CD Rev, also known as Chengdu Revolution or 天府事变, is a Chinesegovernment-sponsoredgangsta rap group whose nationalist-themed music has been described in the West as propaganda. The group's music videos have been viewed online millions of times partly due to the support of state-run media in China and widely discussed in Western media.
Background
CD Rev's four members—Wang "Chuckie" Zixin, Li "Pissy" Yijie, Tan "N.O.G." Yunwen, and Luo "Roy" Jinhui—are from the south-western Chinese city of Chengdu, a city with an emergent American-style rap music scene. The group claims to have been formed on 1 October 2015, the anniversary date of the foundation of the People's Republic of China. The group is one of a number of nationalistic media projects sponsored by the technology entrepreneur Rao Jin; other endeavours include the website April Media which produces Chinese-themed talks in the style of TED. The group claims to draw inspiration from American hip-hop artists such as Eminem and Dr. Dre, though their lyrics express "more affection for law enforcement than is customary for gangsta rappers". The band's members believe that CD Rev's music is a modernization of traditional Chinese patriotic education.
Music
CD Rev have released a number of singles, frequently accompanied by music videos, on topics ranging from China's disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea to the legacy of Mao Zedong. The group's first single, "The Force of Red", appeared in January 2016. The song, performed in English, espouses pro-One China sentiments and attacks Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen, describes Western journalists as "media punk ass white trash fuckers", and declares that "the red king's coming back". Group member Wang Zixin later called these lyrics "a little extreme". In June 2016, CD Rev released a single sponsored by the Communist Youth League, a government-backed Communist youth movement. The song, called "This is China", was also performed in English, as it was aimed at Westerners with the intent of changing their perceptions of China. The song's lyrics trumpet Chinese achievements such as the work of Nobel Prize-winning chemist Tu Youyou and the ancient philosopher Confucius. "This is China" acknowledges many of China's problems, including air pollution and political corruption but also suggests that these problems have been exaggerated by foreign media. The song was characterized as "cringe-worthy" and "wooden". Social media users noted that the music video for "This is China" was very similar to an earlier video from South Korean rapper San E. CD Rev released the song "No THAAD" in May 2017, again sponsored by the Communist Youth League. Performed in a mixture of English and Chinese, "No THAAD" criticizes the South Korean government of Park Geun-hye for authorizing the installation of the American THAAD missile defense system, which the Chinese government had objected to. The song's lyrics refer toSouth Korea as China's "little brother" and warn that " things you're doing now are gonna rip you apart". On 15 April, 2020, CD Rev released a single named “Mr. Virus ”sponsored by the Communist Youth League. The content of this song includes: 1. Expressing support for Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who is the Director-General of the World Health Organization ; 2. Laughing and insulting Taiwan; 3. Laughing at Western politicians and the media. These three points are also the most important propaganda views of the Communist Party of China after covid-19 pandemic outbreaking. CD Rev sang the propaganda views of the Communist Party of China in the form of hip-hop rap. People's Daily, Ziguang Pavilion, and the Communist Youth League jointly praised this song.
