GAI (musician)
Zhou Yan (Chinese: 周延; pinyin: Zhōu Yán, born March 22, 1988), known as "GAI", is a Chinese rapper, singer, and songwriter.
GAI | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | March 22, 1988 Yibin, Sichuan, China | ||||||
| Occupation | Rapper, Singer, songwriter | ||||||
| Spouse(s) | Wang Siran(王斯然) | ||||||
| Partner(s) | Bridge布瑞吉(程剑桥)， 老道 | ||||||
| Children | Youyou（柚柚） | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 周延 | ||||||
| |||||||
| Musical career | |||||||
| Also known as | GAI爷，锅盖，周圆 | ||||||
| Genres | |||||||
| Labels | GOSH Music, Door Music | ||||||
His stage name GAI is a childhood nickname meaning "lid" (盖) that he was given because of his bowl cut.[1]
In his early days as an underground rapper, GAI was leading his music label GO$H!, a local label in Chongqing, China. He is one of the few Chinese rappers actively producing trap and Gangsta rap. He helped create a type of Trap music called "C-Trap". His famous songs include "Gangsta" (超社会 2015), "Empty Fort Strategy" (空城计 2016), "Hot Pot Soup" (火锅底料 2017).[2]
In 2017, GAI's music career began to boom after attending iQiyi's Hip-Hop reality show The Rap of China, and winning the contest.[3]
In 2018, he married his girlfriend Wang Siran.
Early life
GAI was born in Yibin. His father was an accountant at a coal mine. At 10 years old his family moved to Weiyuan so his older sister could attend a better school.[1] He became a gangster at age 13 due to school bullying; and he was put into a youth detention center at the age of 16. After he stabbed the son of the director of the Local Tax Department during a gang fight, Gai's parents moved him to Chongqing to avoid further conflicts. He attempted to join the army but failed the health exam and instead attended Chongqing Water Resources and Electric Engineering College.
After graduating college in Chongqing, Gai began to make a living by performing as a club singer, DJ or MC. Then he resigned from these positions to focus on his rap career.[4]
Career
Underground Career
As an underground rapper, GAI joined a Chongqing native gangsta rap group, "Brass Knuckle Gang" (also known as B.K.G). At this time, his song "Gangsta" (超社会) , became a major hit in the Chinese underground hip hop circle. The lyrics contain a great deal of controversy in terms of social values because of the description of the true gangster life in China. And the music video was removed by the Chinese government within days after the initial release.
Although this music video was banned by Chinese government, people can still watch it on youtube; the mv has over 4 million views.
on Zhong TV[5]
GAI also participated in Sing! China, a music reality show on Zhejiang Television, by his real name, but was eliminated in the first round.[6]
The Rap Of China
GAI participated The Rap of China in summer 2017. He was chosen by producer MC HotDog and Chang Chen-yue by singing his song Hot Pot Soup, and later joined their team.[2]
By collaborating with Jackson Wang ( Papillon (2017) ),[7] GAI reached the final stage, competing against other famous rappers such as AfterJourney, PG One and Jony J. Gai eventually tied the vote with PG One and the two shared the championship.[3]
Music style
C-Trap
GAI's music is deeply influenced by his early life, Chinese history and Wuxia stories. He combined trap, Chinese Style Music and his dialect rapping forming the genre, which is widely known as "C-Trap". In his early rap life, his lyrics often describe the violence, sex, drugs and lives at the bottom part of Chinese society. When he started to transform from underground rapper to a mainstream rapper during The Rap of China in 2017, his choice of lyrics began to shift more into Chinese philosophy and Chinese culture. He was credited as an innovator and trailblazer of Chinese Hip-Hop music.[8]
Local Cultural Influences
GAI often references Chongqing, and with Bridge has popularized the catchphrase "This is Fog City!" [勒是雾都, pronounced "less voo doo!"] (i.e. Chongqing). For example, he has a song named "Chongqing Soul" [重庆魂].
His music is notable for extensive use of his native Neijiang dialect, which is actually closer to Zigong dialect than Chongqing dialect.
For example, his song "Itinerant Monk" 苦行僧 (a rap version of Cui Jian's famous song "Fake Monk" 假行僧) converts some Standard Mandarin lyrics to Sichuanese influenced Standard Chinese:
Standard Mandarin: 但不知道我是谁 ("But don't know who I am")
Sichuanese: 但不晓得我是哪个 (where 我 is pronounced ngo and 哪 as la)
Popular songs in Sichuan dialect
"Trash Talk"[9] 垃圾话 (2018); pinyin: Lā jī huà
"Hot Pot Soup" 火锅底料 (2017); pinyin: Huǒguō dǐ liào
"BKG" 抢币 (2015); pinyin: Qiǎng bì
"Gangster" (the title itself is Sichuan dialect); 超社会 (2015); pinyin: Chāo shèhuì
Discography
Mixtapes
Ren Yi Li Zhi Xin (2016)
Singles
”Gangsta" (as B.K.G Gai) (2015)
“Daydreamer" (2015)
”Coin Robbery (featuring Tory as B.K.G Gai)" (2015)
“Zhanmadao (Masiwei Diss Back)" (2015)
“Ironman (featuring MX)" (2015)
”Supermacy (featuring Flowmatic)" (2015)
“Your daddy me got upset (featuring Kenzy)" (2015)
”Yan Ru Yu (featuring CJ BADA$)" (2015)
"W.I.$.H" (2016)
"Empty Fort Strategy" (2016)
"Trash Talk" (2016)
"Paper (featuring CJ BADA$)" (2016)
"Wandering Monk" (2016), a rap version of "Fake Monk" by Cui Jian
"Rainbow (featuring Bridge)" (2017)
"Hot Pot Soup" (2017)
"Hot Pot Soup (Korea Version)" (2017)
"Beware of Fire" (2017)
"Blue Sea Laughter" (2018), a rap version of "Blue Sea Laughter" by Sam Hui (1990)
"The Long River" (2018) with Damnshine (of C-BLOCK) & Bridge
"Firefly" (2018)
"The Great Wall"(2018)
EPs
"GAIn" (2017)
Featured in
I Wrote A Song And Got High on a Car (Tory Montana featuring GAI as B.K.G Gai) (2015)
Lovely Girl (3Bangz featuring GAI) (2015)
Guan Que Lou (B.Angelo featuring GAI) (2016)
The Flow Of Jiang-Hu(C-Block featuring GAI) (2017)
Chongqing Cypher(Tory, Bridge and GAI) (2017)
Under The Setting Sun (Yaksha featuring GAI and DJ WORDY) (2017)
Promotional singles
Guess Do I Guess (featuring Bridge) (2017)
King Advents (2017)
Call For Dream (2017)
How To Live Without Money (2017)[10]
References
- https://www.gq.com.cn/magazine/news_1422f6e208987cf5.html
- 网易. ""GAI式"说唱驾到江湖 《火锅底料》持续发力_网易娱乐". ent.163.com. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- "GAI斩获《中国有嘻哈》年度总冠军_娱乐_腾讯网". ent.qq.com (in Chinese). Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- 13歲進「超社會」，15歲入少管所，他用匪幫說唱反抗弱肉強食 (in Chinese). Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- "⚡️GO$H MUSIC ⚡️GAI – 超社会 : Chinese Hip Hop Chongqing Rap 重庆说唱/饶舌".
- "被《新歌声》错过的好声音 如今在其他节目中大红大紫_内地_中国安徽网络电视台_中国热剧第一门户". ahtv.cn. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- "王嘉尔GAI合作《Papillon》 解锁普通话说唱技能". Sina Corp. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
- "如何评价重庆说唱歌手 GAI 的音乐？ – 知乎". zhihu.com (in Chinese). Retrieved September 12, 2017.
- "网易云音乐". 网易云音乐. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
- "豆瓣音乐搜索: GAI". music.douban.com (in Chinese). Retrieved September 16, 2017.