Chinese rapper JelloRio (李佳隆) and music producer Lennox子昂, appear at UCLA to share their music journey

On February 21, rapper Jialong Li (李佳隆), also known as JelloRio, and music producer Lennox子昂, held a face-to-face event with hundreds of Chinese international students at UCLA about hip-hop, culture, and music. Li is a Chinese mainland rapper and was the champion of “The Rap of China” in 2020, a Chinese rap reality show that first aired in 2017. At the event, Li (JelloRio) stressed that rap music is a powerful means of expression, but reaching this current stage also necessitates the integration of one’s own culture and content. “Rap culture originated from the United States, so when I initially started making rap music, I drew a lot from rappers here,” said Li. “But at this stage, I want to create something different, something that can represent our own culture, something with a Chinese flair, because making art requires having your own unique features. Blindly imitating others is meaningless.” Li expressed at the event that music has the power to transcend language and culture, and that conveying culture has gradually become his goal in making music. “When I first started making music, it might have been mainly for the enjoyment of the music-making and playing process,” he said. “But now,...