Alarmed by the growing popularity of rap among Russian youth, President Vladimir Putin wants cultural leaders to devise a means of controlling, rather than banning, the popular music.<\/b>
\nMOSCOW \u2014 Alarmed by the growing popularity of rap among Russian youth, President Vladimir Putin wants cultural leaders to devise a means of controlling, rather than banning, the popular music.
Putin says \u00ab\u00a0if it is impossible to stop, then we must lead it and direct it.\u00a0\u00bb
But Putin said at a St. Petersburg meeting with cultural advisers Saturday that attempts to ban artists from performing will have an adverse effect and bolster their popularity.
Putin noted that \u00ab\u00a0rap is based on three pillars: sex, drugs and protest.\u00a0\u00bb But he is particularly concerned with drug themes prevalent in rap, saying \u00ab\u00a0this is a path to the degradation of the nation.\u00a0\u00bb
He said \u00ab\u00a0drug propaganda\u00a0\u00bb is worse than cursing.
Putin’s comments come amid a crackdown on contemporary music that evoked Soviet-era censorship of the arts.
Last month, a rapper known as Husky, whose videos have garnered more than 6 million views on YouTube, was arrested after he staged an impromptu performance when his show was shut down in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar.
The 25-year-old rapper, known for his lyrics about poverty, corruption and police brutality, was preparing to take to the stage on Nov. 21 when local prosecutors warned the venue that his act had elements of what they termed \u00ab\u00a0extremism.\u00a0\u00bb
Husky climbed onto a car, surrounded by hundreds of fans, and chanted \u00ab\u00a0I will sing my music, the most honest music!\u00a0\u00bb before he was taken away by police.
On Nov. 30, rapper Gone. Fludd announced two concert cancellations, citing pressure from \u00ab\u00a0every police agency you can imagine,\u00a0\u00bb while the popular hip hop artist Allj cancelled his show in the Arctic city of Yakutsk after receiving threats of violence.
Other artists have been affected as well \u2014 pop sensation Monetochka and punk band Friendzona were among those who had their concerts shut down by the authorities last month.
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Francesca Ebel in Moscow contributed.<\/p>\n