China Bans Hip-Hop Culture and Tattoos

China has banned hip-hop culture and actors with tattoos from appearing on television as part of a crackdown on what they call “low taste content”.

According to publicity department director of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People`s Republic of China (SAPPRFT) Gao Changli, there are now four ‘donts’ that the Chinese media should abide by.

”Absolutely do not use actors whose heart and morality are not aligned with the party and whose morality is not noble,” he said.

“Absolutely do not use actors who are tasteless, vulgar and obscene. Absolutely do not use actors whose ideological level is low and have no class. Absolutely do not use actors with stains, scandals and problematic moral integrity.”

Chinese news outlet Sina reported that the regulator now “specifically requires that programs should not feature actors with tattoos [or depict] hip hop culture, sub-culture and dispirited culture.”

Recently, a Chinese hip-hop artist, Wang Hao known as PG One was forced to publicly apologize for lewd lyrics which critics said were insulting women and encouraged drug abuse.

Meanwhile, some Chinese hip-hop fanatics have reacted angrily to the ban by flooding Chinese social media with negative comments.

One Chinese hip-hop fanatic quoted saying, “How can a government with high culture have such childish logic?”.