China Bans Hip-Hop Culture & Tattoos From Media

China has banned references to hip-hop culture and actors with tattoos from appearing in the media as part of a crackdown on “low taste content”.

There were four “don'ts” that the media must now abide by, according to Gao Changli, the publicity department director at the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China (SAPPRFT). China has banned references to hip-hop culture and actors with tattoos from appearing in the media as part of a crackdown on “low taste content”.

”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."

Hip hop artists Wang Hao, known as “PG One” and Zhou Yan, known as “GAI”, both won popular television show “Rap of China “, but both were sanctioned in recent weeks for bad behaviour or content at odds with Communist Party values.

PG One was forced to apologise for lewd lyrics, which critics said were insulting to women and encouraged the use of recreational drugs.