Jan 15 Understanding modern China through comedic rap By Simone Pathe Stand-up comedian Jesse Appell has made a name for himself in China, parodying pop songs with lyrics about China's macroeconomic woes. Paul Solman catches up with the Boston Fulbright student on the NewsHour Thursday. Watch Appell's music videos, in full,… Continue reading
Jul 02 Rappers respond: ‘This is how we express ourselves’ By Saskia de Melker A man shoots his foe in the head over and over again, leaving him to bleed out on the street. The man has no remorse. He even brags about it. Only this man isn’t real. He’s a… Continue reading
Jun 29 Rapper appeals verdict after lyrics used to sway jury By Saskia de Melker, William Brangham The case against Vonte Skinner hinged primarily on two eyewitnesses, though their stories had changed several times. Near the end of the trial, the prosecution introduced 13 pages of violent rap lyrics to demonstrate Skinner’s motive and intent to commit… Continue reading
Jun 10 Rap connects students to current and historic events By Elizabeth Jones When each year’s graduating students take the stage to grab their high school diplomas, it’s a fun and sometimes bittersweet exercise to look back at the events that defined their lives. Continue reading
Dec 12 ‘Mo Money Mo Development’: Applying China’s Economy to P. Diddy By Jesse Appell Fulbright Scholar and comedian Jesse Appell has been our far-flung correspondent in China this year. Most recently, he appeared on the Business Desk writing about China's theme song, exposing the economic desperation underlying the country's avid consumption. But he's… Continue reading
Oct 31 Watch Charles Randolph-Wright on ‘Love in Afghanistan’ Charles Randolph-Wright reflects on his play, "Love in Afghanistan."… Continue watching
Jul 17 China’s Theme Song: Can I Swap GDP for Disposable Diapers? By jappell Disposable income growth for Chinese urban households slowed over the second quarter compared to last year. Photo courtesy of Carlos Barria/Reuters via Getty Images. Paul Solman: In economic data released Monday, China's economy grew just 7.5 percent… Continue reading
Mar 26 Watch Wu Tang Clan’s GZA Raps About Science Wu Tang Clan's GZA performs a rap from his new album Dark Matter. Continue watching
Dec 22 Watch The Year in Music Jeffrey Brown talks to the Los Angeles Times' Randall Roberts about the year in music. Continue watching