iQIYI Original Show "The Rap of China" Kicks off 2019 International Contestant Search Tour in Los Angeles

BEIJING, April 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, Inc. (NASDAQ:IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company") , an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, recently announced that its original show "The Rap of China" has launched its 2019 international contestant search in Los Angeles, the first stop of the North America auditions. Aside from audition stops in North America, Oceania and Southeast Asia, this year's international contestant search will also introduce new stops in East Asia. "The Rap of China" is iQIYI's flagship competition show dedicated to promoting Chinese-language rap. The show seeks to bring together talented Chinese rap lovers from around the world to bring Chinese rap to a wider international audience.

Since its debut in 2017, the show has garnered widespread acclaim, prompting the popularization of Chinese rap in mainstream Chinese youth culture. The online Chinese buzzword "Skr", for instance, originated from the show and received 470,000 searches on Baidu, China's leading search engine, just one day after it was used by Chinese singer Kris Wu in the previous season. Original rap songs popularized from the show have also topped the rankings of leading Chinese music platforms. The show's upcoming 2019 season will continue to explore the value and potential behind the cultural significance of Chinese-language rap, further advancing iQIYI's endeavors in setting cultural trends for young Chinese audiences.

"The inclusion of international contestants in our competition last year was a great success. We are delighted to continue the practice this year, expanding our search by introducing new audition stops in East Asia," said Chen Wei, senior vice president of iQIYI and executive producer of "The Rap of China". "We look forward to bringing our audiences the best entertainment there is to offer by gathering the most talented Chinese rappers from around the world."

In 2018, "The Rap of China" was synchronously broadcasted over Hong Kong's Now TV NowJelli and Malaysia's Astro HD, opening a new channel for Chinese rap to reach wider global audience.

About iQIYI, Inc.

iQIYI, Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company") is an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China. Its corporate DNA combines creative talent with technology, fostering an environment for continuous innovation and the production of blockbuster content. iQIYI's platform features highly popular original content, as well as a comprehensive library of other professionally-produced content, partner-generated content and user-generated content. The Company distinguishes itself in the online entertainment industry by its leading technology platform powered by advanced AI, big data analytics and other core proprietary technologies. iQIYI attracts a massive user base with tremendous user engagement, and has developed a diversified monetization model including membership services, online advertising services, content distribution, live broadcasting, online games, IP licensing, online literature and e-commerce. For more information on iQIYI, please visit http://ir.iqiyi.com.

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