Fun^da^mental, you aren't the only one!
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Dog-Tribe, by Fun^da^mental (incredible name btw) garnered lots of attention, but for negative reasons unfortunately. Hutnyck describes the context in which the music video was published in; a very conservative Britain that valued the idea of "tough on crime", except this crime they were so tough on happened to involve many POC. For example, there is the reducing of the rights of travellers and the Romani to the point where their livelihoods became criminal acts. The Dog-Tribe music video had sparked enough controversy to grab the attention of news media outlets and even academics. The music video itself depicts a hate crime/racially motivated attack led by skinheads. We see an Asian man beaten violently, but ultimately rescued by other Asian men. HIs attempt to get the attention of a politician ends in failure and disappointment, as well as the deaths of other people. A strong lyrics from this song describes the sentiment that many ethnic minority groups feel: "Self-defence is no offence already"; indicating that these groups are ready to fight back. Furthermore, there are Islamic symbols found throughout the video, as seen on the bandanas covering the faces of people and on Nawaz's shirt. There is also a person wearing a keffiyeh, a Middle Eastern scarf that carries the message of Palestinian Liberation in it's beautifully intricate design. These elements of the video had convinced many that the Dog-Tribe music video held the message of Islamic extremism. Dog-Tribe uses music and visual queues to discuss the racism that POC face in the West. There is an alliance amongst those who were victimized, and also the realization that they have reached their limit. They will no longer sit back and take the bigotry.
This instance in history reminded me of American radios immediately after 9/11. Many songs and groups were banned after the attack. Some songs were understandable, like AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" and The Gap Band's "You Dropped a Bomb on Me", especially that last one. However, there were many other songs that were banned for alternative reasons. For example, the entirety of Rage Against the Machine's discography was banned due to their anti-capitalist and anti-corporation sentiments. Their valid arguments were seen as "anti-American", and the one time were American was at it's most vulnerable meant that their message needed to be censored. We also saw the banning of songs that contained elements that resembled the Middle East, or anything Islamic/Muslim. The Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian" was banned, even though the song itself has nothing to do with violence or terrorism. It simply uses Egyptian imagery (though in a very distasteful but unfortunately catchy way). There is also The Clash's "Rock the Casbah" (music video included), that depicted a Muslim hitchhiker and a Jewish driver attend a Clash concert. The mere imagery in these videos was enough to get them banned/censored. This shows how the media, the government and the West does not understand symbolism. They associate what they deem "Muslim" or "Middle Eastern" with violence.
A side note: there are still intolerant comments on the Dog-Tribe music video, one trying to spell out a racial slur in an incognito way, and another basically calling POC criminals. Though they are from 4-5 years ago, it is still sad to see how people can be confronted with literal images of hate crimes and still believe the victims deserved it.