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Australia PM to chill backstage with US rapper Fatman Scoop
SYDNEY, Sept 15, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Australia’s new prime minister Scott
Morrison late Friday welcomed an unlikely backstage invite from US rapper
Fatman Scoop, after the conservative leader stirred a social media storm when
he took exception to the entertainer’s lyrics.
Morrison — an evangelical Christian who has been prime minister for just
a few weeks — on Thursday deleted a video on his social media accounts
showing lawmakers raising their hands in parliament to the lyrics from Fatman
Scoop’s hit song “Be Faithful”.
The meme has parliamentarians agreeing to legislation in synchronisation
to the lyrics: “You got a hundred dollar bill, put your hands up! You got a
fifty dollar bill, put your hands up!”
But the song also contains explicit lyrics and references to casual sex —
not mentioned in the meme — which many social media users pointed out.
After just a few hours online the meme was removed, with a Twitter apology
from Morrison saying the full lyrics were “just not OK”.
“It’s quite clear that that is not a song on my playlist,” he later told
reporters in Sydney.
The uproar prompted a response late Friday from Fatman Scoop, who tagged
Morrison in a Instagram post saying: “I am humbled to have my voice rocking
in the highest offices of the Australian Government!”
The rapper defended his lyrics: “It’s a fun PARTY SONG that has no
NEGATIVITY or HARM in it!!”, before extending Morrison an invite to a
November festival appearance in Australia, “to watch, dance, and after in the
backstage area discuss politics with me”.
Morrison, a staunch proponent of family values who has softened his image
in recent years, was quick to respond, saying he was “definitely keen” for
the event but requested a family friendly rendition of the song.
“Btw, probably best to send me the PG (parental guidance) radio version
next time,” he tweeted.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1120 hrs