Co-operative actions in Chinese freestyle rap battles: a case ofIron Mic

Abstract

Rap battles are a growing phenomenon in China, but few studies have examined their interactional structure, especially from a multimodal perspective. In this paper, I conducted a microethnographic analysis of the sequential and simultaneous co-operation in Chinese rap battles from the national finals of Iron Mic. Results showed that in sequential co-operation, rappers accumulated the pre-existing end rhymes and created situated rhyming patterns in different rounds of battle performances, which helped them to outflow their opponents. Rappers also transformatively adapted lyrics and bodily movements from their opponents, demonstrating their ability to improvise and their superior lyricism over others. Moreover, battle emcees simultaneously used hand gestures to rebut their opponents’ accusations or show respect to the rap community. The study demonstrates that co-operative action is a viable theory to account for the interactional structure in rap battles and potentially other similar genres, highlighting the importance of a multimodal approach to social interactions.