President Putin has rolled out measures to control rap in Russia. This means rappers like Eminem, 50 Cent and others would not be welcome in Russia.
According to President Putin, rap helps fuel an epidemic of drugs, sex and protest.
While Putin has said he is more concerned with the drugs side, his opponents suggest he is more concerned about the protest side.
He doesn’t want to see dozens of new Navalnys spring up. He is already having enough trouble controlling Alexei Navalny, the blogger-turned-protest- leader.
But the recent harassment and arrest of the Russian rapper Husky has already given him a rising international profile.
Rap is a kind of poetry. It is popular poetry. As Putin said, it cannot be stamped out.
But control of it should not seem draconian. Musicians should be given tax breaks for rapping about positive things instead.
Rap in Russia: Putin should not throw the baby with the bathwater
Exactly!
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