it in.
侬看 现在房子卖了多少贵
nong kv yi zei vang z ma le du so ju
The housing price is rising steeply.
再 各能小菜阿 快要买勿起
ze gen eng xio cei a kua yo ma ve qi
If it continues, we’ve no money for the daily meals.
老板不给我铜钿 还叫我加班去
lo bei ve be ngu dong di ei jo ngu ga bei qi
The boss asked me to work overtime, even without payment.
我看伊是ABD （哪能讲？）伊缺C！
ngu kv yi z ABD (na neng gang?) yi que xi!
For me, he is ABD. (What does that mean?) He is an idiot. (“que xi” in Chinese, with the same pronunciation for “lack of C” in English)

For more:

• 复兴公园
  vo xing gong yu
  Fuxing Park
• 老老欢喜侬
  lo lo hv xi nong
  I Really Really Like You
• 上海宁嗲囡囡
  zang hai nin dia nv nv
  Shanghai Cuties
• 侬白相啥？ 
  nong be xiang sa
  What Do You Play With