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HIP-HOP Hip-Hop Cops: US put Hip-Hop under surveillance A collection of articles on the latest developments in a nationwide effort to place every aspect of hip-hop culture under state surveillance 08 July 2004 Middle East: Hip-Hop on the frontline The rap form allows a powerful voice for political invective, and is being used on both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict. But for Arab countries and the Middle East, the influence and performance of hip-hop lights a few fuses 02 November 2004 Hip-Hop as a Political Tool Five steps to using hip hop within a political framework and to developing a viable political constituency in the hip-hop generation 08 June 2004 Myanmar/Burma: Introduction to Burma's dangerous hip-hop scene An animated video by Scott Bateman and Edith Mirante. 12 August 2008 Tanzania: Hip-hop musicians threatened by religious group 'Stern and prompt measures' will be taken against any musician who use the name of Jesus Christ in song lyrics, warned a religious spokesperson to the newspaper Majira 01 October 2007 Palestine: Angry Islamists break up hip-hop concert with Kalashnikovs Stone-hurling and stick-swinging teenage Hamas supporters chased the rap group P. R., Palestinian Rappers, off the stage 06 October 2005 Myanmar/Burma: Hip-hop performer sentenced to six years in prison Hip-hop star Zayar Thaw was sentenced to six years imprisonment by a Rangoon court on 20 November 2008 for his involvement in anti-regime protests 21 November 2008 Europe / USA: Pressure on Muslim women to stay out of music When a woman tries to break into the growing scene for Islamic hip-hop in United Kingdom she is often intimidated, or even threatened, reported the New Statesman 18 August 2008 Myanmar/Burma: Musicians are being arrested Two members of the controversial - and popular - Burmese hip-hop group Acid have been arrested, along with the lead guitarist in Shwe Thansin group 30 April 2008 Nigeria: Actor jailed for releasing an uncensored music video The actor Adam A. Zango was imprisoned for producing and releasing an uncensored hip-hop video. The incident was a result of restrictions within the kannywood film industry 09 April 2008 Iran: Rap singer believed to be arrested The alleged arrest of rapper and singer Tataloo is debated in online Persian rap forums. Rumours says that Tataloo has received a three-year jail sentence 21 November 2008 France: Rap musician acquitted of 'defamation' charges On 23 September 2008, rap musician Hamé of leading French underground rap groups, La Rumeur, was acquitted after a long, legal battle against president Nicolas Sarkozy 25 September 2008 France: Rap musician under legal fire for 'defamation' For the last six years one of France's leading underground rap groups, La Rumeur, has been locked in a legal battle against current French president Nicolas Sarkozy. 26 June 2008 Mozambique: City authorities called rapper in for questioning The rap artist Azagaia was summoned before prosecutors to explain the allegedly violent lyrics of a song he has written about the February 2008 riots in Maputo 06 May 2008 Zimbabwe: Rapper advised to change album title Maskiri, a rapper with an explicit and cutting tongue, has been forced to change the title of his upcoming album in order for him to get airplay from the state broadcaster 25 January 2008 Iran: Official campaign against rap music Iranian police have been instructed to close rap studios in an official nationwide campaign to stamp out "obscene" rap music, reported Agence France Presse and BBC News 04 December 2007 Iran: 'Rap-e-Fars' – Persian rap and the Iranian rap scene Although the Persian rap, 'Rap-e-Fars', is illegal in Iran it is very popular among Iranian teenagers. An article about the underground Iranian rap scene 17 September 2007 USA: Gangsta rap condemned by local police The police in Colorado Springs publicly condemned the music genre gangsta rap in a news release after a killing in July 2007, writes The New York Times 05 September 2007 USA: Music tv channel bleeps the word ‘suicidal’ The American rapper Sean Kingston was afraid to feel suicidally heartbroken. But MTV and some radio stations have chosen less dramatic versions of the summer hit. 28 August 2007 Malaysia: Student faces imprisonment for "seditious" rap Malaysian authorities to act against student over "seditious" national anthem rap on YouTube, reports Southeast Asian Press Alliance 13 August 2007 Iran: About 230 people arrested during a ‘satanistic’ music event As part of an annual summer crackdown on “immoral behavior” about 230 people were arrested during a police raid on an underground rap and rock concert 07 August 2007 Iran: Gradual changes through modern technology The daily pan-Arabic newspaper Ashark al Awsat reports that changes are introduced gradually among the citizens of Iran – despite official bans and censorship. 04 July 2007 Rabah Donquishoot Video interview with Rabah Donquishoot from the Algerian rap group MBS about the situation in 2006 concerning music censorship in Algeria 14 May 2007 Senegal: Rappers' quest for change During the last seven years, there has been a frightening rise in the number of censorship attempts on musicians, outspoken activists and journalists in Senegal 02 March 2007 Lebanon: Hip hop band's censored album debut The Beirut-based rap duo Ashekman has come up against censorship several times in its young career, reports The Daily Star, as they are about to publish their debut album 02 March 2007 South Korea: Censors attempted to silence hip hop group Because they talk about social issues the South Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism has tried to censor their songs, tells the top-selling Korean hip hop group Epik High 01 March 2007 USA: Grammy awards to blacklist songs containing the n-word New York's City Council has asked The Recording Academy, home of the Grammys, not to nominate musicians for Grammy awards if they use the word 'nigger' in their lyrics 01 March 2007 Sweden: rap band taken to court for 'hate speech' Two members of a rap band from the south of Sweden are taken to court accused of ‘hate speech’ after a concert in Landskrona in 2006 25 January 2007 Fadal Dey Video interview with Fadal Dey about the situation in 2006 concerning music censorship in Côte d'Ivoire and West Africa 16 January 2007 Syria: 'Silenced voices' In Syria, music is a mirror which shows the soul of the listener. A few young musicians perceive a magic language of sound which can touch the heart and make new thoughts spark. And this is exacly where their problems start... 07 November 2006 China: Concert by American rapper Jay-Z censored Chinese censors stopped a concert by American rapper Jay-Z 16 October 2006 Canada: 'Gangsta rap' seeked banned A Toronto activist has filed a complaint against Canadian music store chain HMV selling 'gangsta rap' that glorifies the mistreatment of women 27 September 2006 Senegal: Self-censorship among rappers Backdated tax bills, harassment and death threats drives some rap artists in Senegal to tone down their socially-conscious lyrics, reports Rose Skelton from Dakar 01 September 2006 USA: Rapper banned from New York radio station After being shot in the buttocks outside of the radio station Hot 97 in New York on 26 April 2006, Brooklyn rapper Gravy's music has been banned from the station's airwaves 11 May 2006 The music industry from the perspective of women About the music industry from the perspective of women, based on interviews with Myriam, a Senegalese rapper from the group ALIF and the singer Ajah Sy 27 May 2005 Senegal seminar 2005 video English Didier Awadi, Myriam and Ajah on self-censorship, taboos, and the importance of constructive criticism. Video excerpts from Kristina Funkeson's interviews with the artists during the seminar on Music and Freedom of expression in West-Africa, held in Senegal 2005. 09 May 2005 Ghana: Hiplife under attack Ghanaian business executive asks the National Communication Authority of Ghana to ban "profane music" on the radios 12 April 2005 Kenya: Are musicians composing "dirty" songs just to please listeners? Editorial from The Nation on explicit lyrics: “Many people have accused the media of contributing to moral decadence by glorifying music with raunchy lyrics and giving minimal airtime to those with positive messages” 12 November 2004 'Kill Bush' rappers rapped by US Gatans Parlament - a Norwegian rap group that criticised US President Bush by setting up a website whose name means "Kill him now" is in trouble with US authorities. Gatans Parlament, or Street Parliament, has defended the exercise as a satire 04 November 2004 La Rumeur: accused of inciting violence The French group from the Paris outskirts helped to redefine the hip hop scene in France.... but faced crippling legal court cases as a consequence 11 October 2004 Reggae stars dropped because of 'homophobic' lyrics A collection of articles and background information on Hate Music and the current debate, where Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel, the two controversial reggae acts accused of inciting violence against homosexuals, have been dropped from the UK Mobo Awards show 08 September 2004 Albums with ‘objectionable material’ removed from Kansas libraries The Kansas attorney general has withheld more than 1,600 compact discs from distribution to state libraries because officials determined the albums promote violence or illegal activity, records show 10 August 2004 Rapper Jadakiss Blames Bush for Sept. 11 "Why" - the new single by US rapper Jadakiss, with the words "why did Bush knock down the towers?" - has gotten him the most mainstream attention, and criticism, of his career. MTV and several radio stations are playing the edited version 16 July 2004 D.R. Congo: Ban on rap music In June 2004, the Committee of Censorship in the Democratic Republic of Congo censored all Congolese rap groups and foreign music. The reason given for banning rap is that it is 'obscene and violent, and causes the youth to behave badly' 21 June 2004 "Anti-police" rap CD targeted in Arizona 03 February 2004 Explicit Lyrics & Parental Advisory Tipper Gore, the PMRC, and the infamous black-and-white logo: Background material and news articles 01 February 2004 French minister warns 'hate' rap bands over lyrics The band Sniper has outraged deputies in the governing UMP party with "La France," a foul-mouthed anti-society rant that taps the deep sense of alienation of disaffected French youths 05 November 2003 Chuck D/Public Enemy Censorship, MTV and political music in the US. Video interview with Chuck D from Public Enemy 16 July 2003 Dr Martin Cloonan: About Hate Music Politicians and police have accused rap music of encouraging gun violence, while musicians say deeper social problems are to blame 04 February 2003 Killer "acted out" Eminem song A teenager who acted out the brutal lyrics of a song by controversial rapper Eminem has been jailed for life 28 January 2003 USA: What if they gave a culture war and nobody came? Extensive article on the history of music censorship in the U.S., detailing the occasions when judicial and legislative authorities have focused attention on popular music as expression 28 January 2003 Clear Channel: September 11 & Corporate Censorship Corporate censor no. 1, or just the market leader? A collection of articles on Clear Channel - including the debate on the infamous list of 'potentially offensive songs', which Clear Channel suggested its 1.300 radio stations not to play following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US 01 December 2002 Militant Mind State "Money Censors" The two rappers Spread Love (Omar) and M2 (Jaryd) from Militant Mind State (US) interviewed by Daniel Brown/Freemuse at Roskilde Festival, July 2001 12 September 2001 USA: Feminist critique censored for indecency Sarah Jones’ song ‘Your revolution’ was censored for indecency. Ironically, Jones’s song is in fact feminist critique and a statement against indecency 30 June 2001 Wal-Mart: Market censors and market mechanisms Background information on the biggest retailer in the US. Some Wal-Mart retailers refuse to carry CDs with the Parental Advisory Sticker, a few also go so far as to boycott artists if there is a 'dirty' word, a 'controversial' cover, or 'explicit' lyrics 01 February 2001 Hip-hop, black Islamic nationalism and the quest of Afro-American empowerment Paper from the 1st World Conference on Music and Censorship, Copenhagen 20-22 November, 1998 01 January 2001 South Africa: Rap song banned for incitement to violence The song 'Get Out' by Zimbabwean-born hip-hop artist Zubz was banned on the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC. 07 May 2008