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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