China has announced that they are banning any form of hip-hop imagery from television programs.

The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China (SAPPRFT) announced that “specifically requires that programs should not feature actors with tattoos [or depict] hip hop culture, sub-culture (non-mainstream culture) and dispirited culture (decadent culture).” The outlined rules of the new policy includes:

  • “Absolutely do not use actors whose heart and morality are not aligned with the party and whose morality is not noble.”
  • “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.”

Apparently China’s been steadily removing this type of imagery from their airwaves for quite some time. Several rappers, like Wang Ho aka PH One and GAI, were booted off televised variety/competition shows they participated on. SAPPRFT has gone so far as to blur out imagery of gold/diamond jewelry.

People are outraged by this and are voicing their opinions in social media.