China’s vocal opposition to the deployment of the US’s advanced anti-missile system THAAD has previously been limited to official statements and public demonstrations.
Now that rebuke has a new, more melodious form: a rap video.
A video featuring Chinese rap group CD Rev, based in the south-central province of Sichuan, appeared earlier this month, as reported by The New York Times on Friday, racking up nearly 50,000 views as of Friday morning.
The deployment of THAAD, which began at a site in southeastern South Korea in March, has sparked months of protests in China.
State-run media outlets have called for protests of South Korean businesses and imports, and demonstrators have targeted the conglomerate Lotte in particular. (South Koreans have alsotargeted Lotte for protests.)
China’s ire has also affected tourism to South Korea, and Chinese broadcasters have cancelled appearances by South Korea bands.
The lyrics in CD Rev’s video, in both English and Chinese, criticize the deployment of THAAD in tones likely to be taken as patronizing by some in South Korea.
“How many times do I have to warn you my lovely little neighbor boy? You don’t really want that little toy, you know,” one member of the group raps near the start of the video, continuing:
Your big brother is annoyed. Tryna avoid the sight of me and install a camera in my room. You always got so many faces. Or maybe I could avoid some of those small cases. But not this time kid you going to far. The things you doing now is gonna rip you apart.
The video — featuring backgrounds like Bird’s Nest stadium built for the 2008 summer Olympics as well as footage of THAAD’s deployment — also appears to level criticism at some people in China for the fervor of their anti-THAAD protests.
“I don’t want to see South Korea with this attitude and I also don’t want to be reminded of the war between the two sides because now this area is in peace,” a member of the group raps in Chinese.
Why not choose us rather than Uncle Sam? This situation seems to be out of control. Also, I hope that every time such international affairs like THAAD arise, we can be aware that we should keep calm and not be rude or angry with our fellow countrymen. This is China and we just want peace and love instead of bullets and bombst [sic] but if anyone is trying to cross the line, we will show them something.
The Chinese public is not the only group inflamed by THAAD’s deployment.
South Koreans have protested the anti-missile system’s arrival in their country for months.
They are concerned about the system’s sophisticated radar, the potential for it to be a target during a war, and about the health and environmental effects of its deployment.
“No THAAD, No War,” protesters chanted in Seongju, a town that THAAD equipment passed through on its way to its deployment site. “Hey, US! Are you friends or occupying troops?”
You can see the full video below.
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