China has banned a viral rap song, but why?

Malaysian rapper Namewee and Australian singer Kimberly Chen’s song ‘Fragile’ has over 33 million views on YouTube. It’s a big hit among Mandopop or Mandarin pop fans. However, the government of China wasn’t impressed with it. The song was removed from China’s streaming platforms, and the rappers’ accounts were blocked on Chinese social media platform, Weibo. But why is the government so angry with just a song? 

What does the song Fragile say about China?

Fragile pokes fun rather mercilessly at China’s young nationalist netizens, popularly called ‘little pinks’, They defend the country from any criticism online, often resorting to lies and trolling. Namewee’s song also made several references to human rights violations in China. Global Times, the state-run newspaper of China, called the song ‘insulting and “malicious’, and said it incurred the ‘displeasure of Chinese netizens.’ 

What does Fragile say to be considered ‘insulting’ to China?

The song starts with an overly sweet tune, with everyone in pink on a pink set and a dancing panda and the two rappers. It flashes a warning ‘Please be cautious if you’re a fragile pink.’ The song keeps talking about the ‘pinks’ and their ‘fragile self-esteem’. It refers to China – Thailand meme wars in 2020 and makes it sound ridiculous. The song refers to Disney character Winnie the Pooh being banned in China in 2017, because the cuddly bear was used to troll China’s President Xi Jinping. The song shows the panda making ‘bat soup’ with exotic animals, a reference to the corona virus spreading from Chinese eating habits.  

Does the song Fragile also refer to more serious issues?

The song has references to more dangerous issues in China. That includes how the government blocked internet usage of Google, Facebook and Twitter by raising ‘the Great Firewall of China’. 

‘Fragile’ also brings up the issue of human rights violation of ethnic minorities, forced labour camps to exploit poor people, by talking about Uighur people being forced to labour in producing cotton. It also tells us how China came down on Hong Kong’s liberal, pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily, and banned pineapples imported from Taiwan.  

How have the singers responded to China’s ban?

Namewee pointed out that this real name is Wee Meng Chee and he is a Chinese. So he is not insulting the Chinese, including himself. The song is a reaction to the Chinese government, and he felt he had the right to criticise the state.