New York 2006

Chapter 37 Racial Identity

December 2006, 12, Los Angeles Staples Center. Today is the NBA's Houston Rockets' away game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Luo Ji and Jeff Busker arrived at the venue early. They will perform together during halftime today. Viva La Vida.

"I have already communicated with the TV station. When the time comes, you will watch the game from the best viewing position on the side of the court. The camera will frequently take care of you, and the commentators will also help introduce you to the TV audience. Although this is not the final, but attention The degree is also quite high. As the two strongest players in the Western Conference, the Lakers and Rockets, whoever advances among them will likely win the championship this year."

People from the Universal Music Entertainment Department chatted non-stop next to Luo Ji about this commercial performance that he had helped to contact.At this time, spectators began to enter the venue one after another. The organizer said that the tickets for this match had been sold out. There were more than 2 people in attendance. Luo Ji was quite nervous to show his face in front of such a large audience for the first time.

"Don't be nervous, just think of it as singing on the street. There's not much difference between a gymnasium and a street, it's just that there are a lot of people. The organizer this time has high hopes for you. He thinks it's a gimmick for Chinese-Americans who are good at both culture and sports to perform together. , publicize it early to facilitate ticket sales. The effect is also very good. In the past, the tickets could not be sold out. This time they were sold out. So don’t belittle yourself, there are many people who are also here for you. "

"Yeah, I understand." Luo Ji rubbed his face with both hands, then looked at Basque next to him: "How are you? Are you okay?"

Jeff Busker laughed and said: "I just have a few lyrics. The main pressure is still on your side."

Luo Ji patted his chest with his hand: "Just be patient, I will never let you down. I have been practicing this song recently, and I can finish the performance smoothly even if I fall asleep."

"Hahaha."

Time flies quickly and the game is about to start.Players have arrived to warm up.The TV station reporter walked up to Luo Ji and said, "It's time to start the interview."

Luo Ji stood up and said hello to Yao Ming who was on the court. Yao Ming ran over after seeing it. This was an interview session that had been communicated between the TV station, the stadium organizer, Luo Ji, and the Universal Entertainment Department.

Yao Ming is too tall, a full 2.26 meters, and Luo Ji is only 1.80 meters now. Standing in front of Yao Ming, he looks like an adult and a child.The two first stood together for a photo and then were interviewed together.

"Yao Ming, Logic, how did you two meet?"

Luo Ji laughed at the camera: "Yao Ming is so famous, I have known him for a long time, but I knew him at the time, but he didn't know me. I used to be an unknown person. Recently I became popular because of Viva La Vida and YouTube videos Get up."

Yao Ming smiled his iconic smile: "I only got to know Logic recently when I saw his videos while browsing YouTube. His music is great and I like it very much."

At the same time, on the other side of the ocean, the five sets of the Central China Central Television were broadcasting the game: "Hey, who is this boy? How can he be interviewed together with Yao Ming?"

"His name is Logic, and his Chinese name is Luo Ji. He is a Chinese-American singer in the United States. He is very popular in the United States during this period."

"It's him. I've heard of him during this time. It turns out that he looks like this and is quite handsome. Let me help you translate what he said. He said that he likes Yao Ming very much and also likes to play the video game World of Warcraft. , if given the chance, he hopes to team up with Yao Ming to play games. He said that his Mage Thief 6 will definitely make Yao Ming fly."

"Yao Ming readily accepts and hopes to have the opportunity to play games together."

"Haha, it seems that these two people are both game fans. In the live broadcast, we can see many Chinese cheering groups. They are holding banners saying "Yao Ming is cheering" to cheer for Yao Ming. I hope Yao Ming can get better and better in the NBA. .”

At the NBA scene, Jeff Busker said: "There seems to be a lot of Chinese cheering groups here. Logic, look there, there seems to be someone holding a cardboard with your name written on it. Logic, you are the best."

Luo Ji can actually understand the mentality of Chinese people in the Western world. Chinese people will not fight for their own rights like black brothers. People of this nation have their own dignity and are more inclined to achieve self-realization through their own struggles.The Chinese can be said to be successful, as they generally have good incomes.

Chinese Americans are called model minorities in the United States, and they are also called eternal foreigners. They are almost invisible in the media, and their influence in the United States is too low.

Chinese Americans do not have an advantage in all political issues. In social events, when conflicts arise with other races, Chinese Americans are often at a disadvantage. The media cares about black people and the political correctness of Jews, but often does not care about the political correctness of Asians. I will cry. Children of Chinese descent are fed milk, but Chinese or Asians do not cry.

Chinese Americans lack influence in the media, so every Chinese American who is influential in the American media, such as YouTube's Chen Shijun, international superstars Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and NBA's Yao Ming, etc., will receive their 100% support.Luo Ji visited a Chinese forum, and there was a passage in it that particularly impressed him.A Chinese said that he traveled to Europe last year and met a foreigner who introduced himself as Chinese. The foreigner gave a thumbs up and said: "Yao Ming, Yao Ming."

Yao Ming is a business card.

The game started. The Rockets challenged the Lakers away from home. Tracy McGrady was injured and suspended. Yao Ming took up the offensive banner of the Rockets in this game.

Yao Ming was really good in this game. He played particularly well in the beginning and scored consecutively.At one point, they led the Lakers by 21 points.But Kobe Bryant of the Lakers was also at his peak, leading the entire team to press forward step by step, slowly catching up.

Seeing that halftime was about to end, the staff urged themselves to go to the aisle to prepare for the entrance. After the players left the field, they decorated the venue for the halftime show.This game was so exciting that even Luo Ji, who usually didn't like basketball, looked back every step of the way and was reluctant to leave.

Luo Ji and Basque put on their headphones, and the voice of the field controller came from inside: "The head coach has requested a timeout and needs to wait for a while. Logic and the staff will wait for a moment and wait until the game is over before playing again."

Luo Ji looked out from the aisle and could only see a corner of the arena.All the spectators cheered loudly. Luo Ji looked out from the aisle and could see a group of Chinese holding cardboard signs saying "Go Yao Ming" and shouting "Go Yao Ming" at the top of their lungs.

A voice came from the earphones: "The players have left the field. It's time. Logic is ready. The venue is ready. The microphone is ready. The music is ready. Okay. Logic, it's your turn."

Luo Ji and Jeff Basker walked out of the aisle to the prepared stage. There was a band in the field. Jeff Basker walked to the timpani, picked up the drumstick and approached the microphone.The prelude started, and Luo Ji took the microphone and shouted loudly to the audience.

"Everyone sing with me."

ohhh, ohh, oh, ohhh, ohh, oh…

This is the simplest sentence in Viva la Vida, and it is particularly easy to sing. Luo Ji only sang it twice, and everyone in the audience was able to sing along. Everyone was very cooperative, and the entire venue instantly resounded with these five syllables.As expected, the chorus is the easiest way to stir up the atmosphere. With just a few simple syllables, everyone got excited.The chorus ended and Luo Ji's singing sounded.

"The vast world was once controlled by me, and the huge waves were once surging because of my destiny. Now I sleep alone at dawn, wandering lonely on the road that once belonged to me. I once controlled the life and death of mortals, and I savored the fear that bloomed in the pupils of my mortal enemy, I happily listened to the people singing and cheering: The previous king is dead! Long live the new king!"

Luo Ji looked at the camera and made slight movements with his hands to arouse everyone's atmosphere.He was a little nervous before going on stage, but now he was able to face the public calmly and seemed very relaxed.

"The evil wind roared in, blowing away the heavy door and plunging me into a deep haze. The walls were broken and the ceremony was ruined. The world couldn't believe that I was no longer there. The rebel army was eagerly looking forward to the day when I would stand on the guillotine, just like a puppet. Swinging lonely with the hanging wire, how sad, who has ever longed for the worship of thousands of people? The cold evil wind roared in, blowing away the heavy door, leaving me in a deep haze, the walls were broken, the ceremony was ruined, and the world could not believe that I was no longer there. Furthermore, I just can’t let it go for some reasons, and I also know that the door of heaven will not be opened to me, and there will no longer be any harsh words of advice, but this is the era of my rule.”

After the song ended, the audience burst into warm applause, and most people stood up.At the same time, the NBC broadcast host said to the audience in front of the TV: "Logic doesn't look like those idol singers. His performance was really good, and the audience stood up and cheered for him."

This can be considered a success, Luo Ji thought to himself as he looked around and enjoyed the applause of the audience.The Chinese in the stands were particularly excited. Many white, black, and Latino spectators sat down after applauding, but all the Chinese were still standing. Many people had tears in their eyes, applauding enthusiastically and cheering loudly.

Seeing this scene, Luo Ji was slightly moved. This must be how Yao Ming felt. In this multi-racial country, so many people support him.

Human beings are creatures that need identity.

Luo Ji has traveled through time for so long, and the distance from reality has always existed, and he has also been confused about his identity. He sees the other in the eyes of white people, and the other in the eyes of others.

Who am I, which group do I belong to, and which group should I be loyal to in my life?Today he suddenly found a sense of belonging and identity among a group of strangers.

(End of this chapter)