Dubbed China’s “best freestyle rapper”, underground MC J-Fever has collaborated with LA-raised producer Soulspeak to create their second album, Color Blind 《色弱》, released by Douban’s D Force Records last month. This Thursday, the two will share their musical musings at a public hip-hop lecture before taking the stage at SD Livehouse on Friday night. We chatted with J-Fever about sentiments behind his newest album, ignorant media outlets and the promising hip-hop scene in Guangzhou.
Your Chinese name, 小老虎, actually translates as ‘Little Tiger’. Where did ‘J-Fever’ come from?
From Jungle Fever, Spike Lee’s film.
Where’s your go-to spot to draft lyrics?
I don’t have a habit of going out to a coffee shop or anything… I usually just write at home. But it is something I’d like to try – live somewhere else and write for a while.
Who did you listen to starting out?
The Roots, Run-D.M.C., Common Sense, Black Star, Jurassic 5.
You’re one of the top freestyle rappers in China. That means tons of screaming fans, no?
So-so, (laughs). We do okay.
But a lot of foreign media outlets have covered you.
I don’t think foreign media have much interest in writing about us. And if they do, most of their questions are so common. Like, “how did you start?” or ”how is the business industry in China?”. It’s pretty dull. You might as well ask any young person in China, the answers would be the same. I don’t want to be just any Chinese rapper. I’m J-Fever, you know.
What personal sentiments are reflected in your latest album, Color Blind?
This album delves into desire and freedom. We meet these same questions every day. Our freedoms are restricted, and desires are inherently connected to freedom. So sometimes, if you have no freedom, you’ll have no desires. But at the same time, without freedom, it’s impossible to satisfy the desires you do possess.
Anything you want to tell your Guangzhou fans?
Guangzhou has really niubi (fucking awesome) music. Especially hip-hop. Chee Production, Project Ace – these are some of Guangzhou’s best. They’re way better than the majority of other groups using Mandarin to rap. But because they speak Cantonese, a lot of people can’t understand or appreciate their work. It’s a shame because they do such an amazing job.
What’s on tap for the future?
Just to keep doing what we’re doing. This thing ‘success’ isn’t really that important. The most important thing is to constantly create. Making music is a way to record my life, and I want to continue to record it.
> Hip-hop lecture: Thursday, October 29; 7pm; Free admission, mandatory pre-registration online at: www.musikid.com/tour/2529; Teaching building 1, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, 21 Luntou Rd, Haizhu District 海珠区仑头路21号广东财经大学1号教学楼 (400-889-0265)
> Concert: Friday, October 30; 9pm; RMB80 presale, RMB100 at the door; purchase tickets online at: www.musikid.com/tour/2383; SD Livehouse, Building 7, Huacheng Creative Park, 132 Gongye Dadao Bei, Haizhu District 海珠区工业大道北132号花城往事创意园内7号楼 (137 1919 6464)
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