Los Angeles Times

Chinese reality show 'The Rap of China' comes to L.A. to seek its next star

LOS ANGELES - Xingyu Li was excited. The 20-year-old chemistry student traveled 120 miles from San Diego to downtown Los Angeles where he was about to do something he hadn't done before: rap on the helipad of a skyscraper.

Wearing glasses, a backpack and an oversize red sweatshirt, Li took to the stage decorated with black barrels emblazoned in gold with the words "R!CH." He awkwardly grabbed the mic from another contestant before launching into his 50-second patter in Chinese:

Success will come sooner or later

Music is my baby ...

While I'm still young and ambitious

I'll chase my dream no matter what

I work this hard, just to draw your attention.

Li was among 50 people who had been invited to try out for the next season of "The Rap of China," one of

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