Hip-hop musician Wang Xiaolei
Chinese hip-hop artist Wang Xiaolei (Wahng Shau-lay — shau rhymes with cow) is featured in a documentary airing tonight on the PBS program Frontline. The doc is called “Young & Restless in China.”
Frontline is produced at WGBH — just across the street from The World studios. In fact a couple of World reporters (Marco Werman and Clark Boyd) occasionally work on the joint program Frontline/World.
Frontline offered us Wang Xiaolei as well as a producer/director to talk about ”Young & Restless in China.” We could have done it this way, but we thought it best to ask our own reporter for a profile. The World’s Mary Kay Magistad is based in Beijing. I think this ended up being a win-win situation for all involved. We were able to promote the Frontline doc AND air our own piece direct from Beijing.
What’s most interesting is how much Wang Xiaolei has changed. When Frontline first started filming, Wang was a teenager. Now he’s in his twenties. As a teen Wang rapped about alienation and discrimination in China. When Mary Kay met him last week he told her that he’s not angry anymore.
Frontline: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/youngchina/
Mary Kay’s Profile: http://www.theworld.org/taxonomy_by_date/2/20080617
Tags: China, Frontline, Mary Kay Magistad, The World, Wang Xiaolei
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