China Daily on Obama Win
YESＷＥCAN!!!!!! OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!
Where to go on Election Day in Shanghai, China?
Vlad and Friend Boris on Palin
Chinglish, Engrish? I dunno. Here's a mix from Shanghai and Wuhan.
The Legend of Bruce Lee
Watch Debate Replay in Shanghai
Soulfire in Nanjing!
Keeping Up With The Wangs???
Where I'm going tomorrow night:
Check Out My New Marriage Blog
Great place to get cheap and good sandwiches in Shanghai
China BOTY Soundtrack
More on today's floods
Floods in Shanghai
This hug was a little too long, Yao...
Olympics is done, but I had fun watching!
LEAVE LIU XIANG ALONE!!!
China's Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics
SOULFIRE IS COMING TO SHANGHAI!!! 8-18!!!
For Those That Wonder If I Still Break...
Typhoon In China
Busy weekends this weekend and next weekend...
My Jeju Review
Redstar interview on Interhiphop
Chinese Drama On Trying to Make It With Hip-Hop
50 Moganshan Lu is the bomb
The Greenwich Village has finally come to Shanghai
Oh snap... Liu Xiang, WATCH OUT!
In Jeju, Korea two weeks from today...
Monsoon Season has arrived!!
No more plastic bags!!!
SOULFIRE IS COMING TO CHANGSHA!! 6-16!!!
Need Studio Space for rent in Shanghai? Soulfire's got your back.
YES WE CAN!!!
DJVibe.CN
Chinese Hip-hop Tune dedicated to the Earthquake
Graff in Shanghai
Take a day off, fool! It's Dragon Boat Festival!
HA HA HA: The Movie
I Heart Beca.
Response to Sharon Stone by Chinese Actor
Hiphop.cn's Xi You Ji Volume 2 Mixtape Is Out!!!
Sharon Stone on China Earthquake
The Last Time We're Going to Kowloon Ice House.
Last Stop - Xuzhou
Back to the Roots @ The Shelter - This Friday
The Forbidden Kingdon (Gong Fu Zhi Wang)
Saved after being trapped for over 180 hours... and gave birth!
How to Dress for Mourning...

This weekend in Shanghai... Which I will miss...

Ashanti and Zhang Xue You do a duet?

The Way That I Love You by Ashanti

OK, I lied... there's no duet, but is it just me or does Ashanti's "The Way That I Love You" sound a little like Zhang Xue You's (Jacky Cheung) "Yi Qian Ge Shang Xin De Li You" (how to translate... A Thousand Reasons That Cause My Pain...). Check out that piano! Is the riff from a classical song or something?

"Yi Qian Ge Shang Xin De Li You" by Zhang Xue You (Jacky Cheung)

Anyway, Zhang Xue You's is first to begin with... Just look at the video! He's got that early 90's look going on there. You can't miss that.

Both are great songs in my book.

Cool vid on The Lab

Check out this video on The Lab (Shi Yan Shi) in Shanghai and check out how these guys live, eat, sleep and breathe DJ! (In Mandarin Chinese)

(Towards the end, there's a bit of a surprise... for you AND me both!)

MoJo in Good Magazine

Chillin' with the China peeps

Firstly, I want to apologize about MoJo In China's mysterious disappearance from the web. It's been about a year of MoJo In China and we've grown up A LOT... Which means my website expired. But we're back with more posts.

Speaking of getting posted, internationally, I was recently featured in Good Magazine about Strangers in a Strange Land. Decent name for a post, but I defeinitely don't feel strange here... Wanna see strange? Go to a third (or second if you in eastern or southern China) tier city karaoke or club at around 12am. That's strange.

Good Magazine has done some really good stories lately on China, particulary leading up to the Olympics. I bet all the Tibet related stuff going on in the world is really blowing up their mag. Anyway, thanks for the article and great pics, Ariana! I'm still waiting for my copies!!!

Whatcha gonna do when Yiwu goes wild on you!

Yiwu: The Wholesale Market Capital of the World!

So I took a trip with Chivas 12 y.o. to Yiwu this past Saturday. Heard a lot of things about this place... actually... not so many... but I know that there's a HUGE wholesale market there with a lot of stuff for cheap.

Of course, you have to try to find things you like and buy a lot of it before you can go on and say how much of a great deal all of this is. Clothes, bedding, silverware, utensils, they got it all there for cheap.

Saw tons of Middle Eastern, African and Easter Europeans there getting their deals on for their business... Sometimes, it felt like there were more foreigners there than in Shanghai.

Now only if they work on their social scene...

Overall, in between my trips to Shaoxing and Yiwu, I realized something... A good number of folks in Zhejiang province are really well off.. why? because they got into their businesses early and made something out of nothing. From selling a lot of cheap stuff, making millions off of zippers, or even manufacturing... Zhejiang is loaded.

Shanghai Jazz

This guys's got it...

Wanna know how I know so much about Jazz on Soulfire... Here's my origional teacher, JQ Whitcomb. He's been involved in the jazz scene in Shanghai for YEARS and he knows what's up... SO, if you wanna know about the jazz scene in Shanghai (as well as the rest of China...) Check out Shanghai Jazz Scene.

For those that don't know, Shanghai has a pretty rich jazz history, from swingin' at The Paramount back in the hey days, to vibin' at The Peace Hotel, to jamming out at JZ Club, Shanghai is all about jazzing it up...

I'm still looking for folks to work with me on a jazz/hip-hop collabo!!

The Expat Directory Warms My Heart

Props!!

Check out what the China Expat Community from The Expat Directory have to say about MoJo In China (And I didn't write this!):

"....Probably the most energetic Expat website I have had the pleasure of reading through. The site is about MoJo and his take on life in China as a hip-hop MC, China academic and whatever else. You won't regret browsing this very interesting, funny and entertaining site! Highly recommended..."

This is the part when I start to tear up... Nah, man!! It's just dust in my eye!!, Alright?!?!, Just dust!... From all the construction and developing a harmonious society! Nah mean? I'm still a man! A sensitive one... but still!!... Hehe

I'll keep jia'ing my you (jia you) for the world to learn more about China, from MoJo's eyes... Xie xie, dajia!

(Note to self... Write book on MoJo In China... make millions... MUAHAHAHAHAH....)

MoJo in Shaoxing

Waterways and canals can be found throughout Shaoxing.

My wife and I are in Shaoxing located in Zhejiang province, for one stop on a nine city tour for sevan weekends through Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces for Chivas 12 y.o. I'm mcing and beatboxing the shows, which is fun. When ever I do these kinds of shows, I get to see bits and pieces of these cities, but it's never long enough...

Anyway, my wife's family is originally from there (Father-in-law's side, grandfather...) and it's been nice to see it... There are a lot of canals and waterways, much like Suzhou, but I find Shaoxing to be more quaint, at least at first glance.

Next up, Yiwu. Looking forward to it!

Faxing in China is really annoying...

And Dated!!

I work... and we all do.. Sometimes, we gotta send things, and sometimes those things need a signature... And one of the best ways to do it (if you don't have a scanner) is via fax... If you don't have one at home, you can go to a center to do that for you...

I've found faxing in China as a chore... and it's tiring and it can be costly.. Hong Kong, although is a part of China, is still included as an international number so even for sending to certain parts of the country.. It's more expensive...

I would like to see a Kinko's in Shanghai who can just take your stuff, send it away, and do it all for one low and great price... "Yi Tiao Long" (One Long Dragon... which is kind of like everything in one place...), that's what we need... I'm tired of sending from business hotels and spending more than I have to!

Note to self... Buy a scanner...

Second note to self... develop a perfect fax machine, bring it to China and rule the world... MUAHAHAHAHA... ummm... I think I'll keep my day job.

P1

I just got stopped by these guys on the street today.

They're called P1 and they are a social networking /party picture/ style site targeted for Chinese with social spending power.

I know, I'm not Chinese... I guess they saw some dude dressed with a little bit of style and thought I was interesting... Anyway, check it out. You might even see me on the site.

Outcome vs. Process

If you want to do business in China, You have to know about Process...

I've lived in China for more than three years and studying China for about eight and there's something that I hear about all the time, but have a tought time geting some time.

Outcome vs. Process

Outcome (Jie Guo) is of couse all about end result. Process (Guo Cheng) is about what it takes to get to the end result. In the west, we see out come as a higly important thing, where as in the East, and particularly in China, you'll find more value in the Process.

This can be diffuicult in business, particulalry for multinational companies... Deadlines, negotiations, executing plans are totally different... I find that this can affect every office and business.

There is no real solution to it all except a hope for more open communication as to what works and what doesn't both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Chinese MSN users aren't very happy...

The heart of a bilion people coming at you on MSN

If you go on MSN messenger, and you got friends from China on your list, check out their names... Most likely you'll find a heart and CHINA in bold letters next to the heart. It's a freakin' phenomenon, man. I have about 30+ people on my list with hearts all over the place... (See Example...)

I thought it was Valentine's Day... again!

This is a new and interesting form of support by most Chinese MSN Messengers for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics in response to comments made about China from CNN and other media outlets we all know and love. The topic? It's one that I hear about all the time everytime... Tibet (Xizang in Mandarin) and the Bejing Olympics.

Check out this Chinese blog post on the topic and the comments below.

Thoughts?

UPDATE: Now people are saying don't shop at Carrefour, don't buy French products... What is this? World War II? Oh well.. At least Carrefour won't be as crowded now... =)

Things you shouldn't do in China... and why.

Why did you split the pear????

Every now and then, I'll throw up a post on things you shouldn't do while you are in China. Tradition and superstition is pretty big out here, even as China becomes a modern society... here's some stuff you NEED TO KNOW.

1. Don't split your pear and share the other half with your loved one.

Pear in Chinese is "Li Zi" and to say divorce in Chinese is "Li Hun"... notice that both pear and divorce in Chinese contain the word "li" they are written differently with different vocal tones, but are similar because of the li pronunciation. Li, in this case, would mean "to split" or "break up".

Don't give your loved one the other half of your pear... Get a second pear and both you eat a whole one... and don't have so many "li's" going around!

2. Don't giving anyone Chrysanthemums.

Stupid idea. I've done it (And I won't say to who, but that person knows I didn't mean it...). They are are pretty, but they are closely related to Tomb Sweeping Day. Yep... Death Flowers.

The movie Curse of the Golden Flower is also closely related to Chrysanthemums... and at the end of the movie, just about everyone dies.

Get tulips instead.

Soulfire is looking for hosts/presenters!

Grab the mic and show millions all over China what you got!

We're looking for presenters/hosts at Soulfire. If you speak Mandarin Chinese and you're into this opportunity, please contact ruby.jiang@soulfire.cn. Good luck!

Back on Channel Young Again!

Miami Vice Revisitied?

No, it's for a show called "Kong Jing Zi" on their program "Jin Ri Ying Xiang" on Channel Young. It's on tonight at 9:30 in Shanghai. They make over people in different office and they stopped by the Soulfire office to pay us a visit. Lucky me, I was one of the one's chosen... I guess I'm THAT BAD... *sniff*...

More and more folks are into the makeover thing out here in China, which was definitely big in the states in the 90's with the likes of Ricki Lake (Go Ricki! Go Ricki!!) and Jenny Jones. (Remember, "From Geek to Chic?")

Anyway, I had fun doing it, but I didn't really like the pink jacket.. it was a bit... too... pink... But I'm glad I could have a chance to re-live my dream to become Philip Michael Thomas (or Jamie Foxx for that matter...) in the flesh.

If you can watch Channel Young tonight, please do. I beatbox too. Holler.

Nas in Shanghai

I'll believe it when it's all 100% confirmed.

More info here...

Congrats to Jay-Z and Beyonce!

China Eastern, Strike, What?

My favorite and the best Chinese R&B Artist is Fang Da Tong

Fang Da Tong aka Khalil Tong

You've probably heard of Zhou Jie Lun (Jay Chou), Tao Zhe (David Tao), Lin Jun Jie (I think his alias is JJ Lin), and Wang Li Hong (Ummm... Wang "Leehom") reigning in as the current (and "only") kings of Chinese R&B... Well get ready, cause there a new soulful flavor in town, and his name is Fang Da Tong!!

Don't let the quirky glasses fool you (Glasses are smart! So what we can't see?!), he's got more soul and blues in his pinky finger than mosts artists have in their whole body out here. He's got fans too.

By the way, he writes his own music, plays guitar and piano... He's an artist. With a capital A. His recordings do his live shows no justice, however, but it all sounds good to me.

Here's a few videos you can check out... The first is his big hit called "Love Song" which might remind you a bit of Jon B mixed with Tyreese and the second one is called "Nuan" which means "Warm" in Mandarin Chinese. "Nuan" is a mix of Musiq Soulchild and Babyface... I think he gets Justin Tmberlake on this one!

But don't take this guy as a carbon copy of American R&B, his lyrics carry a ton of Chinese depth, thought, and life with some soulful flavor and smooth harmonies that will brighten your day...

(This isn't an ad, ya'll... I think a Chinese dude making amazing R&B in Chinese perfectly is a miracle! And as an artist myself... It is needed.)

Mr. Fang, if you are reading this, connect to Redstar on Myspace. We'll make a real Soul/Hip-Hop album for China. Believe that.

Redstar video for Fullbright Scholar Angela Steele and Lila Babb and their project, DONG TING

Enjoy.

Redstar

More on the project.... DONG TING!!!

(BTW... FIVE days till my birthday!)

If I Hear "HELLO" One More Time, I'm Gonna...

I'm all about comunication. Heck, my major in college was a language. I've worked for a PR firm and currently host a radio show, which is all about media and communications. Relating to people is a must for me. So greeting people with a hi, what's up and sometimes "hello" is key...

But not all the time!!!

If you are a foreigner in China, or you look relatively not Chinese, and you are in China, be ready to be told hello... and a lot! And the hello, isn't any random hello... it's a HAAAAAAAAALLLLLOOOOO! (Major stress on the A and O... don't know how the "e" in hello changes into such a strong and harsh "a", but it does.)

I guess it's people being friendly, so I can't be all that mad. The olympics are coming and people out here are taking major and minor steps to be worldly... But please, not so much "hello", we get it all day! And it sounds almost like a 5 year-old saying hello, and I don't even know you! This is why I carry my ipod.

Imagine if I walked around saying "Ni Hao!" to people around China or every Asian looking person I saw... That wouldn't be cool... (And I know people who do that too, they should stop as well.)

In China, don't be surprised if someone uses hello to call you over to remind you about something or to do something... they won't say "hey, you!" They're gonna say, "Hello!", because you look like a foreigner. it sounds like of rude and can defeinitely come off that way, but most people don't know, "Hey you", or "Yo..." You might get a "Lookie Lookie" though.

Chinese People Exersizing Early In The Morning

This isn't a cult, people! It's old people exersizing in China!!

(I hope this doesn't offend anyone, this is just an observation!)

My wife and I wake up everyday at 6am to get ready for work. I generally walk her over to the subway and send her on her way. This is great for two reasons: 1. I send my wife off feeling energized and ready to go, whcih also makes me feel energized to work that day as well. 2. I can watch old Chinese people geting in some good early morning exersize!

(Note: It's prety much never younger Chinese because they are generally busy getting ready for a long day at the office.)

This morning, from my terrace, I watched an old Chinese woman in her 70's clapping her hands while walking and sitting around the pond in the middle of our complex. There was no music playing. She wasn't applauding for a show. Nor was she trying to compose a Just Blaze beat. She was just clapping.

I'm used to seeing this interesting form of exersize having lived in China for over three years, but I had to ask my wife for myself just what the heck is going on...

Me: Why is this lady clapping her hands like she's calling to aliens or something?

Wife: (Smiles) What do you mean?

Me: Y'know, she's clapping her hands like she's doing a rain dance or reaching out to her ancestors through ESP or something. (Note: Today's Qingming Jie by the way... so I have my reasons fo the ancestor thing..) She's staring around her too... Yo, look at this!

Wife: (Laughs) No, that's just to get more circulation through her body, that's all...

Yes, so it's all exersize. If you see old people walking around slapping and hitting their own bodies, walking backwards, or singing opera songs to themselves, they aren't possessed... it's exersize.

I have to give these people a lot of credit though, I mean, if this is why Chinese live so long, maybe we all should get into these crazy looking exersizes as well... Alas, gyms are starting to take form out here (I work out at a gym myself...), and well... these exersizes do kind of look goofy... to the untrained eye...

I heard that a lot of these movements are a part of a traditional Chinese exersize called Qi Gong. (And Qi Gong makes any weak looking person feel pretty darn gangster.

Anyway, here are some more videos of old people doing some interesting "exersizes". Respect the game, don't hate the player.

This is my favorite video because in the begining of the video, the ldy in the blue is basically popping. She makes the corny song sound pretty dope!

Hip-Hop in Kunming

So my boy DJ DSK has a a little club called Uprock in Kunming, China. They're working on a hip-hop night down there that breaks it all down to the four elements, bboy, MC, Graffitti and the DJ (If I didn't add DJ, DJ DSK would kill me).

So if you plan on making a flight Yunnan to check out the Naxi Tribe, or take a boat around Erhai Lake be sure to check out Uprock in Kunming. Tell em MoJo sent ya...

(Respect to Mr. Stokes!!)

(By the way... 6 days till my birthday!!)

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