Vladimir Putin praises rap for promoting a "healthy lifestyle"
Vladimir Putin enjoys hip-hop and break dancing?
Well, I wouldn’t say enjoys. The Russian Prime Minister couldn’t have
looked more awkward and consciously out of place than at the beginning
of an internet video showing Putin on an MTV-like program featuring
Russian rap artists.
Standing front row sporting a white turtleneck and gray cardigan, Putin’s sly attempts at actually enjoying the music were tamed by a self-conscious biting of his lower lip.
But, nonetheless, the Prime Minister took time out of his busy bullying
of former Soviet Republics to praise urban culture, hip-hop, break
dancing, and even graffiti.
"Street rap may be a little bit rough,” Putin said after being invited
onstage. "But it contains social meaning, raising social problems.
"Graffiti becomes a real elegant art. Break dance is something special.”
The show was sanctioned by the Russian government as a way to encourage
teens to live a healthy, drug free lifestyle, and to do so by…listening
to rap and break dancing?
"It is hard to imagine break dance being combined with alcohol and
drugs,” Putin said, seeming equally awkward talking about youth culture
as he was attempting to enjoy it.
Perhaps this is just the epitome of the Russian/American cultural
divide? I know many require a sufficient amount of intoxicants to do
the jitter bug, much less break dance.
For those who enjoy awkward humor
and Russian rap, this video gets an eight. It’d be a ten if only Putin
threw down some mad rhymes himself: "KGB we’re like the paparazzi, f**k
Ossetia, let’s spy on Angelina Jolie.”
Who knows if that would actually rhyme in Russian.
Oh, and yes, this video is for real and can be viewed at www.bestweekever.tv/?p=47412
