Mom Confessions
I really liked this guy too.
Psy, the South Korean rapper famous for “Gangnam Style,” apologized Friday for a 2004 performance in which he said American soldiers should be killed “slowly and painfully.”
At a 2004 concert, the "Gangnam Style" rapper performs a song with lyrics about killing "Yankees" who have been torturing Iraqi captives and their families "slowly and painfully."You can listen to the heavy metal rap song, called "Dear American," here, but it's completely Korean. It isn't actually Psy's song, it was written and originally performed by aKorean metal band called N.E.X.T., but Psy and other Korean musicians performed it at a 2004 protest against the Iraq war.
The song opens with the sounds of a semi-automatic gun, a reverberating clang of Asian-style cymbals, then the sounds of a muezzin calling Muslims to prayer by reciting verses from the Koran.
It is basically an angry rant, a call to kill, and it roughly translates to:
Kill those f***ing Yankees who've been torturing Iraqi captives
Kill those f***ers who ordered them to torture
And kill their family members, daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law and fathers
Kill, kill, kill... very slowly and painfully
Psy has gone global with “Gangnam Style", and the video for the song has generated nearly 1 billion views on YouTube. But after his old lyrics surfaced, a short-lived petition to kick him off the Christmas in Washington celebration went up on whitehouse.gov. The petition had fewer than 500 signatures when it was pulled offline for violating terms.
Here’s the apology Psy released through his publicist, in full:
“As a proud South Korean who was educated in the United States and lived there for a very significant part of my life, I understand the sacrifices American servicemen and women have made to protect freedom and democracy in my country and around the world.”
“The song in question — from eight years ago — was part of a deeply emotional reaction to the war in Iraq and the killing of two Korean schoolgirls that was part of the overall antiwar sentiment shared by others around the world at that time. While I’m grateful for the freedom to express one’s self I’ve learned there are limits to what language is appropriate and I’m deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted. I will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused anyone by those words.
“I have been honored to perform in front of American soldiers in recent months — including an appearance on the Jay Leno show specifically for them — and I hope they and all Americans can accept my apology. While it’s important we express our opinions, I deeply regret the inflammatory and inappropriate language I used to do so. In my music I try to give people a release, a reason to smile. I have learned that though music, our universal language we can all come together as a culture of humanity and I hope that you will accept my apology.”
Do you accept Psy's apology or do you think it's just a way to gain or keep American fans. Does this influence whether or not you like Psy?
Replies
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Woah...
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I didn't like him before this. *shrug*
The soldiers who ARE torturing (innocent) people in Iraq should die. My Opinion.
I did nnot in anyway say American soldiers should die, just the asshole ones who abuse their power to hurt people who have done nothing wrong. -
Don't care. -
Um this is not uncommon in that country. I wouldn't be surprised if he was raised with the belief. Seems he has changed. He's never been my music choice though.
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No. I don't accept his bs apology. Fuck him. -
No I dont accept his apology
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Or the ones killing innocent civilians. Wasn't there a serial killer over there to who was also a soldier not to mention those rapping.
Quoting Pandora-Sparrow:
Woah...
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Wow he's an asshole. I never liked his song to begin with. -
I don't give a fuck. I still like him. Its not like he was the one doing the murdering and torture. I've heard a lot of dumbass shit rappers say in their songs both american and foreign rappers.
Atleast he apologized. How about we get over it and move on to more important fucking issues. -
At least he gave a reasonable eexplanation as to why he was angry enough to write something like that, and offered what seems like a sincere apology.