International Journal of Cultural Studies· 2026Q1
When recognition moves sideways: Horizontal legitimacy in the Chinese rap field
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- 2026year
Short summary
A new concept, 'horizontal legitimacy,' explains how Chinese rap artists gain recognition through peer evaluation and shared cultural knowledge, rather than solely from top-down sources.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Introduces 'horizontal legitimacy' as a new framework for understanding recognition in cultural fields.
- Demonstrates that peer evaluation, cultural knowledge, and spatial practices are key mechanisms for building legitimacy among Chinese rappers.
- Shows that legitimacy is a dynamic, relational process of ongoing negotiation and value-making, not a static state.
- Highlights the interplay between horizontal (peer-based) and vertical (top-down) legitimacy in shaping artists' careers.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
This article examines the production and negotiation of cultural legitimacy in the Chinese rap field following its rapid mainstreaming after The Rap of China (2017). The article develops the concept of horizontal legitimacy to explain how recognition is produced among culturally embedded actors through peer evaluation, cultural knowledge, and spatial practices. Drawing on qualitative interviews with rappers and fans, the article shows that horizontal legitimacy operates through collective evaluation, epistemic authority, and the transformation of lived environments into meaningful cultural spaces. Horizontal legitimacy interacts with vertical legitimacy, shaping how actors negotiate visibility, cultural authority, and authenticity. The Chinese rap case demonstrates that legitimacy is not a fixed status but an ongoing relational process of recognition, contestation, and value-making within cultural fields.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Music
MusicArts and Humanities