New International Division and Local Response of ‘Hip-Hop’ Imperialism—An Empirical Study of Keelung Hip-Hop Association

• Main Authors: Wei Lin, 林偉
• Other Authors: Min-Jay Kang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/sb3h54

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 建築與城鄉研究所 === 106 === Hip-hop, in the context of cultural imperialism, was disseminated worldwide from New York, influencing numerous people in different ways. Having participated in Taiwan’s hip-hop community for several years, the homogeneity of this community of predominately young, urban, and middle-class males is a main concern of mine. In regards to the developmental process of cultural industry, the capitalists and their middle-class followers exercise control over discourse. Hip-hop in Taiwan has been transformed into a lifestyle for those with sufficient cultural capital and the definition of “real hip-hop” has become the most popular point of debate; artists readily categorized into “old-school” and mainstream camps. However, both camps are trapped by formalism and the actual conditions of Taiwan’s society and its position in the international division of cultural labor are consequently obscured by issues of perceived authenticity. Considering these problems, I attempt to find a new response beyond this field of conflict by reintroducing the original resistant spirit of the hip-hop social movement. I thus focus my concern on the problems of my hometown, Keelung City. Keelung is located on Taiwan’s north coast and is home to the largest international harbor in Taiwan, linking the island’s capital-area to the world, especially during the industrial era. With Taiwan entering the age of post-industrialization, the importance of the harbor has decreased, resulting in the shrinkage of the harbor-city. According to statistics, Keelung has the highest rate of drug-related crimes, suicide, and commuting labor. As a hip-hop activist and scholar, I began organizing local youths and co-founded the Keelung Hip-hop Association in 2016. We attempt to use hip-hop to unite similar actors and create a platform for seeking and exchanging resources, with which we hope to improve the local environment for artists and empower local youths involved in changing the city. After discussing the structural and inner struggles we are facing while acting, in addition, we try to figure out the characteristics of the city with our art activities, and provide a new imagination of the city with civil society.