43 Comments Add your own

• 1. robbin forsyth  |  October 28th, 2010 at 7:29 pm

  Hmm…

  It has taken me a while to absorb these two short videos and I’m going to make comments in a state concussions flow because I still don’t know quite what to make of them.

  Cool Chinese MC in the second video. The Chinese guy really puts Mr. Sweets limited skills into perspective.

  Aside from Sweet’s rapping, the guy is BRAVE. I’ve traveled a reasonable portion of the world, and I’ve lived in Germany for a short amount of time, but simply moving to China in search of opportunity is frightening to me. It is WAY beyond my comfort level.

  Everything that he states about the place being foreign, big, chaotic and filled with idiom is intriguing to me on a short term basis. I don’t think I could manage permanently relocating to China. My head would explode.

  Enough about me, back to Mr. Sweet… He states that he couldn’t see a life for himself in the USA. I’d like a little more info about what he sees as attainable success in China. I understand the idea of looking to China for opportunity, but I don’t believe that’s why he’s there. Is he actually making it with music? The NPR article is from 2008. I found a blog that he had in 2008/2009 that shows him doing promo work as Captain Morgan, but no updates since 2009 - http://elisweetisapirate.blogspot.com/
  It seems to me that Mr. Sweet is in search of adventure.

• 2. Horizon Chaser  |  November 3rd, 2010 at 6:37 pm

  Wow, the opportunities really are endless. I like Eli’s comment about being treated kindly as an American. it really saddens me that we have abused our privileged position as Americans by alienating so many others around the world. What I love about Eli is his passion for his music and his willingness to share it with others. I don’t see this as a get rich quick scheme. I see Eli as a genuine person who has developed a symbiotic relationship with the Chinese people, a relationship that may not fill his wallet but certainly fills his soul.

• 3. J Hurley  |  November 27th, 2010 at 6:42 pm

  It takes some guts to take off and move to a place that is completely unfamiliar and for the most part very different from anywhere in the United States. Eli is taking a chance to try and find success in other parts of the world, and probably wouldn’t have a chance in the U.S. with the saturation of rappers.
  He admits that China is very different, but it is still similar in enough ways that skills the succeed in the U.S. can also succeed in China

• 4. Anthony Kallioinen  |  December 5th, 2010 at 8:33 pm

  China is different things to different people. Much like the developing world views The United States as the land of opportunity, China may be the future land of opportunity, even for Americans like Eli Sweet. Eli is not only intuitive to capitalize on this idea (he has been “studying Chinese on and off for 10 years”) but also incredibly brave to act on his dreams. Eli does not envision a great life for himself in America, despite the fact that a relatively ‘good’ life is available. This is not his dream and so he will chase ‘greatness’ in China. This reminds me very much of a book I read recently: Good to Great, by Jim Collins. Not many companies have the vision to identify their greatest sustainable competitive advantage and also act upon it. This is not always that simple however, often times these decisions include a great deal of risk and take one (and one’s shareholders) far outside the comfort zone. Though I’m sure if we asked Eli, he would say that it’s worth it.

• 5. Cassie Bettencourt  |  December 15th, 2010 at 4:01 pm

  Eli Sweet seems like a guy that is genuinely excited to be in China and to experience what China has to offer him as he goes after his dream of becoming a rapper. His good attitude definitely stood out to me. Not only is he looking for adventure to better his own life, he also understands the greater value of what he is experiencing in China. Eli Sweet states this in the first video when he recognizes that the country is in a turning point in its development. The fact that he is able to tie this realization to his quest for success is definitely quite “gutsy.” We, as MBAs, are taking the road more travelled to reach our goals in the business world. Eli Sweet is an example of someone who shares a similar goal, but is taking the road less travelled. Classroom education can only get you so far and Eli Sweet illustrates the under-appreciated part of business - the leaps of faith. One thing that struck me as interesting was how Eli Sweet talked about how difficult it is to make comparisons between the US and China because of China’s sheer size and complexity. This was interesting because it sounded so much like Fallows in Postcards from Tomorrow Square. Both are Americans who share a similar appreciation for the opportunities China has to offer, as well as an appreciation for its differences.

• 6. Randy Camat  |  December 15th, 2010 at 8:55 pm

  Kudos to Eli Sweet for making the big move and taking his talents to not the most obvious place for rap. It was very smart of Eli to take advantage of the opportunities in China. I agree with his statement that his life couldn’t have been as great if he stayed in America. It would have been very difficult to land a gig at a club with his skill level. On another note, I found it quite interesting when Eli said that they treated Americans better than that of other countries. One of my former roommates studied aboard one summer in Europe and told me that people from other countries actually made fun of the fact that he was American and sometimes had a bad image of Americans. All in all, Eli is one brave individual that deserves all the credit for doing what he loves.

• 7. Jessie Wilkie  |  December 16th, 2010 at 9:57 pm

  I thought these two videos were interesting. Chengdu seemed like a huge city in the first video where “Sweet” was talking on the rooftop. This prompted me to look it up on Wikipedia. Where I found out that it was in South West China with a population of 11 million! I find it fascinating that I haven’t heard of such a big city before. It definitely seems like there might be a lot going on there. But it’s hard to really get a feel for a place unless you go there. The sky seemed really grey/polluted and I couldn’t tell what time of day it was there. Or feel the temperature there or the humidity. Also, life on the street might look a lot different then life on the rooftops and in a cafe. The second video with the cafe was cool because I liked the fact that he was collaborating with a Chinese rapper named “Coffee”, even if it was just for the name. I’m joking. But it really did bring a human aspect to the videos and to China. People are people everywhere. I thought that it was awesome that they were forging a partnership and maybe even a friendship. As for opportunities in China, he could’ve gone anywhere to rap. It’s just because he chose China that the videos are relevant for this class. The main takeaway for me though was that people might start going to China to realize their American dreams there. Because America isn’t doing so well.

• 8. Jessica Shayler  |  December 17th, 2010 at 9:31 am

  I had two disparate thoughts as I learned about Eli Sweet. One is about what one values in life and the other is about the difference between bravery and irresponsibility.

  1. I’ve often wondered why many of my friends and acquaintances manage to do more things and see more things than I do. I know they’re pocket books aren’t bulging any more than mine is! What I’ve come to accept is that people want and value different things at different times. For instance, I’d rather save for a home in the future than go on mini vacations three times a year. Maybe my future will be such that I never reach the goal of owning a home and I should’ve just gone to Disneyland, but I don’t want my life to be defined by fear. Neither does Eli Sweet. I’m sure some people in his life in America begged him not to go because it’s crazy. You can’t just pick up and go to China, are you nuts?! I imagine he said something like: Maybe, but I have to find out. Bravery and stupidity are not that far off from each other. Given another time or another place, we’d be calling Eli an idiot, but not now. Now, he is a brave young man pursuing the opportunity to attain what he wants and values in his life. You don’t have to be like Eli and kiss everything you know goodbye to be brave. You just have to work toward what you value without holding yourself back.

  2. This one’s shorter…
  I hope Eli didn’t have any commitments like a wife or kids or other… Else his “bravery’ quickly turns to irresponsibility. If you value what you want out of life more than the people you are committed to in some fashion, then you’re just selfish.

• 9. Chris Bruns  |  December 19th, 2010 at 2:26 pm

  I wasn’t entirely sure of Eli Sweet’s rapping ability, but I honestly enjoyed his mini music video. The strong beat in the background and the strings really sounded good to me, plus Sweet rapping with Coffee made a unique song.
  I think that whatever the reason for traveling and going someplace new, it is a valid one. I respect Sweet’s desire for searching for a better life, and it reminded me of traveling West in the 19th century. I think despite the outcome of Sweet’s his music career in China, he will treasure his time there and it will be one of the defining moments and experiences of his life.
  The act of trying a new life someplace else is the greatest point I got from this video. I moved abroad and worked in Australia after my undergrad and it was a difficult experience, even though the country is very similar to the US. I couldn’t begin to fathom how making the same trip to a country that is much different and that has a language barrier. Just hearing him describe the differences and try to make a comparison but being unable to makes me excited for what is to come. It is amazing to see people chasing dreams and creating a future in a place that will accept it.

• 10. Sarah Weinzapfel  |  December 20th, 2010 at 11:35 am

  I loved listening to Sweet’s reasoning for his decision. I loved how open-minded, confident, and determined he is. I could never imagine doing something like moving from a place that I’ve known my whole life to somewhere I know nothing about. I admire people who can though and as an MBA and future business person, can learn from them. I admire the fact that he had a vision for his life and he just flat out did it. He saw something better for himself, looked outside the box, and went for it. He has such a positive attitude and has embraced his new life with open arms. I’m sure, just as Jessica said, that his friends and family told him he was crazy and, out of love, tried to point out the negatives and what could go wrong. Sweets, I’m sure, took that into consideration, but it sounds like he only focused on the positives and everything that could go right.

• 11. Eli Sweet  |  December 23rd, 2010 at 3:04 am

  Hello Cal Poly Orfalea college of business! I am Eli Sweet, from the NPR clips that somehow found their way to you.

  My aunt, Kathleen Coll, stumbled upon this page and forwarded it to me. Im tickled by the intimacy of the internet, and the serendipity that has brought me to your doorstep. Thank you for your time and your comments.

  Let me give you a brief explanation of how those clips came to be, and what has happened to me since that time. Those clips were filmed at dusk on Sunday, May 11th, 2008- the day before the SiChuan earthquake. At that time NPR had stationed Robert Seigel in ChengDu for a week of broadcasts about youth culture in second-tier Chinese cities- human interest pieces designed to give another perspective of China in the run up to the Beijing Olympics. Naturally, my feature was shelved when the real story arrived the next day.

  Since that time, some things have changed in my life, some have not. I still reside in ChengDu, and as far as learning Chinese is concerned, the ocean still has no edge. Im am still a rapper, though I don’t have as many gigs these days as I did then.

  As one of the commenters mentioned, last year I had a stint working as the brand ambassador (read: costumed pirate) for Captain Morgan rum, during which time I performed the nightly feat of squeezing into leather spats and dancing a modified version of the macarena for the drunk sweaty masses that frequent the Chinese clubs of ChengDu, ChongQing, and KunMing.

  It might come as a bit of a surprise, but my career as costumed buccaneer was cut short by the global financial crisis. At the time of my employment, China was not a profitable market for Captain Morgan, but rather an enticing market into which they hoped to expand. When the budget of CMs parent company- the liquor conglomerate Diageo- was stressed by the crash of global financial markets and subsequent credit shortage, they opted to terminate our money-losing marketing campaign. Most of the performing gigs that I was doing at the time of the NPR clips were funded by Western liquor companies who were looking to get involved in the Chinese market, and after the financial crisis, most of this work dried up.

  After leaving the Captain Morgan work, I went back to school at SiChuan university, where I studied Chinese for another 6 months, and then took the HSK (Chinese proficiency) test. After that, I tried to find work for 6 months, getting rejected by a great number of respectable corporations and non-profit organizations. I finally found employ with a logistics/relocations company, Crown Worldwide. That was 8 months ago. Since then I have been the sales and operations manager for the Chengdu branch of Crown logistics. My work consists mainly of coordinating the importation and customs clearance of equipment for one client- an oil and gas company who drills natural gas in rural Sichuan.

  I still write and record hip hop songs, guarding my dreams like a bird in a nest, lest the predatory world devour my fragile babies for the meagre protein in their bodies. The music from my last projects can be found here: (http://elisweet.bandcamp.com/ , and here http://www.reverbnation.com/elisweet ). You can also find a few articles that I have written on the excellent ex-pat culture blog http://www.chengduliving.com.

  If you have any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them. Happy holidays, and best wishes for a productive semester.
  -Eli

• 12. Chris Carr  |  December 23rd, 2010 at 9:30 am

  Eli,

  Thanks for the check in and report. Your journey and adventure continues to evolve!

  Interesting to see how Captain Morgan is/was attempting to build its brand in an emerging market like China.

  I liked one of your tracks in particular, “Know My Way Around”. I have zero artistic skills so I tip my hat to any artist in any field that puts themselves out there for review, interpretation and critique.

  This is the second or third year I have run this post in connection with our MBA business trip to China, and each year I require each set of students to read and respond to this post (and others). It is interesting to see the diversity in how US students see and interpret your two NPR clips. (Another 15 plus student comments should follow my comment here, so do stay tuned and check back in with us if interested and your schedule allows.)

  Question: Can you tell us more via a comment to this post about what is happening in the hip-hop and rap scene in China? And if it is young and growing, what business opportunities, if any, will that create for local Chinese and/or the foreign expats, entrepreneurs and firms? I know that making money and getting paid in anything related to film, music and the like, can be a real challenge in any country.

  Thanks again for taking the time to submit such a detailed comment and update. Over the holiday break I will check out your blog (www.chengduliving.com). I have heard good things about Chengdu and the people I have met from there have always been warm and hospitable. I am always looking for good blogs to follow to learn more about business and China.

  Best wishes from sunny California, and good luck to you.

  - Professor Carr

• 13. Amanda Podesta  |  December 23rd, 2010 at 1:32 pm

  Hey Eli!
  If you’re ever on this side of the world again, definitely check out the underground rap scene in San Francisco (Andre Nickatina, Zion, The Grouch, CunninLynguists, Hieroglyphics, Mac Dre all had their starts here).
  As you were on the frontlines, did you find that Chinese clubbers liked rum then? Do you have any thoughts on what the liquor companies were doing right (or wrong) about reaching out to Asia?
  Also, keep those contacts open, yesterday’s WSJ had an article about how the prospects for strong alcohol sales are improving (“Spirits Brighten at Debt-Heavy Pernod Ricard”: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704610904576031581090383132.html).

• 14. Charlie  |  December 26th, 2010 at 11:41 pm

  It’s great that light is being shed on Eli and his story because now is such a fantastic time to break out of the US and explore options overseas. Over the previous few years Eli has been adapting to the quickly changing environment, as have I, and today neither of us are doing what we could have even imagined a year ago.

  As one commenter already pointed out, one key to doing this is creating the right set of circumstances in your life to remain flexible - ie. being married or having children dramatically reduces your options. And as Eli has demonstrated, remaining confident and committed gives you an enormous advantages. Kudos to everyone involved in the discussion.

• 15. Tara Millard  |  December 27th, 2010 at 1:01 pm

  Eli’s story is truly inspiring, yet it isn’t without its struggles. Given his talent for rap, Eli saw that succeeding in this infiltrated market in the US is rare and extremely difficult. His willingness to view other untouched markets represents a skill that is essential now more than ever.

  Too often, as driven MBAs, we set our sights on a particular goal and stop at nothing to achieve it. Unfortunately these goals are rarely unique and are held by thousands of other educated individuals. This extreme competition often leads to settling for a position that does not exercise one’s full potential. Eli is a role model for all in that his bravery allowed him to excel in a field that he loved in China, while he may have ended up settling for a less satisfying career here in America. Eli’s strength and bravery is further portrayed in his willingness to work as a costumed pirate during these difficult times.

  I was surprised that this economic crisis has affected the rest of the world. Eli’s flexibility has proven to be his saving grace, and we can all learn something from his humble attitude and his willingness to work through struggles to achieve a life of happiness and success.

• 16. Will Moeller  |  December 28th, 2010 at 10:28 am

  Well it looks like this forum has seen a lot of action. The fact that we’ve made an intercontinental connection here is pretty cool.

  First, I think Eli’s story hits on an important point: anything is possible, but nothing is easy. Is it fair to say that China is now the land of opportunity? For those willing to take risks, it would appear so. In that regard, it seems like China now is probably what America was 300 years ago - a land of opportunity. In America today, the window of opportunity is closing; whereas in China, depending on what you’re willing to risk/do, that window is opening. Tying this to Eli, it seems his chances of becoming wildly successful are probably better than an average 27-year old in America.

  The way they shot this video made Eli look more like a rap mogul than an entrepreneur - he’s above the city/larger than life. But it sounds like the rap career is on hiatus. The great thing about it though, is that rap seems like a common ground for an American in China. It seemed like a great way to meet people and make an in-road.

• 17. Katie Moeller  |  December 29th, 2010 at 8:44 am

  I enjoyed hearing about Eli Sweet and his reason for moving to China. It seems that people are sometimes quick to give up and not try and make their life better. Eli wasn’t going to just accept a possibility of not making it – he went after a better life for himself. I appreciate his determination.

  I am sure he has had a challenging time in China with learning a new language and trying to make a living off of rapping. But, I think it is admirable. I believe that people sometimes get stuck in a comfortable spot in life and aren’t willing to take a risk. Eli Sweet was not.

  I find it interesting that Eli Sweet chose China of all places to start a new life. It is also interesting he chose a profession of rapping. I am not sure if China has much demand for rapping but at least Eli Sweet went after something he was passionate about. I hope Eli’s video helps people being more willing to take risks.

  I do have to point out that I believe Eli Sweet likes to live on the edge - literally. Not sure if there was a drop off from where he was standing but for me it was a little close to the edge. I guess maybe that was a point he was trying to make too.

• 18. David Hart  |  January 2nd, 2011 at 8:53 pm

  I always enjoy hearing stories of people who take paths that are less traveled. What an amazing story of someone going from Atlanta to Chengdu! I lived in Germany for two years, and learning a new culture and language is a fascinating experience that I will never forget. Of course learning Chinese sounds like it is quite a challenge!

  I am impressed at Eli’s ability to get outside of his comfort zone to experience new things. It is evident that he has worked hard to get to the point he is at. In reading his recent post I am impressed at his perseverance in finding work despite the challenging econmic times. To do so in a foreign land takes a lot of boldness and effort.

  I would be curious to know what the music scene is like in China. In the video, Eli seems to make it sound like he has plenty of freedom of expression. I wonder what limits (if any) are placed on his lyrics?

  I am looking forward to learning stories about Chinese entreprenuers such as Eli. It will be interesting to hear of bold people in China who take advantage of the many opportunites there.

• 19. Brady Haug  |  January 3rd, 2011 at 8:44 pm

  Eli gave me a vision of China that I was not quite expecting from someone his age. The final comments in the first video about bizarre cuisine that we have never considered and the enormous construction projects, is the China that I still envisioning. Eli’s stories of adventure and differences between China and the United States are what interested me most. He mentions that he feels as though he has even more economic freedom in China, which I was surprised to hear. You can tell he is passionate about China and his passion invigorates me to experience the real China. I thought it was also interesting that he mentioned that it is a great place for an adventurer or explorer. I studied abroad in London last year and his stories reminded me of my travels. The idioms he mentioned reminded me of the peculiar British sayings I heard and the different ways I was perceived by locals while traveling through Europe. I would have expected him to say that he was resented as an American but it appears to be quite the opposite. I love to travel and I can’t wait for the opportunity to be immersed in a such a radically different culture.
  The second video portrayed the underground Chinese rap scene that I have never seen and the one which Eli thrives in. The line in his rap I found most interesting stated, the city “is crowded but a little bit of light shines through there.” Clearly the persistence of pollution and foul weather has not put a damper on his optimistic outlook.

• 20. Tim Easton  |  January 5th, 2011 at 7:43 pm

  The story of Eli Sweet is inspiring and shows the risks that people are willing to take to have a “great” life. Making it big as a rapper in Atlanta has to be difficult, as that market is already saturated, and Eli recognized the success he could have in Chengdu. He was able to step out of his comfort zone and risk everything for the opportunity to make it big in China. The opportunities in China are endless and you can find something that suits you, if you are willing to take the required steps and risks. I am a person who is more than willing to drop everything and move to China if an opportunity presents itself. After I graduated from undergrad I applied to several jobs in Shanghai and Beijing, but my lack of Mandarin prevented me from getting a job. My friends and family told me I was crazy for applying to these jobs, and I am sure Eli felt a lot of the same pressures, but when you want something you have to go after it. The one point that I disagree with Eli on is the possibility of having a “great” life in the United States. It has become more difficult than ever, but with hard work and dedication a “great” life is still possible. I wish Eli the best of luck during his adventure in China.

• 21. Alejandro Sweet-Cordero  |  January 6th, 2011 at 12:16 pm

  Hey Eli!

  I am so proud to be your cousin! You rock! An I love your rap!

  Alejandro

• 22. Kyle Rowland  |  January 9th, 2011 at 2:01 pm

  This blog post is very interesting and definitely has provided some incite into life in China. I have so much respect for Eli, as I can only imagine the courage it must take to completely pack up everything and start a new life in another country. I consider myself as someone who is always looking for something new and adventurous, but I don’t have the guts to do what Eli has. Being in a completely new country and not knowing the the language and policy would be overwhelming for me. I definitely believe it would be an unbelievable learning experience and would definitely require me to get out of my comfort zone.

  One part of the video really caught my attention and makes me even more enthusiastic about our trip to China. I found it comforting when Eli said, “It’s a privilege to be in a country where people don’t resent Americans as they do in other countries… they treat us better than they should.” I’ve never traveled outside the United States for any significant period of time, and therefore have reservations about traveling to a primarily non-English speaking country. It seems like the general consensus I hear is that Americans are usually hated in most countries. I’ve heard this from many people who have traveled outside of the U.S. and from the media that exists today. After hearing Eli’s comments, I feel less apprehensive about traveling to China, primarily because he’s living in the country and constantly dealing with the people there.

• 23. Jason Jay Sharma  |  January 11th, 2011 at 2:48 am

  First of all, I would never have guessed that an expat rapper could become a sales and operations manager of a logistics firm. Only in Ameri–CHINA! That being said, I can’t help but think of the similarities Eli’s story shares with so many individuals who migrate to the United States for a better and fulfilling life. Eli is doing the same, but only he moved to China for adventure (and we could say fulfilling his dream to be a rapper).

  In a way, I am quite jealous of Eli. He mentions in the first video that he is living in a country at a turning point–to see China complete the turn first-hand would be amazing. I’m sure we’ll be seeing Eli’s book about it in the coming years. Additionally, Eli puts many MBA students and businesspeople to shame–while they chip away at the same market safely back home, Eli has leaped into a brand new space still ripe with opportunities and niches that need to be filled.

  Finally, it surprises me that China even has an underground rap scene–let alone Eli Sweet was able to penetrate it. Kudos to Eli for having an adventure and living a dream.

• 24. Ashley Ogden  |  January 11th, 2011 at 10:29 am

  It is awesome that Eli found our class, thank you for taking the time to write to our class!
  The best thing that Eli Sweet said was that China is so big and complicated, we keep trying to make a comparison, but “you can’t make a comparison”. I have felt that same way; I am constantly trying to compare these two very complex, powerful countries but I am finding out that it is near impossible.
  It is obvious to me that China has many faces. It is vastly complicated and I can imagine that everywhere you look you are likely to “run into something today that you have never seen in your entire life”.
  Another thing that I thought was interesting was that in China, “people don’t resent Americans as much as people in other countries do”. I never really thought about that before, but it is an interesting thing to consider. When I have traveled abroad before, I ran into some of that resentment. It will be interesting to find out if it exists or not in China firsthand.

• 25. Kristine Spencer  |  January 11th, 2011 at 5:24 pm

  I applaud Eli Sweet’s efforts to make a better life for himself. Eli obviously has a global mindset to recognize that he can pursue his dreams anywhere in the world, and that sometimes America isn’t the only place to achieve success. Sweet’s comments about China are interesting, and obviously China’s cities are bustling and full of new and exciting things every day. I’m sure this fast paced environment was attractive to a thrill seeker like Eli, who is in the middle of such rapid development and change. One thing I couldn’t help but notice was the dense smog as far as one could see against the skyline filled with skyscrapers. I was very happy to hear that the Chinese people were treating Sweet well. Foreign perception of the US can definitely be an issue and I am very cautious of this when I travel. I have never even heard of the town that Eli Sweet is living in, but he is obviously surviving, which speaks of the opportunities in China. After reading Eli’s post, its seems as though China has many other career opportunities to offer, and he is making a living in a more white collar position. Obviously he was bold in his choice to leave the city where he was born and raised to pursue a rap career in Chengdu, China. Like Eli, I was born and raised in the town where I still live today. But I can honestly say that I don’t think that moving to Chengdu would ever cross my mind. I hope that I get to experience the fun and excitement that Eli describes while on the trip to China. Eli Sweet’s life makes for an interesting video.

• 26. Eli Sweet  |  January 11th, 2011 at 10:13 pm

  Professor Carr,

  Thank you for reaching out to me. Sorry for the delay in my response.

  To your question about hip hop in China, let me begin by saying that I would have probably answered differently if you had asked me when I first arrived in Chengdu 4 years ago.

  At that time I would have said that hip hop is a flourishing part of Chinese youth culture, but now I don’t think that that is necessarily true. I probably would have said that hip hop in China is growing because I wished that were the case, and after I arrived I saw some promising evidence of local interest. But after several years, it seems to me that that hip hop it is still a pretty insubstantial subculture in China. It may be growing, but not very fast.

  Some parts of hip hop are definitely growing faster than others. To clarify some terms, let me say that within the hip hop community, it is generally accepted that hip hop is composed of four elements- mcing (rapping), djing, breakdancing, and graffiti.

  Of these I would say that breakdancing has definitely experienced the most consistent growth in recent years. Dance is generally viewed as a pretty wholesome extracurricular activity, and break dancing offers Chinese youths a compromise- a way to sample Western culture without the risk of offending parents with anything too radical. Moreover dance has no linguistic element, so the craft is accessible- it can be appreciated without any prerequisite knowledge.

  Dj-ing is having a hard time everywhere, due to the rise of the mp3, the disappearance of vinyl, and the esotericization of competitive DJing techniques, which have rendered the craft isolated and inaccessible to the lay-listener. There are many Chinese DJ’s, but those who practice the art of scratching and blending records are very few.

  Street graffiti in China is definitely growing, fueled by the trend of urbanization across China, but the frequency of street graffiti seems related to the degree of exposure to Western culture that a city has, not only its size. Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong- which have the largest expat populations- have the greatest amount of street graffiti. Chengdu and Chongqing, which have proportionally smaller expat populations, have correspondingly smaller graffiti communities. Chengdu, whose expat population is proportionally larger than Chongqing, has a correspondingly larger street graffiti presence.

  In China, as in the US, graffiti is often used as visual shorthand by brands attempting to associate with themes of youth, rebellion and city life. The hip hop aesthetic remains somewhat popular in fashion, and graffiti like-wise popular in graphic design, though I sense that the over-saturation and the subsequent lessening in popularity of this motif in the West has begun to happen in China as well.

  Rap- the part of hip hop closest to my heart- has never really taken off in China. The emergence of widely understood Chinese words for hip hop (喜哈) and rap （说唱）indicates some awareness, though the type of music often associated with these terms bears little resemblance to American rap.
  There is no doubt that the boom years for the record industry in the 90’s, coupled with hip hop music’s rise to cultural prominence at that time contributed to the proliferation of aspiring rappers in the US. When hip hop came to China however, there wasn’t an economic engine driving the growth of the music in the same way. Although there is a grass-roots hip hop movement in China, the most common examples of rap music in China have been very top-down, Chinese pop stars co-opting the culture, and sprinkling a little bit of hip hop style on their already widely popular music. It is not uncommon for a Chinese pop star to have a ‘rap’ verse integrated into their (otherwise entirely un-hip hop) hit song, but there are no real Chinese super stars that have become famous from only rap.
  Looking at the ebb and flow of hip hop’s various elements in China, it is useful to compare the socioeconomic conditions that gave rise to the culture in the US with those in China today. However hip hop in China should also be contextualized within the sphere of import culture in China. When the stock of Western culture is high, the profile of hip hop receives a boost; when China turns inward, the lustre of hip hop dims. In summation, hip hop is definitely alive in China today, but in order to reach the level of popularity and cultural influence seen in the US, it still has a long way to go.

  Now let me try to briefly respond to Amanda’s questions about the liquor industry. Did I find that Chinese clubbers liked rum? Not particularly. The majority of Chinese customers that I interacted with had not tried rum before, and were not aware what rum is made from (sugar cane). The taste, and their feelings for or against, seems less important in determining their consumption patterns than the price and promotional push of the venue where the liquor is sold. There is not a well established loyalty to any imported spirit in the China except for whiskey, which has established a strong foothold through aggressive marketing by Chivas in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Do you have any thoughts on what the liquor companies were doing right (or wrong) about reaching out to Asia? In China, it’s not so much about what they are doing right or wrong as much as the tremendous challenge that they are facing, due to the fact that traditional Chinese liquor, baijiu (made from sorghum) has such a stranglehold on the market. When I was working for Captain Morgan, they told me the stat that 95% of all spirits consumed in China were baijiu. So, all of the imported spirits brands in China are fighting for a very small market share. Diageo has purchased a baijiu brand as well, so they are trying to crack the market from both sides.

  Thanks to everybody in this discussion for your comments and encouraging words. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. And if you are coming out to Chengdu, let me know. Take care and best wishes.

  - Eli

• 27. Chris Carr  |  January 12th, 2011 at 7:56 am

  Eli,

  Good information. Thanks for taking the time to check back and reply. We appreciate it. You are reminding us of validity of the saying that I often begin this course with … that anything is possible in China but nothing will come easy.

  Good luck to you in Western China!

  Prof. Carr

• 28. Chris Fung  |  January 12th, 2011 at 4:44 pm

  I have agree that Mr. Sweet has definitely taken the road less traveled when compared to most people in their lives. Even though I am of Chinese descent, I don’t think I would even uproot myself and move back to the old country. However I do have to give people respect for doing so because they are taking a risk to fulfill some type of personal goal. Like my grandparents before me who moved to a new country during their youth, so Mr. Sweet does on this journey to China to make his own life.

  In a business sense, Mr. Sweet is definitely taking a risk in pursuing his musical talent in a new country or market. Whether or not he reaches the “great life” in China, at least he made an attempt towards it, which is more than most people can say they have done. Like any entrepreneur or financial fund manager hoping to take a risk and make money on their passion, he can succeed or he can fail. As FedEx founder Frederick Smith said “Fear of failure must never be a reason not to try something.” Best of luck to Mr. Sweet and wherever his endeavors in China take him.

• 29. Tyler Sereno  |  January 18th, 2011 at 9:41 pm

  American rapper Eli Sweet has courage and dedication to chase his dream. He was willing to do whatever it takes to become a successful rapper. The move to China from Atlanta, Georgia is a major step to take and is quite a life changer. It is a difficult field to become successful in because there is strong competition. Eli Sweet saw an opportunity to achieve his goals in the Chinese market where there is less competition. The video of him rapping with a Chinese rapper was interesting. It was a different kind of rap that showed potential with the mix of the American rap style with the Chinese rap style. It is good to hear that he is treated well in China because that cannot be an easy transition to make in life. Seeing things in China that you have never seen before can be tough to absorb, but Eli Sweet seems to be handling things well and I wish the best for him to succeed in following his dream of being a rapper.

• 30. Eli Sweet  |  January 26th, 2011 at 12:17 am

  Hey guys! Just a follow up to the discussion of hip hop in China- here is an interview I did with one of the most prolific graffiti artist in Chengdu: http://www.chengduliving.com/interview-graffiti-artist-gas/. He is an interesting guy, and it has a lot of good pictures of his work, you should check it out if you have a chance. Best wishes.

  Happy Chinese New Year!

• 31. Ben Raymond  |  February 3rd, 2011 at 4:36 pm

  Thanks for the info Eli! I find it pretty cool that the internet makes it possible for us to connect with fellow entrepreneurs across the world. Although we may pursue different avenues of business, it is clear that China represents opportunities for the bold. I can’t imagine throwing myself out there as Eli did but that may just be what it takes. While he ended up pursuing a different occupational path than his original one, it is clear that his persistence eventually opened doors and got him a job.

  I think that is an important lesson for us to keep in mind as we investigate opportunities in China. Its a new country to us and I wouldn’t be surprised if at first we feel alienated and and even rejected. Eli has demonstrated that in order to find success we need to keep an open mind and stay persistent.

• 32. JP Salazar  |  February 24th, 2011 at 9:17 pm

  Wow. First I’d like to say that this video completely blew my expectations out of the water. I find it amazing that we were able to connect with Eli through this blog assignement and it just goes to show how connected we all are. What really got my attention, though, was the idea of how many opportunities are available in China. China is a huge place, with more people than is easy to imagine. The amount of diversity and the sheer number of opportunities available make China the perfect place to start with a new idea. In truth, Eli is a tallented rapper, but his image does not really fit in with an “Atlanta, born and raised” rapper. While in our eyes it might seem strange to see a white rapper on stage with a Chinese man rapping in his own language, I did not get the same impression from the video. Instead, what I am taking away is the idea that while an idea might traditionally be saved for one specific area or role, in China, the doors are much more wide open. Due to the huge amount of diversity, the huge number of different interests, all it takes is a good idea and the guts to follow through with it to be succesfull in China. While this might seem similar to the American dream of striking it rich due to hard work, I see it as slightly different in the final goal. While in America we say that you can become rich if you work hard, I see the focus in China more on being successful. In Eli’s case, he wanted to become a rapper, which was proving difficult in the States. But in China, the doors are wide open and there is more opportunity, allowing Eli to do what he wants to do with his life.

• 33. Matt Streiter  |  March 13th, 2011 at 7:42 pm

  I feel like I am coming from a different perspective by doing this one as my last post! Hearing that Eli picked up his stuff and left to China from Georgia is impressive and gutsy. This video confirms or sheds light on many of the post that we did in this course such as “Job Opportunities In China” where we discussed that not knowing the native languages or Chinese culture is not that much of hinderance, you just have to prove your added value. Also that things happen when you are actually there in the midst rather than trying to coordinate overseas! This also reminds me of the “English Corner” because in his music you see the fusion of American rap and mandarin where you can see the mesh of two cultures and how it is perceived positively among the audience.

  I admire him for his courage and his adaptability in his endeavor to a foreign country. He is someone who wasn’t satisfied with his current situation and felt there was opportunity elsewhere and went for it! It would be interesting to see how he used some of the tools we discussed such as using interpreters, how his bargaining skills developed or evolved, what is his take on the Chinese government? What were people’s perception of him? Being that he isn’t a famous rapper yet, I would ask what does he see as his greatest opportunity in China and if he was to step away from the arts what does he predict to be the most prosperous field in the future?

  I too have lived relatively close to the place I was born and hope to keep it that way. At this point in my life I feel like it just isn’t in the cards for me although if it were to happen now would be the most opportune time being I have very little baggage. We will see!

• 34. J Vail  |  March 14th, 2011 at 12:58 pm

  I found Eli to be a very inspiring person, but I would have wanted more backstory as to how he ended up in China instead of an enigmatic quote. Either way, I think that he is a real-life story of someone going out on a limb and taking chances to truly enjoy life by his own standards. I’m not too sure how his music could actually catch on in the country, but I also know nothing about what music is popular in China so I will be interested to turn on the radio.

  The most noticeable quote that caught my attention in this video is that Eli said he felt that he had MORE freedom in China than he did in America. Regardless of whether that’s actually true or not, the fact that an American can go to China and feel that way is radically different from common stereotypes about the country. Although we won’t spend the same amount of time in China as Eli did, I think that in a similar fashion we will have our own little epiphanies about how we view ourselves in relation to China.

• 35. Omar Pradhan  |  March 18th, 2011 at 12:25 pm

  Home of the free land of the brave, this Atlanta (Braves) native seems to be wise beyond his years… Able to recognize the degree to which his hometown market is saturated with competition, he intuitively took the plunge in China and seems to not have looked back. Notwithstanding his solo talents, his collaborative flow (w/ Coffee) seems to hint at some real potential. Should he continue to master that which lies at the intersection of American Rap Culture and Chinese Rap Culture, Sweet could be bigger than Jay Z (the potential is there, given the larger fan base) with a little luck and a lot of perseverance. Great article; I, for one, am eager to rock and roll…boots on the ground this summer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH3sJcc9u1E

• 36. Grant  |  September 29th, 2011 at 9:26 am

  He said that in some ways he feels he has greater freedom than he would have in the US. I think that this is a common misconception that most people from the US have. We have been taught that we are living in “the home of the free” and that China is a totalitarian country. I’m sure that there are areas that are repressed, like political freedom and religious freedom, but I appreciated his sense of openness and recognition that it broke the stereotypes.

  I loved that he said that part of China’s intrigue is that because China is so complex, you can’t find a way to compare it when trying to compare it.

• 37. Stephen Allison  |  October 9th, 2011 at 8:38 pm

  Good for Eli taking a leap of faith in a new country. I have never been to such a foreign land and am a little intimidated by the trip. I understand him on not feeling secure in America, all I hear is bad news about the job market, the un-even distribution of wealth, and how horrible our health care is, and it makes me think about moving away.

• 38. Vladimir  |  December 13th, 2011 at 8:26 pm

  Like Eli says of many people, I also have the impression that life in China would be more restricted than here, economically as well as politically. Still, I can see how there could be more economic freedom - don’t need to worry about some of the business regulations we have in the US, less competition in some fields.

  It’s great that Eli saw the opportunity in China, and went for it. It takes a combination of knowing where the opportunity is and the decisiveness and drive to pursue it. If I were in a field that had far more potential in China, I might consider the move. But I also feel more attached to life in America, beyond just work. I can envision a great life here, and see the USA as my home. But I also haven’t been much of an international traveler, so I don’t have a diverse perspective.

• 39. Jeffrey Brown  |  December 18th, 2011 at 5:39 pm

  Elli made some great points that I found quite inspirational. When I first heard about this trip I didn’t know exactly why I wanted to go, but I knew that it was a great opportunity. Based on the points Elli made, I can see that the opportunity is not just in the trip but also in the country itself.

  I am in an organization that supports the bands here at Cal Poly and one of our purposes includes the phrase, “music is a universal language” - I can see how that point is reinforced by Elli’s ability to earn a living from music in a country other than his homeland where he developed his talents. This leads me to believe that many other forms of business and arts have equal if not greater opportunities in foreign lands, particularly in China.

• 40. Kevin K.  |  December 19th, 2011 at 12:20 pm

  I thought this video and post says a lot about who can live and flourish in China and what exactly goes on within its borders.

  Like Eli said, there is a great mystery surrounding China, and what it comes down to — especially for us MBAs about to make the trip overseas — is the question of whether or not we are willing to go out and seek and discover this mysterious adventure. Eli did, and maybe we as a class will too. While this may not lead us to freestyling in a Chinese club or marketplace, it will certainly broaden our view of China and allow us to bring back knew cultural information to the states.

• 41. Charles Dornbush  |  December 19th, 2011 at 1:55 pm

  These two short videos gave me a lot of insight into how China is similar (and different) than America. I have to applaud Eli Sweet for taking a huge risk in moving to China to chase his dreams. Trying to spread a culture that he loves in China while meeting an unmet need is both shrewd and noble. From watching his video it seems China is a sort of new frontier in the 21st century, somewhere for those look for adventure and opportunity go for a new life. I could see the parallels of an American traveling to California 150 years ago.

  After reading Eli Sweet’s comment to this post I realized and agreed with the phrase “anything is possible, nothing is easy.” It made me think of how so many people immigrated and moved west in the United States and while some people got rich, many experienced great hardship. Still the story of Eli Sweet is an inspiring one.

• 42. Daniel Fleek  |  December 23rd, 2011 at 2:46 pm

  China is like America a hundred years ago where people would come over because they saw an opportunity to make it here. Many immigrants migrated to America during the Industrial Revolution because immigrants saw the growth of the American economy. This is similar to what is happening to China today and people like Eli Sweet have used this opportunity to have a better life than they would if they stayed here. China may be realizing the power behind America’s race diversity and is opening up its borders to immigrants so that they can learn from diverse points of views, just as the United States had done extensively in the past.

• 43. Ashley Tyra  |  January 23rd, 2012 at 5:16 pm

  Eli Sweet represents a daring, adventurous entrepreneur. He sets an example for anyone who is looking to follow their dreams. He saw an opportunity in an economically expanding country and went for it. China provides a new venue to put forth an effort to become successful. This just goes to show that China has many faces, even ones that are new to the country.

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