World Beat

If you need any reminding that American pop culture is pervasive, check out the first rap video made in China at https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/china. But don’t expect any R- or even PG-rated lyrics.

“Beautiful Girl,” performed by Li Xiaolong, is a rather sweet tale about a guy who realizes that although his girlfriend is far from beautiful, she is genuine and a “source of strength.” The rap, done to an entirely infectious melody and beat, ends with the line: “The real girl’s the lovable one, and who knows what we’ll look like at the end?”

The video itself might not be on the cutting edge, but it’s lively and full of self-effacing humor. On the same page, you can listen to the traditional folk song on which “Beautiful Girl” is based and also a 45-minute BBC documentary on Li Xiaolong, a pop-music veteran who talks in pragmatic terms about how he came to make the record.