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Article: Malaysia raps rap. (influences of different types of music)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- June 18, 1994
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE rap music of Malaysia is not inspired by the mean streets of Kuala Lumpur. One group, 4U2C, raps about the dangers of smoking and alcohol. Another, KRU, has concentrated on the plans of the prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, to make Malaysia fully industrialised by 2020. "Dr M requests us to be united . . . To build Malaysia up to 2020 . . . Productivity and growth."
The government deplores the rise of rap at the expense of middle- of-the-road groups, such as the Alley Cats. Rap, says the information minister, Mohamed Rahmat, is "back-street music for American blacks who have nothing to do." Instead, he proposes Malaysian entertainment "to wean youths off western ...