PDEA seeks ban on Shanti Dope’s rap song on use of illegal drugs
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Thu, 23 May 2019 09:00:44 +0000
THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is seeking to ban on television and radio rapper Shanti Dope’s new song allegedly promoting the use of marijuana.
Amid the government’s ongoing war against illegal drugs, PDEA turned its attention to 18-year-old local rapper Shanti Dope whose song “Amatz” apparently talked about the effects of using marijuana.
“We respect and appreciate our artists in the music industry, however, we strongly oppose the promotion of musical pieces or songs that encourage the recreational use of drugs like marijuana and shabu. It is contrary to our fight against illegal drugs,” PDEA chief Aaron Aquino said in a statement on Thursday.
PDEA cited some lines in the song: “Lakas ng amats ko, sobrang natural, walang halong kemikal,” and “Ito hinangad ko lipadin ay mataas pa, sa kaya ipadama sa’yo ng gramo, ‘di bale nang musika ikamatay.”
“It appears that the singer was referring to the high effect of marijuana, being in its natural/organic state and not altered by any chemical compound,” Aquino said.
Aquino said the song’s message could mislead the youth into thinking there was nothing wrong with using illegal drugs amid the government’s drive against it.
Aquino filed on May 20 before the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), and the ABS-CBN Corporation a request to bar the airing of the song and its promotion in the different media stations throughout the country.
The anti-drug agency also recommended that similar songs be banned from the airwaves.
This is not the first time that a government official called for a ban on a song which supposedly alludes to drug use.
Sen. Vicente Sotto 3rdcalled on radio stations in 1995 to stop playing “Alapaap,” a song popularized by the Eraserheads band. NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS
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