Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown concern at the growing popularity of rap music. Due to its growing popularity, he advised that the government control it and channel it to ensure that it does not promote moral decadence.
Mr Putin said that the three pillars of rap are protest, sex and drugs and that his main concern is the last two. That there is a need to navigate it that if drugs is glamourised it will lead to social decline and affect the country adversely.
He made comments following the arrest of Russian rapper Husky whose concerts were cancelled. In December, prosecutors cancelled his concert on the grounds of extremism.
The Russian musician real name Dmitry Kuznnetsov was kept behind bars for 12 days after he performed for fans on the roof of a car.
He added, “However, what I really agree with is that if it is impossible to stop it, it should be taken over and navigated in a particular way,” he said.
Mr Putin also stated that he was worried about bad language in rap, saying he had consulted a linguist about it.
While she had explained to him that swearing is “a part of our language”, Mr Putin compared it to the human body, joking that “we have all sorts of body parts, and it’s not like we put them on display all the time”.
The Russian government has long had a complicated relationship with music. Durin the Soviet Union, most Western pop and rock music was not accepted and some were persecuted.
